We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many of us still struggle with our morning meals. Breakfast presents several challenges for many people. One of the most common issues is a lack of time to prepare a healthful breakfast. It’s true that it can be difficult to fit in a three-course meal when you’re rushing to get to work, but a little planning and preparation can help you make breakfast happen. Once you form the habit of eating in the morning, you’ll quickly enjoy the benefits of better mental focus during the day, more stamina, and a more efficient metabolism.
When we first begin working together, many of my clients feel they can’t choke anything down in the morning. If the idea of food before 11am repulses you, you should first examine what you’re eating the night before. If you tend to indulge in late-night snacks or heavy meals before bed, you may be suffering from a morning-after food hangover. Work on reducing and eventually eliminating eating at night. Simultaneously, begin having something small and light in the mornings. A cup of herbal tea is a great place to start, then you can graduate to warm broth and eventually move on to soup and maybe hot cereal.
A great way to figure out what foods work well for you in the morning is to conduct a breakfast experiment. When I guide my clients through this experiment, I provide a list of different food suggestions (for example: oatmeal, a baked sweet potato, toast, coffee, eggs, steamed vegetables, granola, fresh fruit, a bagel with cream cheese, a doughnut…). Choose ONE item from the list per day for five days. Have as much of your selection as you want, but eat only that particular food for that morning. Immediately after eating, check in with your body. How are you feeling about what you just ate? Do you feel satisfied? Are you craving anything? Write down your observations. Then, two hours later, check in again. How is that food doing? Do you feel hungry yet? Have you been able to focus this morning? Again, record your observations. The next morning, do the same thing with a different food selection. This experiment can teach you a lot about how your body reacts to foods in general as well as helping you choose the breakfast foods that work best for you.
It’s also helpful to shake up your routine. Breakfast is the most common meal to get stuck in a rut. If you’re tired of the same old cereal or yogurt or smoothie, try something completely different for a day or two and see how it goes.
And don’t limit yourself to eggs, toast, cereal, and coffee. Redefine your idea of what “breakfast food” is. Dinner leftovers often make a great breakfast. A fruit-based dessert item, such as a fruit crisp, can be a lovely breakfast the next morning. Miso soup is quick to prepare and makes a fantastic breakfast (and it’s very portable!). Some spicy black beans and salsa on a tortilla can make a nice morning meal, too. And having some vegetables in the morning, especially leafy greens, makes me feel terrific all day. Why not give it a try?
