Are you one of the 31 million people who don’t do it?
You know, wake up early enough to put the most important meal of the day in your stomach.
I can always tell the non-breakfast-eaters when I speak to kids at school. They have a glazed look, or they are fidgety and distracted, as if their bodies are screaming, “Feed me!”
Breakfast, after all, “breaks the fast” after slumber and is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It is the first healthy habit on our “8 to LiVe by” habit builder from Parkview LiVe.
We can’t deny the facts. Study after study over the past 20 years has shown eating a healthy breakfast can:
- Improve your memory and concentration
- Boost your creativity and problem-solving skills
- Lift your mood
- Improve brain function, resulting in higher test scores and cognitive performance
- Help you reach and keep a healthy weight
Who wouldn’t want those wonderful benefits? People tell me they don’t eat breakfast because they don’t have time. Others don’t like to wake up, and some say they don’t like breakfast food. If you want to make breakfast happen, you can!
Many people eat heavy meals in the evening, with some snacking even before bed. If you lighten your dinner and limit evening snacking, you will begin to naturally feel hungry within 30 to 45 minutes after waking. Give this some time – it works! You just need to re-set your body’s food clock, so to speak. Set your alarm just 10 minutes earlier to allow for a quick and wholesome breakfast.
If you have to eat on the go, try eating:
- Homemade energy bars
- Healthy homemade muffins made with a fruit or vegetable purée, healthful oil (canola) and whole-grain pastry flour
Get creative with your breakfast. Trade cereal and toast for a nutritious shake or leftovers from dinner. To balance your breakfast, ideally include a healthy protein and fat, whole fiber-filled grain, calcium choice and fruit.
If you choose cereal, check the label for 6 grams of sugar or less per serving (or 16 grams if the cereal contains fruit). Make sure the cereal has at least 3 grams of fiber and that whole grain is listed as the first ingredientFor more details on why a healthy breakfast is a great start to your day, check out additional tips at Parkview.com.
Give breakfast a try. The health benefits are yours for the taking! Here’s to a renewed boost in your step!
