What do you eat for breakfast? It’s true what you’ve heard; breakfast is a very important part of your day. This is the meal that’s designed to supply a third of the macro and micro nutrients your body needs to function optimally. If your mornings are hectic you might opt for something quick and convenient. Maybe you have more time in the morning to cook for yourself. Either way, what you eat is important and will make the difference between feeling energized and mentally sharp vs hitting that mid-morning slump of exhaustion and brain fog. The effect of food on our body varies from person to person. Eating something healthy isn’t guaranteed to make you feel your best. You may be eating a wholesome breakfast but feeling spent by 10:30am. This is your body’s not so polite way of telling you it’s time to change up your breakfast menu. Alternatively, skipping breakfast can alter your blood sugar levels, leaving you shaky and anxious - never a fun way to spend your morning. Eating a good breakfast will definitely help your day go smoothly but how do you figure out which foods in particular will do this for you? A fun way to distinguish which foods will give you that morning boost is to test them out. For one week, try eating a different breakfast everyday. Record in a notebook or on your phone what you ate, how you felt immediately after the meal, and how you felt again two hours later.
Tailor your own choices or feel free to use these options as your guide:
Day one: scrambled eggs or tofu
Day two: avocado toast drizzled with olive oil and salt
Day three: black bean breakfast burrito
Day four: smoothie with nut butter or protein powder
Day five: overnight oats
Day six: coconut or greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and hemp seeds
Day seven: whole grain toast with nut butter and whole fruit jelly or banana slices
Repeat the experiment for another seven days with different foods each morning so you can discover even more foods that keep you going all morning long. Did you notice certain breakfasts made you feel energized? Were there any ones that didn’t? Once you’ve discovered the foods that have positively impacted you, add them into your diet at other meals, so you can feel amazing all day long!
ABOUT ME
I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I studied more than one hundred dietary theories and learned a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I work with each client to create a personalized “roadmap to health” that suits their unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
Learn more about my unique approach to health coaching: www.intentionedwellness.com