Benefits of Breakfast
Ok. So, it is true, I am on a bit of a breakfast kick right now. You might even call me obsessed. But the more work I do with clients and in my research on it, the more important I truly believe that it is. So if you are a reluctant breakfaster or a non-breakfaster, or even if you are true believer and want to feel good about yourself, allow me to tell you why I think breakfast is so important.
Concentration and Energy:
There are the reasons that many of us probably heard growing up: eating a good breakfast helps you to concentrateand gives you energy. These are both true and important reasons to have breakfast! We usually think of these benefits, though, in the context of our kids and their need to concentrate and learn in school.
Many of us, though, then decide as we get older that now that we are grown-ups, we’ve learned how to concentrate or how to at least behave so that we can get by without eating breakfast or by considering our coffee our breakfast. On this point, I beg to differ. Sure, it is true that you can get by and you probably won’t have a meltdown in the middle of the office, but it is also true that your concentration will not be optimal and you may be slower to react, slower to complete tasks, and you likely will feel very draggy/ready to take a nap around 10:30. So just for concentration and energy alone, it is worth it to eat breakfast.
No Breakfast is Bad for Insulin Levels:
This is a biggie for us grown-ups and here is how it works. When you skip breakfast, our body’s response to insulin slows down. This means that more insulin begins to accumulate in your bloodstream and then your insulin sensitivity declines.
What happens when your insulin sensitivity goes down? You store fat for longer, which in turns leads to weight gain and bad cholesterol (LDL) buildup, not to mention increased risk for diabetes.
What do I do now?
So now that I have completely freaked you out and convinced you that eating breakfast:
- Improves concentration
- Improves energy
- Assists in weight control
- Lowers cholesterol
- Decreases risk of developing diabetes
How do you start incorporating breakfast into your diet? Well, here are some ideas for quick, easy, and healthy breakfasts you can even bring with you on the go:
- Whole grain, low sugar muffins, preferably with nuts for protein
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Smoothies, especially green smoothies to pack in more veggies
- Slices of a quiche or frittata you make over the weekend
- Reheated oatmeal
- Handful of nuts and a piece of fruit
- Leftovers! (Just because it isn’t a classic breakfast food, doesn’t mean it isn’t a good one.)
So, have I convinced you? If not, why not? What stops you from starting the day off with breakfast?
