Many people
ask me, “Do I need to eat breakfast before I workout?”.
They may complain that they can’t stomach a meal before a workout, they simply
don’t have the time, or they want to cut calories. Eating nothing is the best way to lose weight and get the most out of my workout. Really!? I think not.
Well, here’s the
skinny on breakfast, folks. It IS
important! However you choose to enjoy your breakfast, it can certainly
vary to fit your lifestyle and improve your overall diet and fitness levels. Here’s how:
1) If you workout in
the AM
You don’t
have to eat your breakfast all at once! You can split it up. Have a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter
before your workout (30min to an hour before is fine) for a filling but easily
digestible snack before your workout so you have energy to exercise without getting a tummy ache. After your workout, grab a hardboiled egg, a strip of bacon and a
whole wheat English muffin, to stave off
post-exercise munchies. By splitting
up your breakfast, you won’t feel overly full, you’ll burn more calories in
your workout because you have the energy to work efficiently and you won’t feel
tempted to binge on a giant bagel sandwich that could easily top 600 calories
or more if you don’t watch your intake! Eat
smart!
2) If you’re in a
rush
There are
always healthy options available in the morning, you just have to be prepared. If you know you won’t have
time to cook breakfast in the morning, prep
the night before. Oatmeal is a great option because you can cook it the
night before, warm it up and take it to go in a Tupperware in the car, topped
with some berries. Fill up your morning commute with healthy carbohydrates, fiber and protein, along with your antioxidant power ( citrus, berries, melons apples ) fruits!
Yogurt and fruit with granola is another excellent option for the on the go person. Currently, Greek yogurt ( FAGE, Muller etc ), which is all the rage these days, has higher protein content and a good fat content to help you load up on energy so you can function well during the day! Try and stay away from yogurt that has a lot of "fruit" in it. Some of it is no more than syrup with fruit and is loaded with refined sugars. If you want fruit, get fresh blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and chop them up the day of or before and put in a plastic bag. take with you to work and combine all the ingredients and you're good to go for a rich meal of health foods to sustain your energy levels all day.
Yogurt and fruit with granola is another excellent option for the on the go person. Currently, Greek yogurt ( FAGE, Muller etc ), which is all the rage these days, has higher protein content and a good fat content to help you load up on energy so you can function well during the day! Try and stay away from yogurt that has a lot of "fruit" in it. Some of it is no more than syrup with fruit and is loaded with refined sugars. If you want fruit, get fresh blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and chop them up the day of or before and put in a plastic bag. take with you to work and combine all the ingredients and you're good to go for a rich meal of health foods to sustain your energy levels all day.
3) If you’re dieting
Breakfast
is not the meal to skip! When you
skip breakfast, you set yourself up for temptation…by
10am, those donuts in the conference room look pretty good don’t they?? Don’t
give in to the trap! Fill up on low cal, moderate fat, moderate protein and high fiber options so
that you have sustained energy throughout the day, along with the willpower to
stick to your diet. Here is a sample morning breakfast meal:
A scrambled egg on a light, whole wheat English Muffin, topped with sliced tomato and a small piece of avocado will only run you about 250 cal and is full of nutrition. Chugging a 2% grande Caramel Macchiato is about the same amount of calories and is not nearly as satisfying…and will leave you with a sugar crash and cravings shortly after!
SOME OPTIONS FOR THE WEEK
1) Whole Wheat English muffin with 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 sliced banana, 1 tsp drizzled honey
2) Greek yogurt with berries and 1/4 cup whole grain granola or high fiber cereal
3) 2 scrambled eggs with 2 tbs shredded low fat cheese, 1 chopped tomato, and chopped scallions for a tasty scramble!
4) one sunny side up egg, 2 pieces pork, turkey or tofu bacon (only 60 cal!), and 1/2 grapefruit
5) 1 cup cooked oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and 2 tbs milk (regular, soy or almond are all okay)
6) whole wheat toast topped with 1/3 avocado, a dash of sea salt and pepper, a personal favorite with healthy fats! Add an apple to make it more filling.
7) On the go, grab a string cheese, a 1/4 cup nuts, and a piece of fruit for fiber, healthy fat and protein! -8) Energy bars are cool. Just be aware of the serving size and the amount of sugar that it contains.
**Note: Protein can be things other than dairy ( bacon, lean cuts of beef, chicken, fish )
A scrambled egg on a light, whole wheat English Muffin, topped with sliced tomato and a small piece of avocado will only run you about 250 cal and is full of nutrition. Chugging a 2% grande Caramel Macchiato is about the same amount of calories and is not nearly as satisfying…and will leave you with a sugar crash and cravings shortly after!
SOME OPTIONS FOR THE WEEK
1) Whole Wheat English muffin with 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 sliced banana, 1 tsp drizzled honey
2) Greek yogurt with berries and 1/4 cup whole grain granola or high fiber cereal
3) 2 scrambled eggs with 2 tbs shredded low fat cheese, 1 chopped tomato, and chopped scallions for a tasty scramble!
4) one sunny side up egg, 2 pieces pork, turkey or tofu bacon (only 60 cal!), and 1/2 grapefruit
5) 1 cup cooked oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and 2 tbs milk (regular, soy or almond are all okay)
6) whole wheat toast topped with 1/3 avocado, a dash of sea salt and pepper, a personal favorite with healthy fats! Add an apple to make it more filling.
7) On the go, grab a string cheese, a 1/4 cup nuts, and a piece of fruit for fiber, healthy fat and protein! -8) Energy bars are cool. Just be aware of the serving size and the amount of sugar that it contains.
**Note: Protein can be things other than dairy ( bacon, lean cuts of beef, chicken, fish )
NEXT LEVEL MEMBERS-
You can make breakfast a healthy part of your lifestyle! We encourage you
to do so, so you can be in tip top shape, full of energy, and happy. So this
morning, munch on something meaningful-your first healthy meal of the day.
Wishing you the best!
Dr. Abu Pigott
Aurora Baxter
