Tag Archive for: Breakfast

7 Food Mistakes We Make To Get Healthier

homemade-yogurtAt the beginning of a new year is when most of us take a look at our diet.  Learn to avoid these common diet mistakes, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you.

Eliminating all fats: You need healthy sources of fat to maintain essential body functions, sustain energy levels, slow digestion and feel fuller longer.  Make sure you eat plenty of good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, coconut oil,nuts and flax seeds.

Reducing calories too much: When you follow an extreme diet,  your body will catch on and lower your metabolism to accommodate the reduced supply of fuel. Then, when you return to your normal intake of food, you will regain that weight because you’re now consuming more calories.

Eating too much healthy food: Eating too much of anything leads to weight gain. No matter how healthy the food is, a calorie is still a calorie.  Hummus, pistachios and peanuts contain healthy fats but come with masses of calories and such foods can act as triggers for those with a tendency to overeat.

Eliminating carbohydrates: Complex, high-fiber carbohydrates like brown rice, beans and lentils should be part of any diet regimen.

Incorrect portion sizes: Know what an appropriate portion size really is.

Eating infrequently: For your body to work most efficiently, you should eat five or six small meals or snacks per day to keep your metabolism running strong and your energy level consistent.

Skipping breakfast: Breakfast gets your metabolic machinery running and sets your body’s course for the rest of the day. Missing breakfast leads to overeating later in the day as blood sugar drops.  If you can’t face breakfast, eating a handful of almonds, some yogurt, an egg … or any form of protein in the morning, about an hour after waking will be enough to stop you binging later in the day.

So how do successful folks eat healthy and maintain a health weight? The National Weight Control Registry studied the habits of the 10% of people who kept their weight at a healthy level for five years or more.

Here’s what they did:

78 per cent ate breakfast every day.
75 per cent weighed themselves at least once a week.
62 per cent watched less than ten hours of TV a week.
90 per cent exercised moderately for an hour every day (most chose walking)

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Do You Eat Breakfast?

Do You Eat Breakfast?We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the the day, and here’s why.

If you deprive your body of food in the morning you may find that you feel tired, dizzy and have trouble concentrating. If you don’t eat anything in the morning, you will most likely find yourself craving something sweet to eat, as your body needs energy – NOW!

To compensate for no breakfast you may find yourself reaching for something very unhealthy, and you will be more likely to consume up to  twice as many calories than you would if you ate breakfast.

After a night’s sleep, your stomach is empty and requires fuel.  It makes sense that the best way to start the day is to energize and revitalize your body by eating a nutritious and healthy breakfast, that will keep you satisfied until lunch.

Our body needs a healthy breakfast packed full of vitamins and nutrients providing  us with energy and fuel for our brain.  The best types of foods to be eaten at breakfast are complex carbohydrates such as whole grains including oats, and 12 grain bread together with a small amount of fruit, yogurt and freshly squeezed juice.

These foods have a low GI (glycemic index), which means that they release glucose steadily and slowly into the bloodstream, unlike the unhealthier breakfast choices such as pastries. Foods with a low GI will keep you fuller for longer, preventing unhealthy snacking, and keep your energy levels steady while providing you with essential minerals and vitamins.

Many people like to consume some form of protein in the morning, as protein balances blood sugar levels and recent studies have also proven that concentration levels are enhanced if some form of protein is consumed during the breakfast meal.

The results are in and study after study proves that adults who eat breakfast in the morning perform better at work, have a healthier body weight and are more physically fit, so get eating!

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