Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But why? What makes breakfast so important, not only for health, but for weight loss? It turns out there are quite a few reasons…
1: Sustained energy for better choices
Choosing a healthy breakfast that is low GI< has a decent portion of protein, is high in fibre, and includes one of your fruit serves for the day is a fantastic way to set yourself up for great energy levels throughout the morning.
So what does this have to do with weight loss? Having your blood sugar levels in a good range by choosing slow release meals helps to keep your mood level, maintain concentration, and make better decisions.
In theory, all of this could add up to less emotional eating, and better decision making abilities in terms of healthy choices for the following meals.
2: Avoiding cravings and overeating
When your blood sugar levels dip too low – which happens after you eat a quickly digested high GI breakfast (like white toast) or skip breakfast – you are more prone to experiencing cravings for high sugar or fat foods.
This kind of extreme hunger can also mean that you eat too quickly, wolfing down your meal or snack in no time at all. This means that you may consume far more than you actually need before you feel full.
Neither of these options are going to your life much easier in terms of losing weight.
3: Start the day the way you mean to end it
Making a healthy meal choice first thing in the morning might just make you more likely to choose healthy meals and snacks for the rest of the day. Think of it this way, if you started off the day with a chocolate bar, are you going to have much motivation to eat healthy afterwards?
Many of us fall into the habit of thinking that if we make one poor choice that the day is a write-off. On the other hand, if we have made healthy choices all day we are more likely to avoid unhealthy foods later in the day, not wanting to ruin all our hard work.
So get yourself in a great headspace for the day, but making healthy breakfast options easy and convenient. Egg, mushroom, tomato, and avocado on whole grain bread. Untoasted muesli with natural yoghurt and peaches. A healthy fruit smoothie. All great choices!