inFORM: Get Breakfast Right Every Time

Get Breakfast Right Every Time

I was nearly killed this morning by a woman who was really into her breakfast burrito. She was loving that thing so much that she couldn’t decide which lane was hers.

First I thought, “I’m going to die.” Then I thought, “That burrito is enormous.” Finally I thought, “Well, at least she’s eating breakfast. And there are probably eggs somewhere in that yellow wrapper. That’s cool.”

People who eat (or drink!) a good breakfast:

Have a better memory and sharper cognitive skills
Are leaner
Are more likely to take in an appropriate daily amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Have a more stable blood sugar (better energy levels and focus)

Eating or drinking a solid breakfast helps to kick start your metabolism, provides the fuel your brain needs to focus and nourishes your body for whatever challenges or adventures may come your way.

So what is a good breakfast?

First let’s rule out what is not part of a good breakfast: Cake.

Muffins, bagels, waffles, Pop Tarts, donuts, rolls, pastries, and pancakes = Cake.

Now let’s reconsider a few traditionals that may not the best choice for breakfast:

Toast with jam (even if it is toast made from organic, sprouted, whole grains that were harvest by one-armed monks in Nepal)
Cereal with milk (especially skim milk! Please consider replacing skim milk with 2% or higher.)
Flavored yogurt and granola
Juice

Why would cake and the traditionals be a substandard choice for breakfast?

It’s all about blood sugar, friends. When you eat a meal that is high in sugar, your body releases a flood of insulin to clear it from your bloodstream and store it as fat.

After that high sugar/high insulin spike, we crash and find ourselves in a low blood sugar (fatigued, crabby, foggy, irritable, and anxious) state. We start searching for more sugar to make us feel better. It is truly a vicious cycle.

Parents: You may be surprised by the changes you see in your kiddos when you nourish their bodies differently. So much of what is marketed to our kids is complete junk. If we expect the children to sit still, play nice, and concentrate, we need to give them quality nutrition. I am writing this from experience. I am embarrassed by what I used to feed my kids for breakfast. A few small changes made a huge difference in their personalities, quality of school work, body composition, and skin clarity.

GREAT CHOICES

Nitrate-free sausage and bacon from happy, healthy pigs
Eggs in any way, shape or form
Hash made with ground turkey, peppers and sweet potatoes
A bowl of macadamias, coconut flakes and fresh blueberries
Plain Greek yogurt with walnuts and strawberries
A smoothie made with hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, coconut milk and frozen berries
An apple with almond butter
Plain oatmeal with nuts and fresh berries
Grapefruit and almonds
Avocado
Leftover steak and veggies
Coffee blended with fat...

Coffee blended with fat?!

Yes! For some people who don’t enjoy eating breakfast every day, drinking a hot cup of coffee blended with a tablespoon of grass-fed butter (Kerrygold unsalted) and a tablespoon of MCT oil can provide a nice source of energy.

I started an experiment back in April. One of my favorite podcast hosts, Dave Asprey, was singing the praises of his Bulletproof Coffee. I’ve always been in the camp that a hearty breakfast is a must, so I was very skeptical about the idea that replacing my bacon and eggs with coffee and butter was a good health move. However, there are few things I love more than a little self-experimentation. So I gave it a try!

My intention was to do this for a week and see how I feel. Well…felt so great that I kept on doing it. I drink my coffee at 6am and don’t eat until noon. I feel sharp, energetic, and not hungry.

I don’t recommend this form of intermittent fasting for everyone. In fact, there are many people for which this may not be a good idea. If you are stressed out, sick, training hard at the gym for an event, or are prone to adrenal fatigue, this isn’t for you.

As always, it is important to listen to your body. If you feel like you need a bit more fuel, then get some! I did an exceptionally hard H.I.I.T. workout yesterday and my glycogen stores were depleted. When I woke up today, I could tell I needed some carbs. Instead of my usual coffee, I opted for a blueberry smoothie with avocado, cucumber, chia, and hemp. No big deal!

Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Coffee:

2 cups fresh coffee, prepared in a French press with freshly ground beans (sounds kind of fancy pants, but now I won’t do it any other way)

***It is important to use really fresh beans. Coffee is notorious for mycotoxins (mold). If you have to pee immediately after drinking your coffee, that is a good sign you should try to find a better quality bean.

I add these ingredients to a tall glass jar (a Bubbies pickles jar works great):