When it comes to weight loss, the old saying actually is true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Truth is, breakfast affects your metabolism throughout the course of your entire day, for better OR worse. The contents of your breakfast determine if and when you get sugar/carb cravings soon after the meal. If the contents are not balanced, it can trigger a day long cycle of insulin roller coaster rides than wreck your health. How, when and what you eat for breakfast plays a major role in your hormonal profile throughout the day. We can optimize that hormone profile for weight loss for a much more effective weight cut than calorie counting could ever dream to accomplish.
FIRST RULE
Eat within 30 minutes of rising from bed – Your metabolism is slow when you wake and it will stay in a slow “fat storage mode” until you eat. Level up to fat burning mode as soon as you can. Make this a habit and it will not be a struggle. Whip up breakfast quickly or pre-make some or all of it the day before.
SECOND RULE
Higher protein Lower carb – This is just as important if not more so than breakfast timing. It works for weight loss in multiple ways. 1. Ghrelin is the hormone created in the body that makes you feel the cravings of hunger. Protein is the most satiating macro nutrient and is the most effective ghrelin suppressor. 2. Camp fire analogy- think of your stomach like a camp fire. When you eat protein, it is like putting a fat log on the fire, it burns long and steady. The fire does not crave a snack of sticks 20 minutes later. Now when you eat carbs, it is like throwing twigs and leaves on the fire. They burn up fast, as carbs do, with a short burst of flame (insulin spike) followed by a crash (low blood sugar) which leads to craving and more carb snacking. Burn the fat log my friend!
-I recommend a minimum of 30 grams of protein per breakfast though I want you to try for as much as 40-50 grams, especially if you deal with carb cravings.
-If you are overweight then limit breakfast carbs to 25 grams or less. This is something like a small serving of hash browns and a whole fruit. Not so bad!
-If you are leaner you can afford around 30 grams of carbs for breakfast, a bit more if they are mostly complex carbohydrates.
-A perfect breakfast example would be four eggs, and at least a few ounces of healthy meat along with a fruit and a serving of veggies. This adds up to 30-50 grams of protein and plenty of antioxidants from the plant matter.
Of course there are a thousand more strategies, tips and rules to follow on your weight loss journey but these you can follow right now with little extra effort. And you will be well on your way to your ideal body! Remember perfection is accomplished 1% at a time. Don’t rush yourself and be happy knowing that you will succeed!
Cannot
Shall not
WILL NOT BE DENIED!
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