One of the most popular concepts in nutrition the past few decades is the idea of breakfast being the most important meal of the day. While some might even argue against eating it at all, I’d like to focus on how we can make the most of our breakfast and use it to our advantage when it comes to performance (both at the office and in the gym) and fat loss.
First, a quick science lesson — our bodies can burn different nutrients for fuel: primarily fat and carbohydrates. Depending on the amounts of these nutrients in our diet, we can become more reliant on one over the other. So if we eat more fat, our body becomes more efficient at using fat. If we eat more sugar and carbs, our body will rely more on this energy source.
When we wake up in the morning, we are in a fasted state. Eating breakfast is how we “break” our “fast.” Our body has gone anywhere from 6-12 hours without any food. We are relying more heavily on body fat to keep our brain and heart functioning. If we limit our carbohydrate intake for awhile longer, our body will continue to rely on this fat as a fuel source. So after our overnight “fast,” our body is in fat-burning mode.
If we want to stay in fat-burning mode, we need to avoid adding a bunch of sugar (carbohydrates). But what do we normally eat in the morning? Cereal (sugar), waffles (sugar) and pancakes (sugar) with syrup (sugar), bagels (sugar) and toast (sugar) with jam (sugar), and juice (sugar). And what does this do to our ability to burn fat? It shuts down, not to mention all of the other negative consequences of consuming large amounts of sugar.
We spike our blood sugar and wait for it to come crashing down 2-3 hours later. Why do you think we need a mid-morning snack around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m.?
What’s the solution? Focus on more satisfying foods in the morning. Studies from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the British Journal of Nutrition suggest higher protein breakfasts create a greater feeling of satiety, meaning we won’t have as many cravings.
Get over the myth that fat makes us overweight and unhealthy. Have some bacon and eggs, maybe an omelette with ham, onions, spinach, green peppers and mushrooms. If that doesn’t fit your taste, try a smoothie with protein powder and coconut milk. Throw in some chia seeds, almond butter and/or coconut oil to add some healthy fat. I promise you’ll feel a lot more satisfied than you will with a bowl of cereal. And you won’t be strolling to the vending machine at 9:30 a.m.
Ben Matlak, MS, CSCS, Pn1 works at Kutting Edge Fitness in Kirkland and can be reached at ben@kuttingedgefitness.com
