CRAVINGS are a part of life. Cravings can be good and bad. We crave all kinds of things: friendships, love, money, and food. Cravings can be good for us or detrimental to us. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” There is much truth to that. Another truth is, “You CRAVE what you EAT!” The food choices we make each time we eat have a huge impact on our quality of life partly because they affect our cravings for certain foods. If you eat chips and sweets all day, I assure you, that is what you will crave. If you eat healthy foods, then that’s what you will crave.
One way to help get the day off to a healthy start is to eat a good breakfast. Breakfast is extremely important! Don’t skip it and be careful to make nutritious choices! Eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel very hungry later and be likely to reach for a quick fix, such as candy or chips. In addition, extended fasting, which occurs when you skip breakfast, can increase your body’s insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.
Eating breakfast starts you on the track to making healthy choices all day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat a healthier diet that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day, too.
Eating breakfast gives you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose). Skipping breakfast is linked with decreased physical activity. Sadly, more Americans are skipping breakfast. If you’re one of them, whether you’re trying to save time or cut calories, you may want to reconsider, especially if you’re trying to control your weight.
To sum it up, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Try to balance breakfast with protein, carbs, and a small amount of fat. That will help increase satiety. Here are some healthy breakfast ideas to choose from:
- Whole wheat toast with 1tbsp peanut butter and banana
- High fiber cereals with fruit
- Oatmeal with protein
- Eggs and toast
- Egg omelet in a whole wheat wrap
- Protein shake with fruit (frozen fruit works great)
- Protein bars (keep for when you are rushed & be picky, they are not all created equal)
It’s the start of a new year. Why not begin it with a renewed commitment to healthy choices, starting with breakfast!
Author: Lisa Minnick
Get Fit Get Living LLC offers group classes for all levels of fitness. Please see web site for more information. Lisa specialize in the area of strengthening and toning for women. Helping them build stronger muscles, increase bone density, improve their balance and increase metabolism. I believe that even though staying fit and healthy is hard work it can be fun and the benefits are very rewarding. It will improve your quality and enjoyment of life. Anyone can strengthen their physical, mental and spiritual well being!