Breakfast of Champions

Healthy Options to Start Your Day

Now that we’ve established Mom was right and why we shouldn’t skip the most important meal of the day. Let’s take a look at some healthy choices for our Breakfast. Back in the day, when I was a kid, I was a big time cereal eater. I mean big time! I would think nothing of going right through a box of Cocoa Pebbles or Count Chocula before the end the day. Sometimes, that was my breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks in between; if there were any left.

Although, I still love cereal to this day, I obviously changed which brand I consume now. When we were younger in the 80’s we could easily burn off those extra calories. We had no choice but to go outside and get moving. With the advancements in technology today, more and more kids are becoming less and less active and are heading towards a path of obesity. The statistics are not pretty for the younger generation. However, this is neither here nor there as I’m continue to wander off topic.

One of the most common and healthiest choices for breakfast has to be the Incredible Edible Egg. Eggs are all natural and are packed with high quality protein and antioxidants. At just 70 calories per whole egg, you can be rest assured that you’ll be getting plenty of vitamins, minerals and nutrients without busting your waistline. Plus, there’s an endless amount of great recipes for eggs that anyone and everyone can find a perfect dish for them. Don’t be scared of the yolks either, they are rich in vitamin B choline, important for memory as well as carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which promote eye health.

Greek Yogurt Parfait

Like eggs, Greek Yogurt is loaded with protein; it’s also a great source of calcium. Just stay away from the flavored yogurts as they tend to be high in sugar. Add your own fruit (Berries!) to it and you have an excellent 100 calorie breakfast.

How about a nice piece of candy? Nature’s candy that is; Fruit. It’s been dubbed Nature’s Candy by many for decades for good reason. Although Fruit is sweet, it contains fructose with its’ natural sugars; so don’t panic. Fruit is also a great source of fiber, essential vitamins, antioxidants and flavonoids. Opt for a variety of fruit as each fruit has its’ own benefits and varying degrees of vitamins, antioxidants and flavonoids. Go for fresh fruit, although dried fruit is a good choice too. Just make sure to check the ingredients on the packaging to see what was added to the fruit. And at all costs, avoid the fruit in the cans. You know, the ones that are loaded with heavy syrup and sugar? You might as well have a cup of granulated sugar if you’re going the can route.

 

My staple breakfast for the last two years or so has been Oatmeal. I go with a half of a cup of whole grain oats, topped with cinnamon, ¼ banana and a dash of unsweetened almond milk. It’s only about 175 calories or so, but because it’s loaded with dietary fiber, protein and carbohydrates, it keeps me feeling full to my mid-morning snack. Whatever your choice is, steel cut, instant or old fashioned; just remember to avoid the flavored varieties. Again, loaded with sugar.

And last, but certainly not least, I have to mention Shakeology. Although I do not use Shakeology as breakfast (countless people do), I prefer my Shakeology as a lunch. We like to think of Shakeology as “The Healthiest Meal of the Day.” But what is it really? In short, it’s my daily dose of dense nutrition. Cheesy line? Perhaps. But there’s no way to describe it better than that. It’s a meal replacement shake that contains over 70 All Natural ingredients from all over the world. It’s loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, super-foods and pre & pro-biotics. Get all of that? Let me add some more for you, here’s just a partial list of some of the 70 ingredients…..Spirulina, Chlorella, Spinach Powder, Wheat Grass, Acai powder, pomegranate powder, maca root, gogi berry powder, chia seed, maca root, sacha inchi, flax seed, prebiotic, quinoa, prebiotic blend and many more healthy ingredients. Oh and I forgot to add one more important note; Shakeology is now CLINICALLY PROVEN to yield statistically significant reductions in weight, cholesterol, and HbA1c (index for average blood sugar) among participants.

Enough of all of the technical jargon, everyday people want to know about Shakeology in laymen’s terms. Well, I’ve been using this every day for the past two plus years as my lunch and it has helped me lose (and maintain) 50 pounds, it gave me more energy, has helped me reduce my junk food cravings and has lowered my cholesterol. The best part, it takes about a minute to make and it’s cheaper than a breakfast sandwich & coffee or a typical lunch; needless to say, it’s leaps and bounds healthier & it’s DELICIOUS!

And Beachbody is so confident in Shakeology, that they offer a “Bottom of the Bag Guarantee” for anyone who isn’t completely satisfied. You can send it back for a refund, even if you used the entire bag. Do you think you can get that guarantee from your “protein” shake? With this type of guarantee in place, there really is no reason why someone wouldn’t want to give it a try and see what Shakeology can do for their health.