Breakfast: Are You a Champion?
 If your mother told you
that breakfast was the most important meal of the
day, study after study affirms that she wasn't wrong about that,
either.
Top 10 reasons to eat breakfast:
- Breakfast restores sugar levels after up to 12 hours of not
eating.
- It is extremely difficult to get all of your necessary daily
nutrients without breakfast.
- Adults who skip breakfast are less mentally and physically
efficient for longer periods during the day.
- People who eat breakfast are more successful at losing weight and
sticking to a diet.
- Athletes who skip breakfast train less effectively.
- Eating breakfast can raise metabolism by as much as 10 percent.
- People who eat breakfast regularly are more likely to rate their
health as "excellent" or "good."
- Missing breakfast increases your chance of heavy machinery and
factory accidents.
- Eating breakfast has been shown to increase concentration.
- Eating a bigger meal in the morning and a smaller meal at night
optimizes your daily energy levels.
Building a balanced breakfast
Breakfast should provide at least one quarter of the calories you need
for the entire day. Most nutritionists agree that a good breakfast
contains the following ingredients:
- At least one serving of fiber
- At least one fruit and/or vegetable
- Milk or another source of calcium
- Protein, i.e., from meat, cheese or eggs
If this sounds like a tall order, it's not. A bowl of
cereal with fruit, a cereal bar with a glass of milk or a pita pocket with
ham and cheese all fill the bill, as do bigger, traditional breakfasts,
like eggs, ham and juice or blueberry pancakes with bacon. And, yes, cold
pizza (with a glass of milk) qualifies as a healthy breakfast alternative.
Never eat breakfast?
If your usual breakfast is a cup of coffee, start small by
incorporating a glass of juice or milk into your morning routine for a
week or so, and then gradually build up to a balanced meal. If you think
you don't have time in the morning, consider making breakfast the night
before or buying ready-made alternatives, such as cereal bars and juice
boxes.
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Healthy servings
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