Eat Breakfast: Fuel Your Brain, Boost Metabolism, Increase Energy & Lose Weight

Are you tempted to skip breakfast because you’re not hungry in the morning or you’re in too much of a hurry? Or, perhaps you’re like many Americans, you grab a bagel and coffee as you run out the door. If this sounds like you, keep reading. Skipping breakfast is a guaranteed recipe to an increased appetite later in the day, weight loss resistance, obesity, cardiovascular problems and self-induced type 2 diabetes.

Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., Professor of Nutrition at Tufts University says, “When you skip breakfast, you miss out on vital nutrients that promote peak cognition.” Nowadays many kids skip breakfast or if they do eat breakfast it’s void of nutrients and they end up suffering from attention disorders, fatigue and low performance scores on tests.

Children aren’t the only victims of skipping breakfast. Men and women alike fall prey to this habit as well. Research has shown that approximately 60% of teens regularly skip breakfast.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when women missed breakfast they consumed more food the remainder of the day and their cholesterol and insulin levels were negatively affected with a decrease in HDL, an increase in LDL, and elevated glucose and insulin levels.

Another study from the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that those who skipped breakfast were 450% more likely to be obese than individuals who ate breakfast.

Skipping breakfast affects your blood glucose levels. When blood glucose levels are low (for example, from skipping breakfast) or when the body has impaired use of glucose (as in diabetes, pre-diabetes and insulin resistance), willpower is impaired. Numerous studies confirm that “low blood glucose levels and poor glucose use are associated with lack of self-control and emotional and behavioral problems.”

Now that we’ve confirmed that skipping breakfast isn’t the smartest idea, what you eat for breakfast can be just as detrimental. What you choose to eat first thing in the morning will reflect how you feel and think the remainder of the day, your energy levels and also influence your cravings and appetite later in the day.

Consuming a bagel with a sugar-sweetened coffee drink or sugar in a box (cereal) with low-fat or non-fat milk (more sugar) are some of the worst choices for your morning meal. Although cereal or the coffee/bagel option may be convenient, the high-glycemic load of a bagel or cereal, low-fat or non-fat milk with a banana and juice causes a blood sugar roller coaster and is a hormonal disaster activating an aggressive insulin response – the perfect blend if you want to get fatter, crash in the afternoon, feel like crap or end up with diabetes. A study in the journal Advances in Nutrition reports that consuming sugary beverages such as orange juice with your meal reduces fat oxidation.

Go ahead and enjoy your morning cup of coffee as long as it’s not the first and only thing you consume in the morning. Just make sure it’s organic since coffee is highly sprayed with pesticides and have it after you’ve eaten.

The majority of boxed cereals are a combination of processed grains, HFCS, sugar, artificial coloring, soy, GMOs, trans fats, BHT and sprinkled with synthetic vitamins. And, the pasteurized milk you pour on cereal is mostly sugar-water because the nutrients are killed off during the pasteurization process so what you end up with is a nutritionally-void, insulin-spiking meal where your blood sugar increases rapidly followed by a sharp drop in your energy level a couple hours later. No wonder you crave that afternoon coffee and reach for gummy bears or some other sugary snack.

A study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reviewed 84 brands of breakfast cereals marketed for kids. Guess what they found? Two thirds of the reviewed cereals contained more added sugar by weight than the government recommends. Kellogg's Honey Smacks contain more than 50 percent added sugar by weight with 4 teaspoons of sugar in a 3/4 cup serving.

The Solution. Fuel your brain and body with a nutrient-dense real food breakfast that includes approximately 35 grams of clean, organic protein. Protein and fat prevent blood sugar fluctuations, boost metabolism, increase energy, fuel your brain and eliminate cravings. In fact, the first 40 grams of protein you eat every day goes to rebuild your immune system. If you are not rebuilding your immune system, you’ll have a hard time rebuilding your brain chemistry to be happy and think straight.

Protein initiates thermogenesis (energy production through heat/fat burning) and is rich in amino acids, which help balance brain chemistry by boosting the levels of mood regulating neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain).

Protein-packed foods like organic grass-fed and free-range meats, pastured eggs, grass-fed whey protein or GMO-free pea protein, wild fish and seafood provide amino acids that produce nerve hormones aka neurotransmitters. Eating a protein-rich breakfast will reduce carb binges and sugar cravings later in the day, optimize cognitive function, elevate your mood, boost metabolism, prevent afternoon energy crashes, eat less later in the day and you’ll lose weight! Studies show that diets with higher protein quality lead to better compliance and success for losing weight and more importantly keeping it off.

Add a handful of nuts or seeds to your breakfast (if you’re not allergic). A study in the Nutrition and Metabolism journal revealed that eating nuts at breakfast stabilize blood sugar and induce feelings of satiety versus a high-glycemic breakfast of juice and toast.

Below are some delicious, nutrient-dense, protein-packed breakfast options that will increase energy, enhance cognition, boost your metabolism and start your day off right. Remember, there is no rule that says you must eat the typical American breakfast foods for breakfast. Below you’ll find some of my favorites. Hope you enjoy them too!

★ Protein-packed, gluten-free, high-fiber breakfast options – Fat Loss Revolution style

Before breakfast, enjoy a cup of water with the fresh juice from a lemon or lime with a pinch of unprocessed sea salt and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

1. Bison burger with salsa, handful of pine nuts or pecans and cup of black berries

2. Eggs, chicken sausage or a couple of slices of bacon, sautéed spinach, avocado

3. Green Smoothie: Blend dandelion, celery, parsley, cucumber, fresh fennel, green apple, ginger, turmeric root, cilantro, fresh lime juice and 1-2 tsp. Maca powder in a Vitamix. Add water, ice, coconut oil or avocado, Pea Protein powder and 1 scoop of ProtoClear, a delicious-tasting detox powder to create a high-fiber, nutrient-dense smoothie. Shades of Green Protein Smoothie recipe ideas.

4. Protein Smoothie: carrageenan-free coconut milk, chocolate Vital Whey protein or Mediclear-SGS protein powder, frozen raspberries, a handful of your favorite leafy green, 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax seeds, 1 tsp. cocoa nibs, water and ice. Blend and enjoy.

5. Quinoa, cooked. Add coconut oil or pastured butter, cinnamon, pecans or walnuts and blueberries.

6. Hawaiian delight. Grass-fed organic, full-fat cottage cheese, pineapple and macadamia nuts.

7. Gluten-free and grain-free coconut pancakes.

4 whole organic, pastured eggs
1/4 – 1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. raw honey
1/4 cup coconut milk (carrageenan-free)

Mix the ingredients and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of coconut oil or butter to your pan and heat over medium heat. Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Allow to brown before flipping. Enjoy these pancakes with your favorite berries or wrap up some bacon and eggs or your favorite chicken sausage for a healthier breakfast burrito.

8. Gluten-free, grain-free cereal. In a bowl add 1/2 cup unsweetened, organic coconut flakes, 3 tablespoons ground organic flax seed, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 scoops vanilla Vital Whey protein and 1/2 cup organic blueberries. Add water to moisten.

9. Chicken Apple Walnut Goodness: sauté a chopped apple, nitrate-free chicken apple sausage or ground chicken or turkey and walnuts in coconut oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon. (courtesy of Evelyne Lambrecht)

★ More delicious recipes can be found in my book, Fat Loss Revolution and in these cookbooks.

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