Making Healthy Meals Manageable: Breakfast
If you want to lose body fat, while maintaining or gaining lean muscle in 2024, the missing link is likely your NUTRITION!
One behavior that sets apart people who are able to remain lean all year round versus those who are up and down the yo-yo rollercoaster is having a plan and being prepared.
Becoming a Proactive Eater
Our CORE57 nutrition programs center around being a PROACTIVE eater, instead of REACTIVE!
Proactive eaters have a rough plan for what their meals will look like each week, as well as a backup plan, and make sure they always have good options on hand. This doesn’t mean you have to do full on meal-prep every single week - but it does mean you will be looking ahead to make sure that even in a pinch, you set yourself up to make a healthier choice with ease.
Tips for Healthy Eating
We are excited to introduce our next blog series with our nutrition coach Rebecca that will walk you through practical tips for each meal. We will be talking about how to make meal planning and prep more manageable, and we will also learn how to properly balance macronutrients for optimizing body composition.
First up, BREAKFAST!
Simplify Healthy Breakfast Options
First things first, let’s answer the number one question we get about breakfast- “Do I HAVE to eat it?”
The short answer is no.
HOWEVER, more often than not, people who skip breakfast end up overconsuming calories later on in the day due to excess hunger or as an emotional response to being restricted.
It can also be detrimental to the delicate hormonal shifts that happen during menopause. Some of the most respected research in the field of nutrition shows that people who eat a high protein breakfast with more calories loaded in the earlier parts of the day are less likely to be overweight and maintain a leaner body composition.
“I am not hungry when I wake up”
If you are not hungry first thing in the morning, it is fine to wait a bit until you start getting an appetite, but you want to make sure you have a solid, balanced, filling meal when the “time” comes.
The great thing about having a solid, balanced, high protein and fiber breakfast is that it sets you up for your whole day. You will feel comfortably full and satisfied, have a clear head, steady energy levels, and less cravings!
“I don’t know what to eat for breakfast”
Let’s talk about what a nutritious breakfast should look like.
For fullness and blood sugar balance, place a heavy emphasis on protein and fiber.
Breakfast Protein Options:
When it comes to portioning proteins at breakfast, keep these guideposts in mind: women should aim for 25-30 grams or protein, and men should aim for 40-50 grams of protein to kick start metabolism at the top of your day.
Here are some great protein options to have on hand
Eggs (Whole eggs, Egg substitute, Egg whites)
Meats such as ham, turkey bacon, chicken sausage, or any other meat
Dairy (Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Fairlife Milk, Protein shakes/powders
Vegetarian sources such as tofu, tempeh, seitan, and Plant based powders, shakes
Getting your Fiber at Breakfast:
When it comes to your AM fiber intake, aim for 1-2 fist sized portions. If veggies at breakfast is a huge barrier initially, go with a fruit to start!
Fruits and veggies not only provide vitamins and minerals but also fiber and stomach volume which helps you feel more full and manage your appetite throughout the day.
Here are a few options to add to your shopping list:
Fruits: berries, apples, citrus fruits, kiwis, melons, cherries (fresh or frozen)
Veggies – anything goes but peppers, spinach, onions, mushrooms scrambled in eggs; frozen spinach in shakes
Balancing Breakfast Carbs:
Those starchy carbs will be more variable depending on your unique goals and body composition but some great options to consider are:
Oats
Rice
Potatoes
High Fiber bread type products like Dave’s Killer Thin slices, Joseph’s Lavash/Pita, Light English muffins, 100 calorie Bagel thins, Low Carb Wraps
“I DO NOT have time to cook breakfast every day”
Fear not! Most people don't. Which is where our proactive methodology comes into practice. Make sure you have simple grab and go options on hand so you can jump start your day with an easy, healthy choice.
There are tons of amazing recipes out there that are packed with protein and fiber-rich ingredients that are also super simple to make. Here are 3 of Rebecca’s go-to breakfast recipes.
RECIPE 1: Protein Egg Bake
1 Cup Egg Whites
4 Whole Eggs
1 container chopped ham
Diced peppers
Spinach
Season to taste (salt, pepper, etc)
Whisk until well combined
Bake at 400 for 35+ minutes (until cooked through)
Makes 4 servings (25g protein each) great for breakfast wraps, pitas, or on toast!
RECIPE 2: Protein Oats
½ c. oats
1 c. yogurt
½ c blueberries
Serving of protein powder
Optional add ins: chia seeds, ground flax, chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds
Pour milk over (~½ c) cover and let sit overnight
40+ g of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats!
RECIPE 3: FlapJacked Mighty Muffins or Protein Pancake mix
(a crowd favorite!)
You can buy this brand on Amazon or at the FlapJacked website, there are tons of options for quick ready-mix breakfast options that are packed with protein.
Grab-n-go options:
Here are a few of Rebecca’s favorite grab-n-go options for those weeks where meal prep is not in the cards.
Hands-on Nutrition Support and Coaching
Building balanced meal plans that keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day is one of the key coaching points Rebecca focuses on in our Nutrition Programs. Taking the stress and overthinking out of nutrition is one of the biggest steps you can take to building a manageable, sustainable relationship with healthy eating.
Our nutrition coaching helps you to remove the scarcity mindset and restrictions that are the foundations of SO MANY of the diets and meal programs you see out there. We are focused on showing you what you can eat on the journey towards becoming a stronger, healthier you.
If you’re looking for hands-on support for your nutrition journey or just need an accountability buddy to help you stay on top of building manageable meal plans to fit your lifestyle, we would love to connect with you. Reach out to our nutrition coach, Rebecca, here.