How Changing My Breakfast Changed My Life
Posted on May 09, 2011 by carol
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I’ve always loved breakfast. The ease of pouring cereal and milk together and presto! It’s a meal. The sense of accomplishment of making the perfect omelet (tomato, mushroom and swiss with cinnamon raisin toast), then savoring it on a leisurely Sunday morning reading the paper. Even the occasional, guilt-ridden-but-oh-so-satisfying Egg McMuffin when I’m running late to a morning meeting and have to decide between breakfast and putting on my make-up (hey, a girl’s gotta have a face…).
What I never loved about breakfast was the jittery, lightheaded feeling I’d get around 10:30 when my blood sugar would start dropping and my stomach would start grumbling. I’d have to rush to eat something -anything, to keep me going until lunch. Then one day, I decided to try something new…
I started adding things to my breakfast cereal. Good things - like whole bran, walnuts, almonds, and seeds. And some amazing things happened…
- I not only stopped getting the jitters at mid-morning – I could go until 2pm for lunch!
- I lost weight. Since I wasn’t eating my mid-morning snack, I reduced my daily caloric intake AND I wasn’t as hungry throughout the day.
- I became more regular than a German clock. Not to get too personal, but it’s a beautiful thing to have smooth sailing every morning.
- I got healthier. Adding these good fats and fiber to my diet increased my level of heart-and brain-healthy omega-3s (just like Australis Barramundi does for my dinner), helped lower my cholesterol, and added important vitamins and minerals to my diet.
I’ve been eating this breakfast for over a year and I’ll never go back. I even take all the ingredients with me on vacation to keep me going while I'm out having fun. Now if I could just get my daughter to stop calling it ‘Mom’s Gruel’…
Carol’s Super Duper Breakfast
¼ cup bran (I like the bran buds, but any good whole bran cereal will do )
¼ cup slightly sweetened cereal (like Cheerios, Basic 4, Life)
2 tablespoons seeds (I like flax , sunflower and chia seeds, often mixing all 3 together)
2 tablespoons nuts (usually crushed walnut and sliced almonds, combined)
½ cup skim milk
Top with breakfast fruits like bananas, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, peaches, or dried cranberries.
Visitor Comments
By bianca on May 10, 2011
Yum! It reminds me of homemade Museli - I LOVE Museli. And you are right - on the mornings I do it right I can go until late afternoon before I’m even hungry
Yay for simple, but nutritious & fulfilling breakfasts!
By Home with Mandy on May 19, 2011
I completely agree. A great breakfast just makes everything okay, doesn’t it?
By Kelsie on May 25, 2011
I too have made positive changes to my breakfast routine. I used to grab a banana and drink a coffee on my way to work and now I make sure to leave enough time to kick start my day with a healthy meal. It makes such a difference!
I thought you might be interested in this study that the NIH funded at the University of Missouri. It confirms that eating a breakfast rich in protein reduces food cravings and prevents overeating later in the day. They said a breakfast that is 40% protein, 40% whole grain carbs and 20% fat is the perfect composition.
http://vimeo.com/23929986
It sounds like your super duper breakfast is right on track with their recommendations. Way to go!
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