Eat Breakfast!

First thing in the morning, we may be summoning the motivation to get out of bed, fretting about what to wear and trying to prepare ourselves for the day ahead. But we really just need to focus on one thing, one meal. And that’s breakfast.

Benefits of breakfast

Eating breakfast every day is one thing that’s guaranteed to help keep you mentally agile throughout the day and improve your overall health. By breaking your fast first thing in the morning you give the wake-up call for your metabolism and other body functions to kick in. When you skip breakfast, prolonged fasting occurs, which increases the body’s insulin response to store fat.

Eat more in the morning to keep insulin levels stable, so you burn fat instead of storing it. Try to incorporate different types of food into breakfast to ensure a balance of nutrients—aim for a mixture of protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. Breakfast is also an opportunity to start clocking up the number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables as recommended by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council. Fitting in seven servings takes time, so start early!

Eating breakfast can be crucial for firing up the brain, resulting in better concentration and productivity throughout the day. Plus, it turns out we also make better choices on a full stomach. By fuelling up early, we stay fuller longer and react smarter when hunger strikes again later in the day. It’s easier to reach for junky, sugary quick fixes on an empty stomach.

A full stomach also makes for a happy heart. A recent study of 26,902 men by the American Heart Association showed that skipping breakfast increased the risk of heart attack and coronary disease as well as obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Eating well takes effort. To really make the dedication to breakfast take root, some planning and prep are required. Most recipes can be prepared on weekends, then portioned and frozen for fast grab-and-go breakfasts on weekdays.

Recipes

• Slow-Cooked Apple Pie Porridge
• Frittata Soft Tacos
• Pumpkin Buttermilk Breakfast Muffins
• Banana Pancakes