One of the most common pieces of weight loss advice is to eat breakfast. And yet, if you’re eating the wrong breakfast, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plan.
Do this! Do that! It can all be so confusing. So what is the good and faithful dieter to do? Well, you should still be starting your day off right. But there’s a good chance your breakfast falls into one of the following three categories, in which case you should reconsider your morning-time meal plan.
You’re under-eating. Yes, that’s right; you can eat too little when you’re trying to lose weight! You should consume one-fourth to one-third of your calories at breakfast, to prevent cravings for unhealthy foods later in the day. Many people are grabbing a quick breakfast that actually doesn’t fill them up, and they’re hitting the vending machines before lunch time.
You aren’t eating enough fat. No, we aren’t kidding you! Many people tend to fill up on carbs at breakfast, but these are digested quickly and leave you feeling hungry sooner. Your breakfast should be about 20 percent protein, 30 percent fat, and 50 percent carbs. Some of you might need even more protein than that. But whatever you do, don’t fill up on starchy carbs. Choose whole grains and mix in proteins and fat alongside them.
You’re eating too much sugar. Okay, finally a diet rule that’s familiar! You know better than to consume a lot of added sugar, but the problem is that many of these sugars are hidden in your “healthy” foods. Check the labels on your whole wheat bagels and jams. Chances are, there’s a lot of sugar (and calories) hiding in some of your favorite foods.
Remember, balance is the key. Don’t just grab some high-sugar, starchy carbs in the morning. Mix in eggs, nuts, avocado, yogurt, meat, milk, or almond butter in order to get the protein and fat your body needs to function at its best.
