Breakfast Benefits : Eat Protein Rich Foods To Lose Weight

Happy & Healthy Good morning to you all. “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”. How many of you actually follow this popular phrase? Over the years, there have been numerous researches attempting to prove and even disapprove the breakfast benefits. So what is the truth behind? Is it really that beneficial? Yes, breakfast is proven to be the most important meal of the day and its importance lies in the world itself – ‘it breaks the fast that has lasted 10-12 hrs since the last meal of the previous day and refuel your body.’

Most of us are on the go most of the time and we neglect a well-balanced meal. One thing that keeps you away from eating healthy breakfast is the lack of time in the morning. When you are in hurry, it’s easy to turn to calorie laden convenience foods that leave you hungry long before lunch. If you feel hungry all the time, your morning meal could be to blame. Did you know, you can use the first meal of the day as a tool to lose weight? Let us find out how..

When you wake up, the blood sugar levels and carb stores are way down. So it is better to have your breakfast within 1-2 hours of waking up. Breakfast is the nutritious  way to start your day. It is a meal where you consume 25% of your guideline daily allowance(GDA). The question that would be coming in your mind is what are the essentials of breakfast.

Breakfast Benefits of PROTEIN RICH FOODS

It is a breakfast boon for dieters. Consuming protein for breakfast can help in maintaining a healthy body weight. Eating a protein rich diet in the morning breakfast may keep your appetite in check and curb the urge to snack in the evening, according to study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The timings of a meal plays a crucial role in fullness. It would be a better idea to have high protein diet in breakfast rather than having it in lunch or dinner. To get your morning started right, try these protein-packed morning meals :-

EGGS

One of the good source of inexpensive high quality protein. Each egg is packed with 6 grams of protein and 9 essential amino acids. you can have it in any form but just avoid frying them if you really want to build lean muscle and slim down. Study conducted by “International Journal of Obesity” found that participants who included egg in the breakfast reduced their BMI significantly more than those who did not.

Eggs and Bananas (Check out my article, Banana – A Boon to your Beauty) are my favourite ways to kick start a day.

FAT FREE GREEK STYLE YOGURT

Topped with a serving of fresh fruits and nuts are packed with protein and crammed with calcium.

PROTEIN SHAKE OR SMOOTHIE

Made with skim milk or soya milk have become staple in the fitness community. Whey protein improves athletic performance and assisting with weight maintenance.

PEANUT BUTTER

Just add it into your smoothie or spread it over a whole grain toast. Once serving contains about 7 grams of powerful protein. It makes you feel fuller.

SAVOURY PROTEIN OATS

Being very low in calories, it keeps hunger at bay which can help you stay slim. Intead of cooking it with water, use milk for extra dose of calcium. Researchers have shown that oatmeal eaters described themselves as significantly less hungry and more satisfied than the cereal eaters.

FRUITS

Apart from vitamins and minerals, these sweet treats are also filled with fibers. So these should have prominent place at your morning meal.

WHOLE GRAIN CARBS

Indulge yourself in unprocessed slow burning carbs having low GI like Oatmeal, Low Fat Granola, Brown Pasta, Whole Grain Bread etc.

If you are a morning exerciser, it would be better not to have a full stomach while you workout. Split your meal into 2 parts, try to have the more carb based  portion prior to your workout and more protein-centric portion afterwards.

STRICTLY AVOID

1. Skipping breakfast, otherwise you will end up overeating later in the day.
2. Sugary food items.
3. Saturated Fats.
4. Store-bought Canned Juices as they are filled with preservatives and sweetness.

So from tomorrow morning, do not forget to take your little time out for your breakfast as it boosts your metabolism, energy levels and helps in losing weight.