Photo: Foodies Feed, Jakub B
What are your breakfast habits like? Do you tend to eat healthy with protein and fruit? Or do you call a donut breakfast? (Since when is it ok to have dessert for breakfast?)
How do you feel after breakfast? Have you ever given it much thought?
Five years ago I tried an experiment on myself to see which kind of breakfast worked best for me. The result surprised me. Of the 7 different breakfast items I tried each morning, my best morning was when I had a variety of fruit.
Here’s a quick recap:
Day One: Oatmeal - After eating I felt very satisfied. I wasn’t hungry until 3 hours later.
Day Two: Muffin and Coffee - The muffin was too sweet and not filling; I was hungry again within 30 minutes. By the two hour mark my stomach was growling and I felt sluggish and shaky.
Day Three: Eggs - I had two scrambled eggs with onion and it wasn’t filling. Two hours later I was hungry.
Day Four: Vegetables - Right after eating a salad I felt great! I was energized and even craved water, but one hour later I was hungry. What? Two hours later I still had energy, wasn’t tired or sluggish and my mind was clear and alert.
Day Five: Fruit - This was my best day. I felt energetic immediately after eating as well as two hours later. I wasn’t hungry and had no cravings.
Day Six: Cereal - Immediately I felt sluggish, although full, and craved toast shortly after eating. Weird. Less than 2 hours later I was hungry.
Day Seven: Ultra Meal (a medical powdered drink I got from my doctor) - Immediately I was satisfied but discovered I have a soy sensitivity. (And just when I discovered I liked tofu!) Two hours later I was hungry and ready for a snack.
Challenge
This week I’d like to challenge you to do your own breakfast experiment. Everybody is different and what worked for me probably isn’t the same for you. I had a client whose best day was the muffin, which was my worst! (And not the result I expected, or wanted her to have!)
Below are the daily suggestions. Note how you feel just after eating, and again two hours later. along with energy level, mood and any physical symptoms.
- Day One: Oatmeal
- Day Two: Muffin and Coffee
- Day Three: Eggs
- Day Four: Vegetables
- Day Five: Fruit
- Day Six: Cereal
- Day Seven: Powdered Breakfast Drink
Why A Good Breakfast Is Necessary
Your body is like a campfire that dies down overnight - it needs fuel to get it going again in the morning. When you skip breakfast or don't eat something nutritious, your body tries to play catch-up all day, putting you at a disadvantage.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make it count!
If you try this experiment I would love to hear your results. Please share them in the comments below or via Twitter and Facebook.
Try these Easy or No-Cook Breakfast Ideas
Try these Easy or No-Cook Breakfast Ideas
