As a health and wellness researcher for the last 15 years I have implemented a lot of experiments with the first meal of the day. Breakfast is called “break-fast” because you’re breaking the fast from not eating since dinner from the day before. This meal, breakfast, is important because it’s the meal with the largest gap in each 24 hour period, simply because of sleep and the several hour window between dinner and breakfast.
Most people have a 12-15 hour window between dinner and breakfast. Say you eat dinner at 6 pm and breakfast at 9 am. That’s a 15 hour window, and it’s very typical.
Because this gap is so large it is important to understand what type of nutrients best serve your body going into the day. It’s best to view your energy, and digestive system as a fire.
You wouldn’t put kindling sticks on a fire over and over again. You’d start with kindling but then you’d put larger pieces of wood known as LOGS on the fire. These logs act as dense pieces of mass that can continue to be burned and produce heat and light, the end output of a fire.
Your metabolism and energy levels are the same way. The calories that you feed yourself either create a short fire that burns out quickly, which leads to you feeling “hangry” (loosely translated into low blood sugar levels) each day.
On the other hand however if you feed your metabolism more dense calories, known as ‘logs’ in the fire scenario this fire will last longer and you’ll be able to power through more of your day.
Between carbohydrates, protein and fat the most important macronutrients to get in the morning is protein first, fat second, and carbs third.
The problem is that most Americans eat carbohydrates for breakfast. Anything from cereal, to oatmeal, to any breaded meal. Bagels, toast, pop tarts, you name it.
The Best Meal To Break Your Fast – Breakfast
If you can start your day with eggs, beef, fish, any animal based protein + fat source you’re going to be far better off for the rest of your day. Why?
Protein balances blood sugar levels just like carbohydrates does, but protein stabilizes your blood sugar levels for a longer duration of time. This means that your energy levels, your physical strength in the gym, your resilience will all be healthier.
I used to start my day with organic oatmeal which I thought at the time was healthy. It’s not. It’s carbohydrates and even organic oats have been found to have glyphosate in them, the toxic chemical found in round-up that damages gut health.
Now, I eat eggs for breakfast. Pasture raised eggs. I eat on average 6-eggs each morning for breakfast. This is 36 grams of protein (6 grams per egg) which gives me a substantial edge starting my day in comparison to oatmeal which has far less nutrition, and protein.
It does take more time to make your breakfast but you can get an egg poacher or boil eggs to make it faster and reduce dishes. Just crack the egg open, sprinkle some sea salt and seasoning on it and it’s delicious. You’re getting protein and fat. A good source of macronutrients as well as many micronutrients in the form of minerals and vitamins for brain health, gut health, cardiovascular health, muscle health and more.
I’m sure that this one change in you’re first meal of the day will give you more energy, strength, stamina and recovery ability throughout the day. Replace carbs for protein and you’ll notice your day become easier as you conquer your tasks and goals with ease.
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