I hear over and over again about how some of my clients don’t eat anything before coming into their early morning workouts. Not only do I hear about not eating before the workout, but I also hear all about how some of them don’t eat breakfast at all!
Of course I don’t get it at all since food is one of the first things on my mind when I get up in the morning, no matter what time it is. Why is it not on theirs? A lot of people say that they just don’t think about eating first thing….well, this is a habit that can be changed. Others think that they are going to lose weight by skipping breakfast. This is so not true! Not eating breakfast will actually slow your metabolism down, vs. speed it up and cause you to ultimately eat more during that day.
Why is it so important to eat breakfast, even if you don’t feel like it? Research says that those who skip breakfast eat as much as 80% more calories during the day! Is this you? I hope not! While you are sleeping, your body is using stored calories from either glycogen or fat to do its nightly repair work. The glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver.
Before a workout in the morning, if you don’t have a lot of time before you go to the gym, I suggest that you eat something light such as a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter, a few bites of yogurt with some fresh fruit and a sprinkle of nuts, or even part of a low glycemic bar or shake. Your body needs something to draw its energy from and when you get up in the morning since you are already at a deficit fuel. Eating low-glycemic carbohydrates (unprocessed, whole grains) with a little protein is ideal.
When you return home after working out, then you can finish feeding your body with a couple of eggs and whole grain toast with almond butter or uncured turkey bacon, or slow-cooked oatmeal with some fruit and nuts, a nutritious low-glycemic shake, or whatever you like to eat for breakfast that will give you the energy for your day. This is where a balanced meal including healthy fats, protein, and unprocessed carbs is important—-every day! Just think, if you start your day out this way, you won’t be making a direct deposit to those unwanted fat stores in the belly, thighs, or hips!
Eating breakfast daily is a step in the right direction towards a healthy start to your day! Research shows that eating breakfast is consistently important for people to lose weight and/or keep lost weight off for good!