Let’s talk about breakfast! Lately I’ve been seeing waaaaay too many desserts masquerading as breakfast foods.
– Yogurt (AKA ice cream)
– Cereal (AKA bowl of cookies)
– Smoothies (AKA milkshakes)
– Granola bars (AKA candy bars)
Pssst… If a muffin has 35g of sugar, that’s called a cupcake!!
There is a way to make these foods healthier, but it doesn’t come from the grab-and-go section.
You see, convenient breakfast is only “convenient” for food companies. They’re trying to strap you to the blood-sugar rollercoaster from the minute you wake up! By sneaking extra sugar into your breakfast, they ensure you’ll be hungry again in an hour… and reaching for their products once again. Don’t be fooled!
Look, I know most of us don’t have time to cook a full breakfast in the morning. Sometimes 60 sec is all you’ve got. So here are a few *fast* and healthy swaps to start your day off on the right foot!
– Yogurt: Replace it with cottage cheese and fresh berries.
– Cereal: Replace it with 100% whole grain oats plus seeds.
– Smoothie: Replace it with raw, unblended fruits and veggies.
– Granola bar: Replace it with nuts or a hardboiled egg.
Try these swaps for 21 days, and pay attention to how your hunger signals change. It’s amazing what maximizing fiber and minimizing added sugar can do!
After your experiment, if you find you miss your old foods, far be it from me to take them away from you! As I say to my weight loss groups, “All foods fit.” We can work around your needs and wants.
Eating healthy is about discovering pleasant compromises. For example, maybe you’re not willing to give up cereal. Would you mind switching to a lower sugar, higher fiber cereal? (Grape Nuts, Alpen No Sugar Added, Uncle Sam, etc.) No, you’re still not having it? OK, let’s look at tweaking your after-dinner snack instead!
My point is, you don’t have to give up all the foods you love in order to make gains in your nutrition. You just have to commit to doing what you can, and allowing for indulgences elsewhere in your diet. We’ll find a good balance together!
Want to upgrade your diet? Book a nutrition counseling session with me today!