Breakfast: Do you eat it?  It’s a struggle in the morning to get in  a nutritious breakfast, we run late, get the kids ready, get ready for work… you know the deal.  It has become common nutrition knowledge that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it gets the body ready for what is to come.  A proper breakfast will give you lasting energy throughout the day, help control your appetite later in the day, and get your body much needed nutrition after a hopeful 8 hours of rest in which your body was not taking in food.  These 5 tips will get your day started right:

1) Water :  Your body is generally in a borderline state of dehydration first thing in the morning.  No water has been taken in overnight and more than likely, the first thing you need to do in the morning is use the restroom.  You have also lost some hydration during the breathing process as you slept.  Are your lips and mouth dry?  Proper hydration will significantly boost your energy and your mood.  We recommend an 8-12oz cup of water, milk, or a no-sugar added juice first thing upon rising.  Coffee is actually your enemy here, being a diuretic, it could actually increase your morning hydration problems.  You will feel much better as the morning goes on if you are properly hydrated.

2) Yogurt : One of our all time favorite quick breakfast foods.  Yogurt is such a healthy way to start the day.  It has a nice blend of some protein and carbs and is a great source of dairy calcium.  Calcium, especially from diary, has been shown in several studies to boost fat loss.  Doesn’t that sound like a perfect way to start your day?  The calcium in yogurt has been shown to be especially effective in this manner.

3) Oatmeal : A wonder food in and of itself.  Is there anything not great about oatmeal?  We sure can’t find anything.  Lots of fiber, slow burning, long lasting energy, helps control appetite, lowers cholesterol.  This food should be a staple of everyone’s morning diet in our opinion.  Add it to your breakfast menu today.  We have found breakfast oatmeal that includes flax and other whole grains as well and eat it every day!

4) Fruit : Add some of your favorite cut up fruit to your oatmeal.  We like bananas, strawberries, and blueberries.  All 3 pack nutrients which can really aid in getting your day off on the right foot. Feel free to pick your own, the key is just to get this group of foods into your diet early in the day!

5) Eggs : Not so long ago, eggs were a diet nono.  High in cholesterol, they were not a food that were recommended to be consumed often.  Newer studies have changed that thinking.  Yes they have a large amount of cholesterol, but the effects on our bodies over time are very beneficial.  Eggs have been proven to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.  They are also an amazing source of protein.  Egg albumin is a complete protein, containing all of the essential amino acids.  People who eat eggs in the morning have been shown to eat less throughout the day.