Breakfast: How eating it will improve your metabolism!!!!!

How is everyone doing on removing the high fructose corn syrup from their homes?  I hope you are finding that it is getting easier and also, that it is getting tastier eating all of those wonderful whole foods.  But, many of you may still be inhibiting your metabolism from burning at it's best.  What is the number one way to sabotage your metabolism?  Not eating breakfast!!!!  You see, your metabolism is like a fire.  Unless you "feed" it, the fire will go out.  So, when you eat a meal or a snack, your metabolism will start burning at a higher rate for a couple of hours.  That is, unless it is a meal of simple carbs like white sugar, white flour, etc.  Your body burns through that much quicker than say a complex carb such as brown rice, whole wheat flour etc.  If you are someone who doesn't eat breakfast here is what happens:  you eat dinner around 6 or 7pm; you go to bed at 11pm; you wake up at 7am and skip breakfast; you don't eat lunch until around noon.  If you follow a schedule somewhat like that, your metabolism is absolutely dead for much of your day.  If you eat dinner at 7pm your metabolism will burn higher until about 9pm.  If you don't eat breakfast and wait until lunch the next day to eat, your metabolism has been at it's lowest for 15 hours!!!!  You are missing out on a lot of calorie burning.  Here is what you need to do:  eat breakfast when you wake up, which for most people is around 7am; eat a mid morning healthy snack around 10am; eat lunch at noon; eat an afternoon snack around 3pm; and then eat dinner around 6 or 7pm.  Do you see how your metabolism will actually burn more?  If I eat at 7am it will burn high till around 9am.  And, then I'm eating a snack at 10am which will keep my metabolism burning until I eat lunch at noon.  My lunch will keep it burning until around 2pm and then I'm eating a snack at 3pm and so on and so forth.  Do you get the picture?

Now, this is not a license to go out and eat whatever you want.  Make sure you are making good food choices. This means you want nutrient dense foods:  the most food, with the most nutrients, for the least amount of calories.  Think whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean protein, and dairy.  And, if you do eat nuts make sure you measure them- it's very easy to eat several hundred calories worth without even realizing it.  I measure just about everything.  I think you would be surprised at how many servings you may be eating without realizing it. Be conscious of what you are putting in your mouth at all times.  NEVER eat from bags of food.  Always take out a measured serving and put it on a plate or in a bowl to eat.  We can start eating mindlessly and not even realize it until the whole bag of chips is gone!

What is a good breakfast?  Eggs or egg whites, lean protein, yogurt and granola (always measure- granola can add up in calories quickly).  You can do a whole egg plus an egg white omelet with veggies and lean protein and a sprinkle of cheese.  That will give your body a lot of fuel!

If you start eating right you will feel better and will have motivation to exercise more!!!  Nutrition and fitness go hand in hand!!!