So, to work on my goal of expanding my healthy eating habits, I've started to look into building better meals. I'm not looking to eat random things - one site I've come across has you eating a piece of tofu, some beans, a piece of bread, and a slice of fruit. I've got one word for that: blech.
I want something different.
I want my foods to pair well. I want them to taste good. I want to prepare them with spices. I want them to be something other people might eat as well. BUT! I want them to meet my nutritional needs. I want them to fuel my workouts, fuel my day. I want them to make me healthier (wealthier and wise might be a stretch...)
So, starting with "the most important meal of the day" - how do we build an ideal breakfast? From what I've read, it needs protein, carbs, vitamins & minerals. I've read you need .8g of protein (daily) for every kg you weigh. For me, I'd need roughly 70 grams of protein daily. Not sure on the total carbs I need, but I do know I want them to come from real things - like whole grains and/or fruits.
Vitamins and minerals seem to come along for the ride in a lot of foods, so I'll look at the store for primarily good sources of protein and carbs, and then select vitamin & mineral choices from those.
Currently, I eat a piece of whole-wheat toast with crunchy peanut butter, a cheese stick, and a small glass of milk. I enjoy it. I am go-go-go in the mornings, so I'm not looking for something immensely stimulating. I like fast. Can I have fast and healthy?
I'm off to the store to find some answers. In the mean time - what do you eat for breakfast? Is it healthy, convenient, or both?
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5 comments:
"I want to cook with spices." Ha! I WANT TO LIVE AGAIN!! Such inspiration and ambition in your blog.
Hard boiled eggs is another good addition to your morning. In moderation, of course. :)
Let me know what goodies you find!
So, thanks to your blog I have found a blog that I will be using a lot in the future (i will teach you to be rich) pretty flippin' sweet.
As for breakfast I'm a fan of whole wheat english muffins, everything bagels, and Quaker Instant Oatmeal (in the fruit and cream flavors). Probably not the healthiest choices but, its best to start with actually eating breakfast, right? Also, I am now a member at Key Largo so, maybe I'll see you there if thats still your gym.
One of the best things you can eat is oatmeal. No, not those little stupid packets, the real kind you have to pour out of a container. I get the Quaker Instant Oats. You make it just like the stupid packets, but all the sugar and dried fruit in it is missing. Instead, I put real fruit in it(or frozen), or cinnamon and Splenda. Cinnamon is good to work in your diet. Oatmeal is full of fiber and goodness. It also keeps you full long enough to make it to lunch.
Spinach is also an amazing food. Put it in everything, it's full of vitamins and minerals. Fresh is best, but frozen will work. Skip the canned.
Carolyn's right, eggs are good for protein but I'm going to put hard boiled eggs and any egg white item into the "blech" category. Megan is completely on track with oatmeal, and not the packets. I even recommend going a step further and getting the old fashioned oats rather than quick oats. They take 1 whole minute longer to cook but have much better flavor. i recommend adding something that contains protein to the oatmeal though. I add 1 T. of natural peatnut butter and 1 T. honey, but throwing in a serving of nuts and dried fruit would accomplish pretty much the same thing. You realize my degree is in exercise and NUTRITION, right?
Good stuff accumulating here..
Unlike Nick's Pub et al. above, I don't prioritize bfast much - either time slips away from me in the AM or I don't feel like eating the same bowl-o-shredded wheat again. Sometimes, I mix it up with a Clif/Luna bar and yogurt, but I'd like a healthy bfast option that falls between the quick bowl of cereal and the full-out making of eggs, toast, etc. I agree with G-Love as the former option rarely keeps me full till lunch - yet after I eat the latter (although filling & delicious) my mind plays mental catch-up all day as I've started off on a calorically-bad foot.
This warm oatmeal+fruit+honey+pb+cinnamon concoction sounds pretty good.
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