Breakfast 101: How to stay fueled, focused, and fabulous all morning.

Breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day but so often people skip out on this essential morning meal. A well balanced breakfast kick-starts your digestive system, fires up your metabolism, and gives your body the essentials vitamins and minerals it needs for optimal health.

I wanted to share with you what I eat for breakfast and a few tips for making healthy choices while on-the-go.

My go-to oatmeal recipe: 

{I slow cook my oats in water and add the flaxseeds and chia seeds after it’s cooked. I love to make this when I have extra time in the morning.}

• 1/3 cup gluten free oats
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon raw almond butter or peanut butter
• Any combination of fresh, organic fruit including: banana, strawberries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, ect…
• A splash of unsweetened, organic almond milk

My pre-work smoothie: 

{I’ll blend this up before a long day at work. It’s packed with protein, vitamins, and healthy carbohydrates to keep me fueled and focused all morning.}

• 1 cup organic, unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2-1 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1 generous handful of greens {Spinach, kale, ect…}
• 1 scoop of protein powder {I like the brands: Garden of Life Raw Protein, Vega One, and Sunwarrior Raw Blend}

 

My grab-and-go option:

{This is what I’ll grab when I’m running late. It’s not the most balanced meal but it keeps me going until I can grab something more substantial}

• Larabars {I love the Peanut Butter Cookie or Blueberry Muffin flavors}
• An organic banana

 

Tips and Tricks: 

+First things first: I always kick start my day with water! I start with plain, filtered water and follow it with a mug of hot lemon water.

+ Skipping regular meals and snacks can trigger stress hormones that will potentially make you gain weight. Breakfast is important for everyone, but is vital for those who are trying to lose weight.

+ Try to start your day with a healthy balance of protein, fat, and healthy carbs. This will keep your blood sugars stable and your energy levels up. For me that means a clean, vegan protein shake with flax oil and fruit or oatmeal topped with nuts or some kind of nut-butter.

+ At the airport? I always pick up a plain oatmeal from Starbucks and top it with whatever I can find around the airport. Starbucks usually has bananas and you can most likely track down some almonds or trail mix at a Hudson News or something similar.