Each week, our own fitness fanatics Leah Polakoff and Caitlyn Kronket will explore the latest workout crazes, diet fads and dish out tips for healthy living. Managing your schoolwork is tough enough- let us take care of your health.
We’ve all heard the many ways to lose weight and stay fit – eat less carbohydrates, snack on grapefruit and cucumbers, drink eight glasses of water a day. But let’s be honest, how many of these are truly going to make a difference in your life? Do you want to know the secret to living a healthy life? It’s simple – eat breakfast.
Mom was right to force you to eat a bowl of cereal before you got on the school bus, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. While Lucky Charms or Fruity Pebbles might not be the most nutritious breakfast choices in college (although I won’t judge you if you still enjoy them), there are many delicious ways to start your day off right. Most breakfast cereals are fortified with a high amount of nutrients – still, be careful with how much sugar is in a serving. Sorry, Lucky Charms lovers!
It’s best to eat a mix of carbohydrates and protein in the morning to rev up your body and mind. Some energy boosting choices are oatmeal with whole grain cereal or skim milk, Greek yogurt with a banana, or my personal favorite, a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread. Don’t feel bad about eating a high carbohydrate or high protein meal in the morning, your body will burn more off more of the meal throughout the day.
It might sound contradictory, but eating breakfast can actually make you eat less later in the day. It’s true! How many times have you skipped breakfast and used that as an excuse to eat more at lunch or dinner?
Studies show that people who don’t eat breakfast have higher BMIs and a tendency to eat more calories than people who do eat breakfast. Eating breakfast leads you to have less hunger throughout the day, and people who eat early tend to make healthier food choices later on.
Breakfast is a catalyst for the rest of the day: The protein will keep you full until your next meal, and helps you stay alert in those morning classes. Trust me, there’s no way I’m making it through my 8 a.m. classes without eating something. It’s been shown time and time again that students who eat breakfast have higher grades, concentrate more in class and perform better on tests. With finals week coming up, breakfast is extremely important. Here are some delicious and nutritious options for you to choose from:
• Hard-boiled egg and fruit
• A veggie omelet with low-fat cheese
• Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a banana
• Fat-free Greek yogurt with fruit
• Oatmeal with raisins and nuts
• Whole grain cereal with skim milk
• Half of a whole wheat bagel with salmon and low-fat cream cheese
Photo by Tyler Hankins
