Big breakfasts = more calories!
We are often told to eat a big breakfast. The thinking goes that it will lead us to eat fewer calories later in the day. However, a new study from Germany says this is untrue. As Nicholas Bakalar from the New York Times writes, this study, published in Nutrition Journal, found that subjects who bigger breakfasts simply ended up eating MORE calories over all. Regardless of whether the subjects, overweight or slim, ate a large breakfast, a small breakfast, or no breakfast at all, their non-breakfast calories remained the same.
So, here is the take home message. While you shouldn’t skip breakfast entirely, if you are trying to lose weight, keeping your breakfast calories low, is a good idea.
As I tell my clients, watch your portions AND stick to nutrient dense choices—foods that give you lots of nutrients for few calories. And try to include fiber and protein—both will aid in satiety so that you will not be hungry in an hour.
Here are some of my clients’ favorites:
- 1 cup cooked oatmeal mixed with 8 oz low-fat or fat-free milk. Top with berries and 2 tblpsn crushed walnuts.
- Egg white omelet with spinach, tomato, and a slice part-skim cheese with a slice ofwhole grain toast and all fruit spread. Fruit salad on the side.
- A cup of Greek nonfat yogurt topped with ½ cup high fiber cereal, and a cup of mixed berries. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed.
And here are some breakfast fares to avoid, especially if you are trying to lose weight: oversized muffins, jumbo bagels, fat-laden danishes and donuts.
