A few weeks ago, I did a short phone interview with a woman writing an article on quick healthy swaps for the new year for the Washington Post Express, which is the free daily publication given out near the metros every morning in and around DC. My contribution? How to eat a better breakfast.
For those of you in the area, the article is in today’s issue (and here online), and features my #1 biggest health tip: add protein and fat to breakfast.
The biggest mistake that I see my AnneTheRD nutrition counseling clients making is filling up on refined carbohydrate-heavy breakfasts. They then find themselves starving an hour later, and not sure why. This also sets them up to be unsatisfied for most of the day, potentially leading to overdoing it later because they get overly hungry, which makes it harder to eat slowly and make nutritious decisions.
A simple fix? Add some protein and fat to breakfast.
For example, if you’re having oatmeal – make it with milk instead of water to add some protein, and add in some nuts, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, or other seeds for a little healthy fat boost. Another tip? Ditch the instant packets and use real rolled oats. They are just as easy to microwave, I promise, and you’ll get the benefit of more fiber and a less processed product with no fillers, too. (Try my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal recipe if you haven’t yet! It’s ready in 2 minutes flat.)
If you’re having toast, add some nut butter to the mix, and consider choosing a higher protein, less refined bread, like Ezekiel brand (their cinnamon raisin is my favorite). Avocado is also great on toast in the mornings, either with or without a microwaved egg! (Just whisk an egg in a cooking-sprayed microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute.)
Not super hungry, or in a really big rush? Try the classic banana + nut butter combination as you head out the door. That pairs quite nicely with an on-the-go latte, too!
Looking for more inspiration? Here are some of my favorite quick & healthy breakfast ideas.
How do you incorporate protein and healthy fat at breakfast?
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