Breakfast Hack To Improve Weight Loss Results
And Boost Your Metabolism
We are all on the hunt for that one hack that could make a dramatic change to our waistline.
Breakfast is the one meal of the day that has been up for debate for years.
The Intermittent Fasting (IF) crew will champion missing the first meal of the day, whilst other diet camps claim it’s essential. You can probably find research that backs up each of these arguments.
As a health coach, I always walk the line of listening to the science, but also discovering what works for you as an individual. We all have different lifestyle demands and personal preferences that should all be taken into consideration. Any health hack is only worth its salt if it’s something that you can actually stick to.
I’ll admit, I used to be in the IF camp for a number of years. As a busy woman, skipping breakfast was more about being time efficient than anything else. Not having to worry about making my own breakfast in the midst of a chaotic morning and getting the kids ready for the school run, just made my life a little easier.
It worked for me, right up until the point that it didn’t. Now as a 40+ woman who likes to keep up to date with the science behind diets and health practices, IF is something that I have moved away from and have no intention of revisiting or would recommend to women.
I found that I was no longer having the same energy for my morning workouts and I would be on the floor with my hunger and energy levels before lunchtime. So yes I would skip breakfast, but would more than makeup for that calorie deficit by overeating the rest of the day because I was insatiably hungry.
Along with reading the work of Dr Stacy Sims who advises against fasted training for peri and menopausal women due to an increased cortisol response. I moved towards finding a breakfast that is quick, easy and that works for me.
More recently I read some work of Dr Donald Layman who has looked a little deeper into optimising breakfast for improved metabolism and supporting weight loss, or more importantly improved body composition and health.
Research by Dr Donald Layman has shown that the optimal breakfast to support a healthy and flexible metabolism is to make sure you are getting enough protein at your first meal of the day.
The Optimal Breakfast
Dr Laymans recommendations for the optimal breakfast is 30–40g of protein for breakfast with no more than 30–40g of carbs. A 1:1 ratio of carbs to protein.
Layman explains that high-protein foods can help reduce total daily food intake by regulating appetite. “Proteins are the most filling, and can help you feel satisfied longer, plus they trigger an array of hormones in the intestine and in the brain to reduce hunger”
Target: At least 30g of protein with a meal that is 250–350kcal
To make this as simple as possible, here is what a breakfast containing 30g of protein may look like:
- Greek yoghurt parfait: 1 cup of plain Greek yoghurt (around 23g protein), topped with 1/2 cup of mixed berries and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts or seeds (around 7g protein).
- Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon: 2 large eggs (around 12g protein) scrambled with 1/4 cup of smoked salmon (around 7g protein) and 1/2 cup of sautéed spinach (around 3g protein).
- Protein smoothie: 1 scoop of protein powder (around 20g protein depending on which brand you use) blended with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (around 1g protein), 1/2 cup of frozen berries, and 1 tablespoon of nut butter (around 6g protein).
- Breakfast burrito: 2 large eggs (around 12g protein) scrambled with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (around 7g protein), wrapped in a whole grain tortilla and served with 1/2 cup of black beans (around 8g protein).
- Cottage cheese and fruit: 1 cup of cottage cheese (around 25g protein) topped with 1/2 cup of fresh berries (around 1g protein) and 1 tablespoon of honey or agave.
- Quinoa bowl: 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa (around 4g protein) topped with 1/4 cup of chickpeas (around 4g protein), 1/4 cup of diced avocado (around 1g protein), 2 tablespoons of salsa, and 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt (around 5g protein).
- Tofu scramble: 1/2 block of firm tofu (around 14g protein) scrambled with 1/2 cup of sautéed veggies (such as bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms) and served with 1 slice of whole grain toast (around 4g protein) and 1/4 cup of black beans (around 4g protein).
These are just some ideas, there are a lot of high-protein foods that you can get creative with.
Start with something easy and experiment over the week and see which breakfast works best for your own personal tastes but with your morning time availability.
My personal breakfast of choice is always a protein smoothie. Simply mix a scoop of protein powder (37g per serving), unsweetened almond milk, frozen berries, and frozen spinach. Blast it all in a blender and the job is done.
Easy, tasty but also super filling too.
Do you currently get 30g of protein in at breakfast? What do you find works best for you at breakfast time?