Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast

So I think the title explains rather well my subject for this post. I will be sharing some incredibly healthy ways to start your day (and no, McDonald's breakfast burrito is NOT on the list!)!

Here are some key things to include in your breakfast that will give your body a great start to the day:

• At least 8 grams of fiber (I try to get 10-12)
• 2 Fruits
• Protein
• A healthy glass of lemon water (at least 8 oz.)

Now I will explain the simple ways to have this eating diet incorporated into your life! Doesn't it sound great!

I think the hardest thing to get your daily value of is fiber. So few foods contain the much needed fiber for our body's metabolism and digestion. Fiber helps you feel fit because it fills you up and keeps you going; helps you feel fuller longer so you reduce snacking; and fiber boosts your metabolism so its a great tool to help you keep your happy place on your weight scale! My scale happy place is between 105-108 lbs and it hasn't changed in the last few years so that is proof that this lifestyle does work! Now I do tend to have a higher metabolism but what you eat plays a big role in the area of your weight!

So here is the best way to get your fiber in the morning:

1. High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread. It doesn't cost much more than any other loaf of bread but the nutrients and fiber you need in the morning is in there! You want each individual slice of bread to have AT THE VERY LEAST 3 grams of FIBER! I prefer 5 grams of fiber in each slice and I normally top my toast with a natural jelly, peanut/almond butter, or my fave option is natural honey (no preservative filled junk) with cinnamon sprinkled on top!
2. If you don't want toast in the morning, reach for a box of high fiber cereal! Tons of your favorite cereals have a OK amount of fiber but the really good stuff is going to have at least 6 grams of fiber in 1 cup of cereal
3. Bran cereal; 1 cup = 19 grams of fiber (on average)
   
4. Natural Oats, rolled dry; 1 cup = 12 grams of fiber (on average)

Here is a list of great fruits that not only have vitamin nutrients but also have a great natural source of fiber:

• 1 medium apple with skin usually contains 5 grams of fiber!
• 1 normal sized banana contains 3-4 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber (and is also a great source of antioxidants!)
• 1 cup of cantaloupe contains approximately 2 grams of fiber
• 1/2 of a medium grapefruit = 5-6 grams of fiber
• a medium sized orange = 3-4 grams of fiber
• 1 medium pear = 5 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of raspberries = 8-9 grams of fiber!!!
• 1 cup of strawberries = 3.5-4 grams of fiber

So as you can see, eating two of these fruits could add up to as much as 14 grams of fiber! Your daily intake from all three meals should be at least 24 for ages 16 and under and at least 30 for ages 18 and older.

Next on the list of important things to eat with breakfast is protein! The best source of protein in the morning is eggs! Scrambled, fried, hard boiled; however you like them, try to eat 1-2 eggs at least every other day.

Finally, lemon water! I can't express how healthy it is for you to consume a tall glass of lemon water every morning. It isn't expensive either! Lemons are rich in cleansing properties so when you have a 8-12 oz glass of water in the morning, you are starting the day by cleaning out any impurities that may be inside your digestive track and its proven that lemon water can keep you healthier and less likely to catch colds and the flu! I drink lemon water nearly every morning and it is so easy. You simply take a glass of filtered water, cut a medium sized lemon in half, and squeeze the half lemon into your glass (yes, you use the whole half inside one glass of water!). It averages out to about 20-25 cents a day per person (if you purchase the half dozen bag for $3).

I hope my Healthy Guide to Breakfast will help you have a great jump start to every morning and that you will remember that you are what you eat! lol I know it sounds cheesy but it is so true!

I will be continuing my Healthy Guide to Life series with Lunch in a couple days!

Bless and be Blessed,

Butterfly