6 mistakes Women make with Breakfast

In our decades of experience these 6 breakfast mistakes come up over and over again. Today we are sharing not only the mistakes, but what to do about it. Watch the video or read below for all the details!

Before we get into our mistakes, we want to cover some brief guidelines on what to include in a healthy breakfast and why. 

• Protein: satiety, muscle preservation, amino acids for neurotransmitters
• Fat: to hold you over, fuel the brain and great for memory
• High fiber carbs: contain antioxidants, energy wholesome, help control portions

Lets start with the first breakfast mistake we see often:

1. Instant oats (packets)

Mistake:  There is a reason cereals, hot and cold, are so popular at breakfast. Everyone loves quick and easy. The issue with quick and easy is that the foods are often overly processed and don’t offer much in the way of nutrition, or are overly sweetened. Even an organic packaged oats can carry up to 13 grams of sugar in one packet! That’s over 3 tsp. Plus, most cereals don’t contain enough protein or fat to keep you satisfied. 

FIX:

You can still have oatmeal BUT you need to get your protein, fat and fiber fix! 

• Oats will have some fiber but even more is better. Adding berries and ground flax can add an extra 7+ grams. 
• To add protein, consider tossing in a couple TBS of hemp seeds (will also add fat!), or a couple TBS of protein powder. 
• Fat can be provided by the flax, hemp seeds, or even other nuts or seeds like pumpkin seeds or walnuts. 
• Also, look for no added sugar and add some berries or diced apple to help sweeten naturally. If you still need to, add up to 1 tsp of your own sweetener, such as monk fruit, honey or a few drops of stevia.

We also really like Qia oatmeals, which are packed with oats and seeds and also make great overnight oats. 

2. Cold cereal

Mistake: again, cereals can be overly processed and do not provide protein or fat. When we do see higher protein cereals, they often use soy protein isolate which is a very processed and junky form of protein, and they often contain GMO’s.

FIX:

There are not many great options with cold cereals. The key is to find a decent brand, use a smaller amount in your bowl, and compliment the cereal with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds.

• One option we like is Love Grown (made from bean flour). The plain kind has no added sugar. The sweetened versions have 8 grams per cup, which you could get and only use ½ the serving. You can then combine with plain cereal or just add extra nuts, seeds, and fruit to round out your cereal bowl.
• Three Wishes is also a favorite, which uses monk fruit as a low sugar approved sweetener. It has a  base of chickpeas and pea protein and has 8 grams protein per serving. 

3. Smoothie

Mistake: Many smoothies are basically frozen fruit, no protein or sometimes a yucky protein powder, and no fat. Be sure to avoid using juice as the liquid for blending and stick with water or unsweetened plant milk.

FIX:

Add protein powders, and greens to round it out so it is filling.

Remember- colors make it fun!

4. Yogurt / Cottage cheese – 

Mistake: low cal/low fat, artificially sweetened brands. Many brands have chemicals in addition to not being filling enough and lacking fiber, fat and protein.

FIX:

• Get organic, grass fed yogurt or cottage cheese, ideally full fat. Studies have shown the fat in quality dairy will not affect cholesterol levels and is so much more satisfying! 
• We recommend choosing unflavored yogurt to avoid the excess sugar. Add up to 1 tsp of a natural sweetener.
• Include some fruit for fiber and nutrients, and a handful of nuts or seeds for a little extra fat and protein. 
• We also LOVE adding ground flax for fiber, which contributes to hormone balance and digestive support.

5. Breakfast Bars

Mistake: eating junky bars like Nutrigrain and Belvita which lack protein, fiber and good fat.

FIX:

If you are on the run, add a portable piece of fruit like a banana, apple, pear, a few grapes or clementine.

6. Eggs 

Mistake: Eating only plain egg whites. These are only protein and maybe a little fat if you cook it in oil. There is no fiber!

FIX:

Add veggies and some avocado. DON’T worry about the yolks because there is lots of good nutrition in the yolks!

You should have no fear of eggs but we don’t encourage eating them every day–you can develop a food sensitivity if you eat them all the time. Plus, it is important to get variety in the diet. 

These are exactly some of the challenges we cover in our intensive 3 month Simply Nourished program, where we walk you through whatever challenges you have when it comes to healthy eating.