Grave Diet Mistakes We Make at Breakfast

Our daily morning chow-downs are more than just meals. Breakfast, when taken sensibly, is a fuel powerhouse that provides our mind and body with the energy they need. Starting your day with a healthy, well-balanced meal also kick starts the production of the enzymes that are vital for the metabolism of fat and keeps you feeling fuller as you go about your day. Then again, it’s not simply about eating breakfast and eating less throughout the day. It’s about eating what’s right and avoiding what isn’t. Here are 8 common morning diet crimes that should get you thinking at your next breakfast.

Taking the Convenient Route

We often find ourselves scurrying around the house in the morning, hurrying to get the kids off to school on time, and rushing to get to work before your boss steps in. Worrying about breakfast is probably the last thing on your mind. Along the way, you decide to just grab a convenient donut or two, a packet of chips, or a candy bar even. Don’t take the convenient route at the expense of a healthy, nutritional breakfast. Doing this over the long run is bound to mess with you diet and your overall health.

Giving in to Temptation

Guilty as charged! Breakfast options are aplenty and there’s no avoiding the breakfast traps at work. Your ever so thoughtful colleague brings in a box filled with sweet and savory breakfast pastries, passes them around, and before you know it, it reaches your table. While all eyes are on you, your eyes meet with the temptation that stares right back before you. It’s easy to say ‘yes’, but the real challenge is saying ‘no’. Breakfast pastries often cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, followed by sudden hunger attacks and a crash in energy levels. Our advice: resist.

Overdressing the Coffee

A cup of coffee may be loaded with health benefits, but every time you overdress your morning brew with sugar, flavored syrups and whipped cream, you’re also bound to adding on the extra pounds to your weight and inches to your waist. Remember that these calories add up over time and will inevitably head to places you’d never want them to. With that said, be extra careful not to turn that simple cup of coffee into a calorie-loaded time bomb.

Paying No Attention to Portions

Waking up after a good night’s rest also means getting out of bed hungry and starved. Going ten whole hours without food in your stomach can trigger one hell of an appetite for just about anybody. Naturally, we deal with this insatiable hunger by stuffing ourselves in the morning. So, what’s wrong here? Everything. Don’t start your day with a binge, but instead fill up with the right foods and the right portions. Lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains are great as fuel for your mind and body, filling you up faster and keeping you fuller through the day.

Gulping Down the Juice

Juices don’t seem all that harmful, do they? After all, what possible damage can fruits and vegetables do to you anyway? Well, you might like to think that again. As nutritional as they may be, store-bought juices, especially fruit varieties, are packed with lots of sugar. It takes more than one humble orange to give you one full glass of orange juice, and this immediately triples the amount of sugar you consume. Have your fruits whole instead; they offer the same vitamins and minerals as juice, along with healthy fiber to help tame your hunger till lunch.

Filling Up the Not-So-Healthy Way

Waffles, pancakes, pastries, bacon, sausages, you name it. These are just some breakfast items we are all too familiar with. Waffles and pancakes are the ultimate breakfast killers, especially when accompanied by rich, fat-loaded butter and thick sugary syrup. Don’t wreck your diet by starting the day with all things unhealthy. Opt for whole-grain cereal or toast, and try to get some lean protein like low-fat or non-fat yogurt, egg whites, or lean meat in as well.

Not Re-hydrating

One major mistake that many of us make, whether at breakfast or at any other time of the day, is having our thirst confused with hunger. We need to keep well hydrated throughout the day, and especially after an entire night of slumber, it is extremely important that we start the morning by drinking up and replenishing the fluids in our body.

Skipping Breakfast Altogether

Perhaps one of the most invaluable dieting tips ever, the highly regarded “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” holds wisdom so great, it’ll be foolish to ignore. Breakfast is essential for the morning boost of energy as it is for keeping your metabolism going and keeping your appetite in check throughout the day. Even if you’re caught in a hectic morning rush or wake up feeling full from the previous night’s dinner, try squeezing in a quick, healthy bite to kick start the a.m.

Breakfast should no longer be an option. Stop making excuses and start making breakfast mandatory for yourself and your family. Plan ahead and ensure that everyone at home gets the right quantity and quality of nutrition in their morning meal. It’s all about recognizing the need, being disciplined, and turning actions into habits.