Big Breakfasts for Big Results

Breakfast. It seems like forever since we’ve been told it’s the most important meal of the day, but a recent study shows that it’s actually true and not just Mom having been a nag. Breakfast is a key component of weight management. A study presented at the recent Endocrine Society’s annual meeting showed that participants who consumed large breakfasts lost almost five times as much weight as the participants who followed a traditional diet. So what’s the big deal about breakfast? And what is a big breakfast anyway? It doesn’t seem like the lumberjack special at the local diner would do much to get the pounds off, so what should we be eating?

The study supported the idea that when we wake up in the morning, our bodies want food. You’ve burned through all the fuel from the previous day, and now your body is ready to burn anything, like muscle, to get a jump-start on the day. And if you skip breakfast, muscle is indeed what your body will burn. Later in the day, your brain is still in starvation mode from breakfast (or lack thereof), so your body will store all the calories you eat as adipose tissue, or fat, to save up for the next day when you try to starve it again. The study also found that serotonin (the chemical responsible for controlling cravings) levels were much higher in the morning, which is why breakfast is the meal so many of us are willing to skip. But if our bodies are left unfed, our serotonin levels drop, and the cravings for sweets begin to rise throughout the day.

Now, before you hit McDonald’s for their 800-calorie Big Breakfast or, worse, their 1,150-calorie Deluxe Breakfast, or you swing by Denny’s for a 740-calorie Grand Slam or 950-calorie All-American Slam with hash browns, keep in mind these were not the breakfasts the study participants consumed. The big-breakfast group had a 610-calorie breakfast as part of a 1,240-calorie day. Breakfasts included milk, lean meat (sorry, no bacon or sausage), cheese, whole grains, a serving of healthy fat, and one ounce of chocolate or candy to defray the sweets cravings. The other group’s participants consumed 1,080 calories per day as part of a high-protein, low-carb diet. Both groups were on the diet for 8 months. The high-protein group lost an average of 9 pounds but the big-breakfast group lost an average of 40 pounds. And perhaps not surprisingly, the big-breakfast group complained less about cravings and hunger.

The big-breakfast group’s breakfast consisted of 58 grams of carbs, 47 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fat. Study reviewers attribute some of the success of the big-breakfast group to the fact that the protein and healthy fats eaten kept the participants full and reduced cravings. They also said that nutritional requirements were well met, that there weren’t empty calories consumed, as the breakfasts included lots of whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy unsaturated fats. So, bad news for the lumberjack-special devotees—a big plate of greasy hash browns, bacon, and biscuits with gravy isn’t going to get the job done, unless the job is clogging your arteries.

Here are some healthy big-breakfasts, like the ones consumed by the study participants.

Chicken and the Egg

2 eggs, scrambled
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, roasted
1 grapefruit

602 calories, 54 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams protein, 19 grams fat

Low-Fat Breakfast

1 packet instant oatmeal with 1 scoop protein powder
1 cup blueberries
3 oz. turkey breast
1 hard-boiled egg
1 oz. dark chocolate

633 calories, 66 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 12 grams fat

Two Egg Sandwiches

2 whole wheat English muffins
2 poached eggs
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
2 slices Canadian bacon

599 calories, 58 grams carbohydrates, 62 grams protein, 18 grams fat

Vegetarian Breakfast

1 cup cottage cheese (2% milk fat)
1 cup canned peaches in their own juice
1 slice whole wheat toast
1/2 avocado
2 vegetarian sausage links

630 calories, 61 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 22 grams fat

Pescetarian Breakfast

1 can light tuna
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably canola or olive oil based)
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 oz. dark chocolate

606 calories, 49 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams protein, 22 grams fat

Big Breakfasts for Big Results

Breakfast. It seems like forever since we’ve been told it’s the most important meal of the day, but a recent study shows that it’s actually true and not just Mom having been a nag. Breakfast is a key component of weight management. A study presented at the recent Endocrine Society’s annual meeting showed that participants who consumed large breakfasts lost almost five times as much weight as the participants who followed a traditional diet. So what’s the big deal about breakfast? And what is a big breakfast anyway? It doesn’t seem like the lumberjack special at the local diner would do much to get the pounds off, so what should we be eating?

The study supported the idea that when we wake up in the morning, our bodies want food. You’ve burned through all the fuel from the previous day, and now your body is ready to burn anything, like muscle, to get a jump-start on the day. And if you skip breakfast, muscle is indeed what your body will burn. Later in the day, your brain is still in starvation mode from breakfast (or lack thereof), so your body will store all the calories you eat as adipose tissue, or fat, to save up for the next day when you try to starve it again. The study also found that serotonin (the chemical responsible for controlling cravings) levels were much higher in the morning, which is why breakfast is the meal so many of us are willing to skip. But if our bodies are left unfed, our serotonin levels drop, and the cravings for sweets begin to rise throughout the day.

Now, before you hit McDonald’s for their 800-calorie Big Breakfast or, worse, their 1,150-calorie Deluxe Breakfast, or you swing by Denny’s for a 740-calorie Grand Slam or 950-calorie All-American Slam with hash browns, keep in mind these were not the breakfasts the study participants consumed. The big-breakfast group had a 610-calorie breakfast as part of a 1,240-calorie day. Breakfasts included milk, lean meat (sorry, no bacon or sausage), cheese, whole grains, a serving of healthy fat, and one ounce of chocolate or candy to defray the sweets cravings. The other group’s participants consumed 1,080 calories per day as part of a high-protein, low-carb diet. Both groups were on the diet for 8 months. The high-protein group lost an average of 9 pounds but the big-breakfast group lost an average of 40 pounds. And perhaps not surprisingly, the big-breakfast group complained less about cravings and hunger.

The big-breakfast group’s breakfast consisted of 58 grams of carbs, 47 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fat. Study reviewers attribute some of the success of the big-breakfast group to the fact that the protein and healthy fats eaten kept the participants full and reduced cravings. They also said that nutritional requirements were well met, that there weren’t empty calories consumed, as the breakfasts included lots of whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy unsaturated fats. So, bad news for the lumberjack-special devotees—a big plate of greasy hash browns, bacon, and biscuits with gravy isn’t going to get the job done, unless the job is clogging your arteries.

Here are some healthy big-breakfasts, like the ones consumed by the study participants.

Chicken and the Egg

2 eggs, scrambled
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, roasted
1 grapefruit

602 calories, 54 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams protein, 19 grams fat

Low-Fat Breakfast

1 packet instant oatmeal with 1 scoop protein powder
1 cup blueberries
3 oz. turkey breast
1 hard-boiled egg
1 oz. dark chocolate

633 calories, 66 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 12 grams fat

Two Egg Sandwiches

2 whole wheat English muffins
2 poached eggs
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
2 slices Canadian bacon

599 calories, 58 grams carbohydrates, 62 grams protein, 18 grams fat

Vegetarian Breakfast

1 cup cottage cheese (2% milk fat)
1 cup canned peaches in their own juice
1 slice whole wheat toast
1/2 avocado
2 vegetarian sausage links

630 calories, 61 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 22 grams fat

Pescetarian Breakfast

1 can light tuna
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably canola or olive oil based)
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 oz. dark chocolate

606 calories, 49 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams protein, 22 grams fat

MUSCLE Shakes

Drinking a protein shake can be like downing a shot of vodka, rum, or gin on its own. Sure, you’re a real man if you can stomach it, but it would taste a hell of a lot better if you had something to mix it with. The same goes for certain protein shakes, which guys tend to choke down simply because they need the nutrients, all the while hating that artificial flavor. Fortunately, you can jazz up a bland shake with these simple add-ons—think of them as “mixers”—guaranteed to cut that chalky taste at no cost to your shake’s nutritional value.

INSTANT COFFEE Add one teaspoon of decaf to your vanilla shakes to create an iced-coffee flavor. Alternatively, add coffee to a chocolate shake for a mocha flavor. If you’re drinking a shake pre-workout, you can use caffeinated coffee to get a stimulant effect and help you zone in on your training.

PEPPERMINT EXTRACT Use it purely for flavor enhancement—it won’t affect the nutritional content of your shake. Add a few drops to a chocolate shake for a mouthwatering mint chocolate chip ice cream flavor.

ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER It goes well with any flavor of shake. Just put one tablespoon in your shake to transform it into a dessert-like snack. Each tablespoon contains about 95 calories, eight grams of
healthy fats, three grams of protein, and a shot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

FROZEN BERRIES Try adding one cup to your vanilla shake to transform it into a fruit smoothie. You can and should use all kinds of berries to maximize antioxidants and fiber. One cup of berries has about 50 calories and 11 grams of carbs.

MUSCLE Shakes

Drinking a protein shake can be like downing a shot of vodka, rum, or gin on its own. Sure, you’re a real man if you can stomach it, but it would taste a hell of a lot better if you had something to mix it with. The same goes for certain protein shakes, which guys tend to choke down simply because they need the nutrients, all the while hating that artificial flavor. Fortunately, you can jazz up a bland shake with these simple add-ons—think of them as “mixers”—guaranteed to cut that chalky taste at no cost to your shake’s nutritional value.

INSTANT COFFEE Add one teaspoon of decaf to your vanilla shakes to create an iced-coffee flavor. Alternatively, add coffee to a chocolate shake for a mocha flavor. If you’re drinking a shake pre-workout, you can use caffeinated coffee to get a stimulant effect and help you zone in on your training.

PEPPERMINT EXTRACT Use it purely for flavor enhancement—it won’t affect the nutritional content of your shake. Add a few drops to a chocolate shake for a mouthwatering mint chocolate chip ice cream flavor.

ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER It goes well with any flavor of shake. Just put one tablespoon in your shake to transform it into a dessert-like snack. Each tablespoon contains about 95 calories, eight grams of
healthy fats, three grams of protein, and a shot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

FROZEN BERRIES Try adding one cup to your vanilla shake to transform it into a fruit smoothie. You can and should use all kinds of berries to maximize antioxidants and fiber. One cup of berries has about 50 calories and 11 grams of carbs.

The chicken or the egg?

On average, sedentary people require 0.8 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. This works out to about 56 grams of protein a day for a 70 kg (150 pound) person. Those who are physically active or those with greater protein need, such as children, dieters, and the elderly, require more at 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight.

One egg provides about 6.25 grams of protein, or about 10% of daily protein needs. Half of the protein in an egg comes from the egg white, while the other half from the egg yolk. In fact, egg protein is of such high quality that it is used as the standard by which other proteins are compared. Eggs have a biological value (efficacy with which protein is used for growth) of 93.7%. Comparable values are 84.5% for milk, 76% for fish, and 74.3% for beef.

The egg is, therefore, an excellent source of protein and one of the best proteins money can buy.

The chicken or the egg?

On average, sedentary people require 0.8 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. This works out to about 56 grams of protein a day for a 70 kg (150 pound) person. Those who are physically active or those with greater protein need, such as children, dieters, and the elderly, require more at 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight.

One egg provides about 6.25 grams of protein, or about 10% of daily protein needs. Half of the protein in an egg comes from the egg white, while the other half from the egg yolk. In fact, egg protein is of such high quality that it is used as the standard by which other proteins are compared. Eggs have a biological value (efficacy with which protein is used for growth) of 93.7%. Comparable values are 84.5% for milk, 76% for fish, and 74.3% for beef.

The egg is, therefore, an excellent source of protein and one of the best proteins money can buy.