Breakfast Swaps To Boost Weight Loss
The way you start each day can make a big difference to your weight loss journey. Selecting sugary cereals, forgetting to add a source of protein and forgoing fiber are all ways we set ourselves up for an energy crash come mid-morning.
However, by making these simple breakfast swaps, you can save yourself calories, sugar, and fat while also ensuring that you feel fuller for longer.
1. Greek Goodness
SWAP: Fruit-flavored yogurt for…Greek yogurt with fruit
If your yogurt is fruit-flavored or boasts added fruit, then it will inevitably be loaded with added sugar, too. Go for unflavored, unsweetened yogurt and make it Greek for an extra boost of protein. Add your own fruit for natural sweetness with added fiber, perfect for giving you energy without the blood sugar rush.
Nectarines, bananas, watermelon, and berries all work well with yogurt, and you could also add a crunch with some crushed almonds or hazelnuts for extra protein, vitamins, and good fats.
2. Sunny Side Up
SWAP: Fried Eggs for…Poached Eggs
Many people avoid eggs due to fears about the cholesterol they contain but eggs are one of the healthiest so-called bad foods you should be eating.
However, make sure your breakfast eggs are poached to reap the benefits of protein and a wealth of vitamins and nutrients without worrying about harming your health.
Although only a small amount of a yolk’s cholesterol is absorbed into the bloodstream, frying your eggs increases the chance of oxidized cholesterol, linked to an acceleration in the development of heart disease. Poaching your eggs significantly reduces the chances that the cholesterol is oxidized.
It’s also been discovered that poaching eggs releases fewer toxins into our food than high-heat cooking methods such as frying.
Lastly, for those counting every last calorie, while two fried eggs contain around 200 calories when you take the oil used to fry them into account (and about 80 calories more if you use butter!), two poached eggs contain just 140 calories.
3. Protein Packed
SWAP: Buttered toast for…Peanut butter and banana on toast
Whole grain toast isn’t the worst breakfast in the world, but it’s much better to top your toast with protein-packed peanut butter than with regular butter, full of saturated fat and with no nutritional value.
Add a sliced banana on top, and you’ve got a great breakfast! It supplies you with fiber, whole grains, good fats, protein, and both fast and slow-release carbohydrates, meaning you’ll have a steady supply of energy and feel full until lunchtime!
4. Fiber Fix
SWAP: A glass of OJ for…An actual orange
Fruit juice always outperforms the real thing. Store-bought orange juice might be an easy and seemingly healthy breakfast option, but it contains none of the fiber and around twice as much sugar as the fruit.
So, grab an actual orange in the morning for a boost of vitamins and 3 grams of filling fiber, and hydrate yourself with water or a cup of green tea instead of juice.
5. Boost Your Bowl
SWAP: Sugary cereal for…Oatmeal
Not all cereals are full of sugar and additives, but it can be hard to find a good one.
As a guide, a serving of cereal should contain no more than 5g of sugar, provide at least 3g of fiber and at least 5g of protein, and list whole grains (e.g., whole wheat, whole oats, or whole barley) as the first ingredient.
To save you the work of checking all those nutritional labels, you can’t go wrong with oatmeal—one of our top fat-fighting foods! Oats are sugar-free and contain around 5g of fiber and 6 grams of protein per serving. Plus, oats are the only ingredient in the box!
Make your oatmeal with nonfat milk or water, or a mix of the two and you’ll be full for most of the morning. Add fruit for more filling fiber, nuts for fiber and protein, and a sprinkle of cinnamon instead of sugar for sweetness.
If you prefer your breakfast cold, we also love oats mixed in with our Greek yogurt and fruit; top frozen raspberries with a serving of dry oats, dollop on some Greek yogurt, mix, and enjoy!
6. Caffeinated Calories
SWAP: A fancy frappuccino for…Iced coffee
Would you eat a Snickers for breakfast? I thought not. Too much sugar and fat, right? Well, your average whipped and flavored fancy coffee is likely to contain even more sugar than the chocolate bar, as well as a ton of fat with zero nutrients to show for all that.
Even if you only splurge on a frappuccino a few times a week, it can really add up when you think of how many you might treat yourself to over the course of a month or a year.
So, if you can’t do without your morning caffeine fix, go for an iced coffee that is sugar-free, and then experiment with cinnamon, nutmeg, or chocolate powder to get a hint of sweetness in your cup.
