- Eat even if you’re not hungry.
Although you might not feel like eating
first thing in the morning, it’s a good
idea to get something into your system.
Eating within 90 minutes of waking up
will jump-start your metabolism and
keep you from getting hungry
later, says Amy Shapiro,
MS, RD, CDN, founder
of Real Nutrition
NYC. Just a banana
will do the trick. - Be boring.
Varying what you
eat is a good idea
in theory, but if
you are watch-
ing your weight, you
might want to stick
with the same old menu.
A 2014 British study found that
people who allowed their breakfast
calories to fluctuate (as measured by
a five-day diet diary) had larger waists
and a higher incidence of metabolic
syndrome than folks who kept their
morning calorie intake constant, no
matter how much they ate the rest of
the day. It’s not clear why your morn-
ing calorie count makes such a differ-
ence, but given that a larger waist size
and metabolic syndrome can increase
your chances of diabetes, heart at-
tack, and stroke, it’s worth making the
effort to hold it steady.- Add peanuts or
peanut butter.
In a small study of
15 obese women,
eating peanuts or
peanut butter
helped to lower
the glycemic re-
sponse to a break-
fast of Cream of
Wheat and orange
juice—meaning that the
carbohydrates were digested
more slowly and blood sugar did not
rise as high. Plus the women felt fuller
for up to 12 hours after eating the pea-
nut butter or peanuts, so they were
less likely to snack later. Spreading
peanut butter on toast or sprinkling
chopped nuts on cereal are easy ways
to add protein to a carb-heavy meal.
W
e’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of
the day, and that may actually be true. A study of more than
50,000 adults ages 30 and older found that breakfast eaters
were more likely to lose weight than those who didn’t eat a
morning meal. Other studies link skipping breakfast with a
higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabe-
tes. But it’s not just when you eat; it’s what you eat. Balancing carbohydrates
with protein, fiber, and healthy fats is the key to a satisfying and nutritious
breakfast. These tips will help you really rise and shine:30 march 2019 | rd.com
Reader’s Digest How to Build a Better Breakfast
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