0

4 Bad Ideas for Breakfast and A Few High Protein Alternatives

Our choices for breakfast are limitless, yet most people tend to eat what’s fast and easy. They should stop. Immediately.

Mayo Clinic says that eating breakfast reduces hunger (duh). Eating in the morning typically means eating less later. In my experience having a bigger, nutritional breakfast high in protein plays a significant role in decreasing hunger throughout the day and helping people reach their weight loss goals easier.

However, just eating breakfast isn’t enough, you want to make sure you load up on protein and fiber and stay away from the following:

Breakfast pastry

Muffins, doughnuts, bear claws and croissants sure taste good with coffee, but all those refined carbs are going to cause unwanted weight gain.

Granola Bars

Watch out for the breakfast bars that claim to give you fiber, vitamins and minerals. Check the number of carbs and sugars on the back of the label – most contain the same sugar as a pastry. Not only that but most bars are full of artificial ingredients including preservatives and sweeteners (just say no!).

Cereal

Here’s another popular breakfast item that has tons of sugar lurking beneath its surface. Only eat cereal that has no added sugar and that contains some protein and healthy fat.

Drive Thru Breakfast Sandwich

Don’t even think about heading to the drive thru for a quick breakfast sandwich. Instead grab a hard boiled egg from home to enjoy on your commute.

High Protein Alternatives When You’re in a Rush

I get that you may not have time to cook an entire breakfast or cook up those eggs in the morning so if you’re looking for high protein food on the run, grab a piece of fruit and combine it with one of my favorite morning “go-to’s”:

Rise Almond Honey Bar

Yummy! 20g of protein, 13g of carbs and only three ingredients: almonds, honey and whey. Also GMO and preservative free.

Prograde Protein Powders

Preparing a protein shake and having it ready for me in the fridge every morning has become a daily routine for me. After trying at least a dozen different protein powders, Prograde has become my absolute favorite. I use it daily and recommend their products to all my clients.

These protein powders are great because they mix easily, with no clumping and no need for a blender, they’re gluten-free, non-GMO and growth hormone free (compare this to most of the junk you’ll find at stores like GNC – no comparison). Maybe best of all, they have an auto-ship option which gives you a deep discount, gives you free shipping and handling, and sends you your 30 day supply just as it’s running out. Super convenient!

Depending on your needs one of these protein powders are a fantastic alternative:

–Prograde Protein Powder -24g of protein and just 2g of carbs @ just 130 calories, great to have with a fruit and some nuts for breakfast

–Prograde LEAN -a full meal replacement when you just don’t have the time for whole food: 35g of protein, 27g of carb @ 275 calories

–Prograde Workout: 14g of protein and 31g of carbs @ 200 calories, a great pre and post workout drink

Some people simply can’t stand the taste of protein shakes unless they’re laden with artificial sweeteners or sugar (and the vast majority are). If that’s you, try blending in some fruit. Frozen organic berries or frozen organic dark cherries from Costco are my favorite.

BioTrust

Although BioTrust has a VERY good protein powder as well (no artificial colors, sweeteners or flavors and hormone free) I tend to use them less because I just love the auto-ship option that Prograde provides. However when they have a sale, I’ll sometimes buy in bulk to take advantage of massive discounts (yes, my wife hates this as storing twelve big bottles of protein powder becomes an issue for her…).

But my absolute favorite BioTrust product is their protein cookies….mmmmmm, cookie! Although they may seem a little bit on the expensive side for a cookie, this cookie has 12g of protein, the proteins are certified hormone & antibiotic free, contain no artificial sweeteners or colors, are gluten-free and free of soy protein, trans fat and are non-GMO. They also contain 6g of fiber. And most importantly, I love the taste. Well worth the cost in my opinion. At fewer calories than a chocolate bar (only 150), they are an absolutely awesome snack. The only thing I would recommend being careful about with these cookies is getting carried away and having too many. I try to stick to one a day but I sometimes catch my self having two or three!

I hope these suggestions help make eating breakfast easier. I understand we’re all super busy and have very hectic lives with crazy schedules. The bottom line however is that eating a solid breakfast that’s high in protein will help you not only deal with the stress of your every day lives easier and help you recover from your workouts but it will play a significant role in your weight loss goals and overall health.

If you don’t mind a bit of prep, you can also try the recipe below.

Other Strategies

Of course, if you’ve been eating an unhealthy breakfast your entire life, it could be hard to change things up. Here are some resources that may help:

If you crave unhealthy foods, try these strategies.

If overeating is your problem, you might want to try these three simple steps.

Lastly, don’t be fooled by these “healthy” fruit products.

What’s your “go-to” in the morning and are you getting enough protein? I’d love to hear it! Post below and let me know.

 

 

 

 

 

Helping you shed the fat, even on your busy schedule,

Coach George, Body Transformation Coach

ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer & Precision Nutrition Certified Nutritionist

 

 

Photo credit: madelinewright via Foter.com / CC BY-SA