Goodies vs. Baddies - Breakfast Swaps to Start Your Day Off Right
As well as ensuring we keep ourselves fit with plenty of exercise, eating healthily is also crucial. We keep on being told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets us up with the energy needed for a productive morning, stops us from mid-morning snacking when major hunger sets in, and let’s face it – breakfast food is tasty!
The danger is picking unhealthy breakfast options. A toasted bagel with butter and jam and a latte goes down very nicely, but it’s not great for the waistline. So we’ve sorted a few breakfast goodies from the baddies to help you start your day off right.
#1: The sugary breakfast cereal
Switch to: Oatmeal with fruit
[caption id="attachment_103" align="alignnone" width="600"] Oatmeal with blueberries[/caption]
Kellogg’s Frosties are approximately 37% sugar. In fact, they’re one of Britain’s worst breakfast cereals. Oatmeal on the other hand contains hardly any sugars at all. By adding some blueberries or dried fruit on top, you satisfy your sweet tooth, but without the sugar overload. If you’re not an oatmeal fan, try a bowl of wholegrain wheat cereal instead, such as bran flakes without added sugar.
#2: The glass of orange juice
Switch to: An actual orange
Shop bought orange juices are often packed with sugars. A simple orange will cut your sugar intake by half. We know they can be a bit messy, but it's worth it!
#3: The bagel or white bread toast with butter and jam
Switch to: Two slices of wholemeal bread with banana slices
Two slices of wholemeal bread with banana sliced on top (to satisfy the sweet tooth!) will contain about 200 calories less than a bagel with fruity jam and butter. You’ll cut all the fat and sugar too!
#4: The latte or cappuccino
Switch to: A straight coffee
[caption id="attachment_109" align="alignnone" width="600"] An Americano coffee[/caption]
A full-fat medium caffé latte from Costa contains 11g of fat, 7 of which are saturated plus almost 15g of sugar. Even by switching to the skimmed option, you may cut the fat but the sugar actually goes up! Instead, opt for a good old-fashioned straight coffee. With skimmed milk, it’s just 0.3g of fat. Straight coffee is a great source of antioxidants too. For a sweet fix, add a small amount of honey.
#5: The yogurt with the fruity bottom
Switch to: Non-fat Greek yogurt with fresh fruit
[caption id="attachment_104" align="alignnone" width="600"] Greek yogurt with strawberries[/caption]
It may seem like a healthier option, but the yogurts you buy with the fruity mix at the bottom often contain heaps of added sugars. Lots more sugar than actual fruit. Instead, try non-fat Greek yogurt with some fresh fruit. You could add a dash of cinnamon too if you like. The added benefit is you’re already set up with one of your 5 a day!
By choosing the goodies over the baddies, you’ll be starting your day off the right way and you should see the benefit too!
Remember your fitness...
[caption id="attachment_105" align="alignnone" width="600"] Get some home fitness equipment[/caption]
A healthy diet isn't enough on its own. Make sure you stay active too and keep up with your fitness. Having some fitness equipment at home is a great idea, if you want to start your day off with some exercise too. That way, you can work out any time you like without having to worry about getting to a gym or finding an early morning exercise class. We strongly recommend mixing up cardio (such as using treadmills or elliptical trainers) with strength training.