Seven habits of highly effective breakfast eaters

Fitness Answer Man

June 09, 2008|By CHAD SMITH

A number of recent studies have shown that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school and have a healthier diet. For adults who are working toward weight loss, eating breakfast has been shown to promote faster and more consistent success.

After what equates to be an overnight fast, your body is starving for nutrients to get its metabolism going.

But breakfast is often a victim of the morning time crunch. People tend to skip out on breakfast and gorge later in the day which leads to more fat storage and unhappy people.

But I'm here to help.

Forming better habits produce better behaviors, which lead to better outcomes. So here are seven habits you can form right now to become a better breakfast eater:

1. Finish homework and pack school bags at night.

2. Decide on what you and your kids will wear the next day and locate lost shoes before you go to bed.

3. In the morning, get up 15 minutes earlier. (Stop being a slug!)

4. Have healthy foods on hand. You should also shop for breakfast foods with your kids and take into account their personal preferences.

5. Set the cereal out the night before. For younger children, fill a zippered plastic bag with his/her portion, then add the milk in the morning.

6. Allow your children to use the microwave, as most hot breakfast foods can be prepared in less than five minutes.

7. Allow your kids to eat in the car or on the way to school.

You have lots of options for a morning meal. You can eat bagels, pizza with fruit juice, apples with peanut butter, or my favorite: eggs and spinach with cheese. Most meals are a snap to prepare, and won't take you but a few minutes.

The next time you think you're too rushed to eat breakfast, remember that you are about to skip the most important meal of the day. If you follow the tips above, family members will have more energy, perform better in their day, and be in a better position to look and feel their best.

Chad Smith is a local certified personal trainer and fitness expert. He can be reached via e-mail at fitnessanswerman@live.com

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