How it works and why it’s so important

One of the first things to keep in mind as a part of a healthy lifestyle is our nutrition. After 7+ hours of fasting, the blood sugar will be at its lowest. An important factor to consider thorough our day is to avoid peaks and lows in our blood sugar levels. The blood sugar drops after long fastings or intense activities and raises after each meal. Ideally, we want to minimize the extremes and that is why a healthy breakfast is so important.

Starting the day with carbs

The body is designed to utilize two sources of energy: fats and sugars (carbohydrates). Fats are utilized for aerobic activities (in the presence of oxygen), those are the activities in which the heart rate doesn’t exceed 60%. Sugars are utilized for anaerobic activities (without the need of any oxygen).
Whenever the production of insulin is low, the body will resource to the production of ketones in an attempt of utilizing fats as a source of fuel for anaerobic activities. The excessive production of ketones can increase the levels of acidity in the blood, causing some undesired side effects.
The best way to balance the levels of sugars in the blood is by starting the day with a moderate low-GI (Glycemic Index) meal as soon as we wake up and keep eating smaller meals every few hours.

Popular, non-healthy options

The first ideas that may come to most people’s minds are cereals and coffee. On your way to work take a look at the drive-thru lines at Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and other fast food chains. A big number of Americans start the day by loading themselves with sugars and fats, which is part of the reason for the 40% obesity rate problem we are currently dealing with.

Some healthy breakfast options

Any low GI breakfast will help us level up the blood sugar. Some of the best options are oatmeal, high fiber cereals, sweet potatoes, Rice cereal, and Kodiak pancakes, just to name a few.
Most of us need to rush in the mornings before heading out to work for which planning is the key. Rather than starting the day by wondering what to eat, plan ahead the day before and stick to that plan in the morning.

Breakfast challenge

If you are one who doesn’t eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, this may get your attention.

1- Starting tomorrow, get a low GI breakfast within 30 mins of waking up, nothing big, something between 100 and 200 calories.
2- Write down a daily journey explaining how your energy levels feel throughout the day, for 10 consecutive days.
3- Share your journey on your social media, you will be amazed at the difference such a little step can make.

A healthy breakfast shake

As much as cooking can be enjoyable for some people, we all agree that it takes time. For that exact reason, here I am sharing one of my favorites shakes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 1/2 cup soymilk
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey

PREPARATION

Slice banana and freeze until firm. Blend tofu, soymilk, cocoa, and honey in a blender until smooth. Add the banana slices and continue to puree until smooth.