The 4 Healthy Breakfast Principles Desk Workers Should Live By

28 Mar The 4 Healthy Breakfast Principles Desk Workers Should Live By

When it comes to breakfast, it’s important to get it right for energy, focus, and productivity. Your first meal of the day needs to be full of nutrition so you can properly fuel your body for the workday ahead.

Research shows that people who consume a healthy breakfast regularly have a healthier weight and are less likely to be obese than those that don’t. Also, skipping breakfast can leave you unable to think clearly when at work because your brain will lack the nutrients it needs to function properly.

To make sure you start your day off the right way, there are four principles a Workday Warrior should abide by when it comes to breakfast.

Healthy Breakfast Principle #1: Get More Fiber

The first healthy breakfast principle is that whatever you are having first thing in the morning needs to have fiber. You should try to aim for at least 10 grams of fiber at breakfast for maximum satiety.

Dietary fiber is found in many whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and cereals. Fiber has been shown to help people maintain a healthy weight, lower the risk of diabetes, lower cholesterol, and relieve constipation.

But most importantly for Workday Warriors, it will keep you fuller longer and stabilize your blood sugar so you are less likely to reach for the muffins as you walk to your desk in the morning. The best breakfast foods for fiber are oatmeal, whole grain toast, fruits, and vegetables.

When increasing the amount of fiber in the diet, two precautions should be taken. First, increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid stomach problems such as bloating, gas, and constipation. Second, make sure you drink lots of water to avoid constipation and promote increased food volume.

Healthy Breakfast Principle #2: Hydrate Your Body

One of the healthiest and easiest things you can do for your body is to drink more water in the morning. Upon waking, your body is dehydrated and the normal protocol for desk workers is to slam a cup of coffee, and that will dehydrate you even more.

If you are dehydrated, you will be more susceptible to cravings, particularly sugar cravings. To fuel yourself properly for the day ahead, a good practice is to have 24 ounces of water before settling in for breakfast and/or coffee.

An easy hack for this is to leave a bottle of water on your bathroom counter the night before. That way, when you wake up and are getting ready for the day, you can hydrate before you even get to the kitchen.

Healthy Breakfast Principle #3: Eat Enough

Most of you wake up motivated to make it a super healthy day (only to lose that motivation as the day goes on), and with good intention, you decide you are going to eat small, healthy portions starting with breakfast.

The problem with this is you can set your day up for failure by eating a portion so small for breakfast that you aren’t satiated for more than an hour and you end up overeating at lunch and dinner. Or even worse, eating too few calories first thing in the morning may have you grabbing for a muffin in the breakroom at the first sign of stress.

Breakfast should be your largest meal of the day. In fact, it can account for almost half of your daily calorie allotment. Unfortunately, most desk workers eat bigger meals as the day goes on, when in order to maintain energy levels and lose body fat you should be eating smaller meals as the day goes on.

A healthy breakfast is going to give you the fuel you need for your workday. Make sure it includes enough calories to keep you flying through the first half of the day.

Healthy Breakfast Principle #4: Get a Little Fat in Your Meal

Most people steer clear of fat because they believe the old adage—if you eat fat, you get fat. But research has shown that nothing could be further from the truth, in fact.

Fat is essential to keeping your brain healthy and your weight within a healthy range, and omega 3 fatty acids, in particular, can sharpen your cognitive function and increase your mood.
Make sure to include an egg yolk or two, cook with coconut oil, or have some avocado with your breakfast. Because just like fiber, a little fat in your meal will go a long way to keep you satiated all the way until lunch.

NOTE—An entire plate of bacon for breakfast is not healthy ☺.

Ultimately, you know yourself the best, so explore a bit and see which kinds of healthy breakfast foods satiate you and give you energy and begin to add those into your daily diet. Contact us for assistance!