Breakfast is often that meal that gets skipped, but for a busy working mum it can feel almost impossible to a) get a healthy breakfast and b) get breakfast at all.
I always find myself ensuring my little boy gets a decent breakfast, trying my utmost to steer clear or sugar laden cereals and spreads, but honestly feeding myself is a last priority.
The last few weeks if the year however, I have really struggled with my energy levels. There’s only so much oil to burn right? I think we’re all feeling the back end of 2019! Each morning I get to work and have a coffee like it’s a substitute for food. It’s seriously the only thing getting me through the first couple of hours. Slowly but surely, however, I have noticed my attention span diminishing and my tendency to want to crawl under my desk and go to sleep going through the roof.
That’s right, despite all my advice on this blog I have not been taking care of my own nutrition of late and I have really felt the effects of that. We need to look after ourselves, because the knock on effect of ignoring our bodies and our minds in favour of constantly looking after others means… guess what… you can’t look after others! You burn out.
So ditch the mood swings and re-focus your energy on you. The rest; family, work, social life and hobbies, will all follow as a result of that self care.
Today we’re focusing on breakfast. A little reading and it fast becomes clear there’s so much information that it’s counterproductive. My head hurts. The easiest approach for me and one that causes least stress is just to ensure breakfast is nutritious. We could (and often do) spend days and weeks trying new fad diets and trying to cut carbs or up protein and personally, I think all this hard work is where we fall down. Eat the bread, take the bagel… whatever makes your life easier. Fast fact: eating nutritious food is ALWAYS better than eating no food. So how to we add the good stuff?
Nutrients are king. So here is what the experts say about some of the healthiest foods to eat for breakfast:
Eggs (duh): Studies have shown that eating eggs at breakfast increases feelings of fullness, reduces calorie intake at the next meal and helps maintain steady blood sugar and insulin levels
Greek yoghurt: Certain types of Greek yogurt are good sources of probiotics, which help your gut stay healthy
Oatmeal: It’s made from ground oats, which contain a unique fiber called oat beta-glucan. This fiber has many impressive health benefits, including reduced cholesterol
Chia: Chia seeds are also high in antioxidants, which protect your cells from unstable molecules called free radicals that are produced during metabolism
Avocado (thank goodness): Avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals
Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds may also improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels, as well as protect against breast cancer
And I find if all else fails mixing some of this up with some fruit in the form of a smoothie is always a solid options.
Look after yourselves, ladies
Sx
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