Your body is designed to lose weight. It knows how. Organs that are healthy and strong enough to turn calories into fat, have the same strength to burn it for energy. Both sides of a coin are the same size.
Is eating breakfast necessary for successful weight loss?
Maybe yes – Maybe no
What is certain is that your morning choices have direct blowback for the REST OF YOUR DAY because they directly influence body comfort, function, chemistry, hormones, appetite, energy levels, moods, thoughts and behaviors.
It has been about 11 years since I began eating salads and vegetables for breakfast. I was everything, but gracious about that switch. It wasn’t my body resisting the change, it was my stubborn entitled thinking that was the problem. I had a hefty grudge against my body for a long time for needing me to do that. Then one day a moment of hindsight gave me a snapshot of the past, to compare to the present. My days had become smooth, clear thinking and without energy crashes nor mood swings. I rarely eat breakfast now, just depends on how my body is feeling and the day’s agenda.
Every competitor, no matter their sport, practices their “start”, because the moment the whistle blows, the gun goes off, the gates open or an athlete gets centered to do their routine, is the moment of truth. It will make it or break it for what follows. Whole training days are set up JUST to work on an athletes start.
Your morning choices will have direct blowback for the REST of your day
(until you go back bed)
Are you setting yourself up for success?
When people decide to lose weight they jump RIGHT IN. Successful companies don’t jump right in – they get information, develop concepts, test things out and experiment. With what they learn they begin to get their ducks lined up and moving forward with their personalized strategy based on what they have discovered. You are the CEO of your body and life, set yourself up for weight loss success by taking the same approach.
¿ How is a typical day when I DO eat breakfast?
¿ What is a typical day when I don’t eat breakfast?
Look at the big big picture: body function, energy, behaviors and well-being.
¿ What do “good” days have in common?
¿ What are the common denominators for “bad” days?
Don’t use rocket fuel for a moped lifestyle
Figure out what type of fuel you need for that day
Sitting at a desk is NOT the same fuel requirement as physical labor!
Let me share some useful information to get you brainstorming for yourself
♦ Fatty foods alter your body hormones and chemistry, make your blood as thick as sludge (think clogged bathroom pipes) and are a digestive assault to the gallbladder and liver which may be showing up as nausea, stomach discomfort, neck swelling and/or sharp pain under your shoulder blade. When your body is challenged your thoughts and emotions will be too.
♦ Who decided that brunch is just on Sunday? If eating at 11 am works best for your body than brunch every single day.
♦ Waking up famished may be driving you to eat the first thing in sight, which is probably something you shouldn’t even have in the house. Make the first thing you see and put into your body a nice size glass of psyllium, flax or chia. It settles most tummies instantly while simultaneously encouraging a trip to the toilet.
♦ You may be that person who needs a big heavy breakfast. How about replacing 30-50% of your breakfast density with chia, flax or shredded coconut? This creates the needed “fill”, without being a digestive burden which will slow you down later. The fiber keeps energy levels stable, absorbs body toxicity and sweeps the intestine clean.
♦ Most people experience weight loss as deprivation. It is not deprivation, your head sees it that way. In truth you need to swap bad options for good tasting real food. Rather than wasting time complaining about not being able to eat junk food, put yourself in charge of finding healthy foods you LOVE. You love muffins and quick breads, then start making them with coconut flour. It is low carb, high fiber, high protein and has a positive nutrient value. Add fresh fruit to the batter before cooking. Or how about making coconut flour spice bread with parsnips and zucchini?
♦ Eating the same foods day in and day out creates intestinal intolerances which are often at the root of bloating, weight retention, heartburn, indigestion, gas, gurgling, fatigue and other unpleasantries. America is the land of free choice and options, so go out and explore what is available: quinoa flakes, buckwheat grits, teff, amaranth or millet. Switch to goat or sheep yogurt in the place of cow dairy. Simply using whole foods options rather than processed foods is likely to have a radical effect.
♦ Be mindful of seasonal influences on body needs. Cold winters may require a cooked hot breakfast while summers request no breakfast at all.
♦ What you eat and drink at night has a direct influence on your waking body state.
♦ Notice patterns that repeat more than 2 or 4 times.
♦ Talk to people who eat healthy and take care of their bodies. What are they doing for breakfast? How do they manage sweet cravings? How do they avoid tempting foods? What are their strategies in social and public situations? Ask them. Thank them for sharing. Even if you don’t adopt their way, it will help you find yours!
Do something different each day and track what happens. Everything is information. “Mistakes” are simply experiences that were judged as “wrong” rather than experiences used for the insights and directions that they are offering. When weight loss strategies are personalized to your body and your lifestyle then weight loss is easy, steady, comfortable, predictable AND the end results become permanent.
I covered the topic of breakfast without mentioning coffee. That is next week’s article and it’s a good one.
This weight loss article series will cover all the areas, but you may not need that scenic route. If you want the personalized short cut then call me – working together we will get you from here to there in a much timelier way.
Warmest,
Krista
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