Breakfast: The Critical Meal

August 24, 2010 – 3:34 pm

Since the late 1990′s Dr. John Berardi has published 8 scientific abstracts; 15 scientific papers and textbook chapters; presented at nearly 50 scientific, exercise, and nutrition related conferences; and published countless articles online.

His first articles at Testosterone Magazine so many years ago, provided me with the basis for everything I know about nutrition today. Now I will turn some of that knowledge over to you in the form of Nutrition Tips written by Dr. Berardi himself.

I can’t tell you how many people I talk to, who want to either lose fat or gain muscle, that when it comes down to the most important dietary question of all, they let me down. But they’re not just letting me down, they’re letting themselves down in a a big way.

So, what is the most important dietary question…

What do you eat for breakfast?

Some common responses are:

I don’t like to eat breakfast.
I don’t have time to eat breakfast.
Eating breakfast makes me sick.
A doughnut on the way to work.
A piece of toast with butter.

I would rather hear that you stopped by McDonalds to get a breakfast sandwich with meat, cheese, and egg, instead of not eating at all or eating just an apple or eating just a piece of toast.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You start the day off right with the foods that will wake you up, give you energy, stop nighttime catabolism, and keep you going until lunch (or brunch).

An ideal breakfast will contain a little of everything: whole grains, fruit, protein, calcium, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. If you can even find a way to work in veggies, more power to you. I recommend a veggie or spinach omelet or Low Sodium V8 juice.

Whether you want to gain muscle or lose fat, sticking to your diet really takes dedication and discipline. Make sure you eat right at the most important meal of the day and you’ll be off to a good start.

Let’s see what JB has to say about it:

“Breakfast is a critical meal.

After a catabolic overnight fast, a balanced breakfast helps to regulate blood sugar, helps to regulate energy balance, and helps to control late-day cravings that lead to overfeeding. Be sure to include a serving or two of lean protein like an egg white omelet (throw in a yolk or two), some cheese, some dairy like plain yogurt or cottage cheese, some lean turkey bacon or sausage, or even a protein shake on the side.

Men should be shooting for 30-50 grams of protein and women should be shooting for 20-40 grams of protein in this meal.”

Personal Fitness Coach