Americans eat way too many starchy carbs.
I’m not against carbs. I’m against bland and boring nutrient stripped foods like white bread and pasta, potato chips and sugary cereals that are the staples of the typical American diet.
Breakfast is great example. When I take at look at a beginner’s food log I often see (if I see breakfast at all) one of the following combos:
- Faux fruit cereal (it never says those are actually real strawberries) with milk and toast
- A bagel and cream cheese
- Coffee (with lots of other stuff added) and a “fiber” bar (you know the ones but I’m trying not to name names) with more sugar than fiber.
My mission is balance out breakfast with protein. Protein is essential to rebuilding all tissues (not just muscle) yet we can’t store very much of it the way we do glucose and fat. We need to be constantly replenishing our amino acid pool.
Protein also helps keep us feeling fuller longer. It helps keep our blood sugar level stable. Protein at breakfast is the key to not reaching for the office candy dish or gorging on pasta at lunch. It helps keep hangry from happening.
I’ve got three new breakfast combos that will push out the starch and bring in the protein.
- Try tofu! Every vegetarian should have a go to version of a tofu scramble. This Southwest Tofu Scramble from Vegetarian Times can be made even quicker using a frozen onion and pepper blend.
- You can still have toast, it’s just what you choose to toast and how you top it. Start with a sprouted grain bread, like Ezekiel. Top toast with “chia jam” and ¼ cup low fat ricotta cheese.
- Have your coffee and protein with a coffee based protein shake. Try the Protein Coffee Grinder from Designer Whey. Grab a banana and your ready to face your commute.
Now it’s your turn. I want to see how you do a fit protein rich breakfast. Follow me on Instagram then post a pic of your breakfast with the hashtag #powerbreakfast. Post your photos by 10 pm CT Monday May 27. I’ll pick the best of the best to feature in an upcoming blog post and, if you live in the US, I’ll send the creator a Thrive Personal Fitness t-shirt. I can’t wait to see how you start your day!
