The benefits of breakfast

I'm too tired, too busy and 'I feel too sick to face food first thing' are just a selection of the exaggerated excuses responsible for one in ten Brits skipping their most important meal of the day, but did you know that the benefits of breakfast go beyond a satisfied stomach?

Here are my top three reasons why fuelling our day the healthy way can improve our weight, willpower and waistline:

1. It prevents our mid morning munchies resembling an abundance of addictive added sugar - the sweet stuff that can see us sacrificing our health, weight and waistline when consumed in excess.
Studies indicate that morning meal skippers reach for calorie fuelled crisps, biscuits and chocolate bars in search of an instant energy boost as they struggle to stabilise blood sugar levels and sustain physical and psychological stamina. 

2. It prevents us from piling on the pounds.
Those who skip breakfast three times a week are twice as likely to consume more calories than non morning meal skippers, calories that stem from snacking on the wrong food sources as a result of our failure to fuel our body and mind with the strength and mental motivation to make sensible choices - we not only lack the physical and psychological energy and enthusiasm to eat healthily when we feel famished and fatigued, but struggle not to succumb to the addictive added sugar that contributes to the creation of cravings for more processed pick me ups.

3. It can aid weight loss.
Consuming our biggest meal at breakfast not only allows our body to burn the excess energy throughout the day as opposed to after a calorie fuelled feast at night, it also leaves us feeling fuller for longer - particularly if our morning meal is based on protein and/or fibre-rich food sources - and less susceptible to snacking on sugary sweet treats during the day - one of the core culprits responsible for contributing to an accumulation of additional weight. 

Top tip: if you struggle to sustain the self discipline not to succumb to the sweet stuff and/or you want to start your day the healthy way, avoid refined carbohydrates such as white bread and sugar fuelled cereal which are renowned for wreaking havoc on blood sugar levels - the rapid slump these particular food sources subject blood sugar levels to will result in cravings for more refined carbohydrates in an attempt to stabilise sugar levels. Instead, fuel your day the healthy way by basing your breakfast on fibre and/or protein-rich food sources that are not only low in sugar, but provide a slow release of energy - leaving you feeling fuller for longer and free from sugar spikes and slumps.