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579258 tn?1250649343

What's for Breakfast???

Take our poll .. How often do you eat breakfast?

Then .. tell us either "what" you had for breakfast OR your "favorite" breakfast.  Perhaps we can come up with enough different ideas to create a Health Page for later reference.

IF YOU'RE NOT EATING BREAKFAST .. here is some information that may change your mind!

1.  EATING BREAKFAST KEEPS US THIN.  The National Weight Control Registry has compiled information from more than 3,000 people who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for an average of 6 years.  Feedback from those individuals showed that eating breakfast daily was a weight control strategy for 78% of the people in the registry. Those participants who experienced long-term success also shared that they eat a diet low in fat and exercise for an hour or more each day.  Interestingly .. less than 5% of those who achieved success reported never eating breakfast.

2.  BREAKFAST JUMP STARTS OUR METABOLISM.  The word, breakfast, is derived from breaking the fast after one has not eaten since the night before and is believed to be the most important meal of the day. It is the first chance we have to refuel our body, start our metabolism and begin burning calories.  Not eating breakfast is akin to starving yourself and your metabolism slows so your body can conserve energy.  Your body burns only the calories necessary until the necessary fuel becomes available. So, if you’re trying to lose weight this is the last thing you want.

3.  BREAKFAST HELPS AVOID HUNGER.  First, eating breakfast may reduce the hunger felt later in the day, which may lead to overeating.  It is also felt that nutrients consumed at breakfast may leave us with a better ability to perform physical activity.  Studies have found some indication that those who eat breakfast engage in more physical activity than non-breakfast eaters. It is also possible that eating a good breakfast on a regular basis may simply be a marker for a lifestyle change that includes a low-calorie, low-fat eating style.

4.  BREAKFAST HELPS OUR ABILITY TO LEARN.    The USDA, Harvard University and Tufts University have all performed studies that show children who eat breakfast attain higher scores on standardized achievement tests and have less behavior problems in school.  Once can only imagine the same holds true for adults in our performance at work and home.



38 Responses
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579258 tn?1250649343
THIS RESPONSE CAME FROM TWEHNER5 .. 52 MIN AGO

I *always* eat a yogurt for starters.  Then, depending on whether I'm doing cardio or strength-training, I either eat more protein (cheese stick) or some more carbs+protein (half of whole-wheat bagel).  

Don't ask me what I ate today.  My donut crumb-lips are sealed!!!  I'll think of an excuse if asked for one...............
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579258 tn?1250649343
THIS POST CAME FROM WONKO .. 3 MIN AGO

I always eat breakfast, though I didn't used to before a year or so ago.

For awhile, I was considering veganism and was avoiding animal proteins and eating more soy.  But for various reasons (including economical and the fact that I wasn't losing any weight) I'm now eating more LF dairy.  Still no meat at this time.

I buy the cartons of egg whites and often make omelettes.  I have a countertop kitchen gadget that I can simply pour the eggs into straight out of the carton and they cook in ~5 minutes.  Totally brainless.  My favorite add-ins are spinach and a few crumbles of feta.  

I also love smoothies.  Before, I was using silken tofu and soy milk and fruit.  Now, I'm using LF yogurt and milk.  

I add a couple spoonfuls of yougurt, splash of milk, 1/2 banana, a handful of frozen fruit, and a spoonful of orange juice concentrate (this makes it sweet) to the blender and I'm good to go.

I eat less cereal now than I used to, the egg whites seem to do a better job getting me to lunch.  Plus, I sometimes crave cereal (even the unsweetened grainy kinds!) and am trying to not keep it around much to avoid eating too much of it...

I often have a piece of whole wheat toast with my eggs, to get some carbs and fiber.  Coffee is a must-have for me, too.  I don't add sugar, but do add some milk.

If all else fails and I can't prepare a "real" breakfast,  like if I'm traveling for work or something, I'll eat my breakfast in bar form.  Even convenience stores or hotel lobbies usually have some form of meal bar.  I really like Luna bars, though I wish they were a bit bigger...
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428506 tn?1296557399
Thanks for moving my post to the "improved" poll!  I re-voted here =)

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657315 tn?1319491387
I re-voted, too!
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579258 tn?1250649343
I copied and pasted Twehner and wonko's responses from another thread .. because my computer apparently **burped** while I was creating this post and the thread they posted on was not complete.  

Twehner and wonko .. please vote again so your votes are tallied --- sending you a *note* as well.  *Sorry* .. and *Thank U!*

As for my breakfast, I had 1 egg, 1 slice of multi-grain bread (with seeds .. yumm) and turkey bacon.  I also enjoyed a cup of pumpkin spice flavored coffee with low calorie creamer and sugar substitute .. and a glass of water.

MS TWEHNER - Your carb+protein breakfasts are exactly what studies show work!  Now .. as for the "donut crumb-lips" ... ***count*** it in your day and let us know your lunch choice!  ***getting corner ready ... lol***  (Just "helping" you .. as you do me!"

WONKO - You are a shining example of the evolution involved in weight loss and the positive changes we learn and implement on our weight loss journeys.  You've come from not eating breakfast to being a proponent of breakfast and have made a significant lifestyle change.  We all can do this!

**Thank you both** for sharing your breakfast ideas and recipes; your experiences are invaluable to our community!  Looking forward to hearing from more community members!!!

  I'm going to try the smoothies ..
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483733 tn?1326798446
I eat breakfast every day - much hungrier earlier in the day than later which is a good thing.  I am a lover of variety.  My breakfasts may consist of half a bagel or toast with peanut butter or LF cream cheese and yogurt, a bowl of low fat granola, an egg and toast, or sometimes make low fat fruit and low fat ricotta or oatmeal pancakes with a tbsp. maple syrup or maybe a smoothie.  I also make homemade granola bars and low fat muffins for my son to take in his lunch and may munch on one of those with my yogurt.
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703362 tn?1427766328
I voted that I do not eat breakfast.  I think, in fact, that it is one of my major dietary pitfalls, as all of the information above demonstrates.  

However, I made an accountability partner and this morning, I ate breakfast!  I had one egg (boiled) and one piece of whole wheat toast (home-made bread).  And that's a start....one breakfast down, an infinite number remaining to go.  ; )  

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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Since I have to get up at 3:30 am and be at work by 6:00, it's a long time till lunch.  I normally eat 2 breakfasts.........  The first (at about 4:00 am) usually consists of a hard boiled egg and either a banana or some other piece of fruit, sometimes a small glass of milk, but I'm not supposed to have calcium within 4 hours of taking thyroid med, so if I DO have milk, it's a very small glass.  

I also found some round "bun" like things at the grocery store, called sandwich thins, made by Arnold Baking co - I buy the 100% whole wheat @ 100 calories/ea.  If I have enough time, I will toast a sandwich thin, add an egg cooked in olive oil and a couple of "American style" Canandian bacon (60 calories for 3, I eat 2).  This makes a great sandwich, which is filling and sticks with me for a while.  You could also use bacon, sausage, cheese or any other "filling".  

My "second" breakfast pretty much depends on what I have for the first one... lol.. I normally have that around 7:30-8:00.  If the first breakfast is hard boiled egg and fruit only, I will have another piece of fruit and maybe some nuts, or a yogurt and with some peanuts mixed in.  If I have the sandwich for first breakfast, then second breakfast is just a piece of fruit or maybe a yogurt.  

On weekends, I don't get up so early, so am "good to go" with just one breakfast, but I do make sure I eat something because if I don't, I end up having a problem with my blood sugar later on.  

Coffee is a MUST most days and since it does tend to kick up my acid reflux, I "temper" it with non dairy creamer.  On days I don't feel that I can drink coffee, I drink a couple of cups of green tea.  
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483733 tn?1326798446
That is quite an early morning you have!  Much appreciate the reference to the "American style" Canadian bacon.  I see you read my journal!
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I DID read your journal - it was quite interesting..  Yeah, I do have early mornings and now through the summer - they will be even earlier as we begin today working *10* hr days, so starting at 5:00 am and working until 3:30 pm rather than 6:00 am - 2:30 pm.  Means getting up almost an hour earlier............ What a rush it was this morning........
Now, I've been at work for an hour, it's time to get busy.......... BTW - before I left home, I DID have breakfast - which was one of my little sandwiches, egg cooked in olive oil, Canadian bacon (American Style) on a "thin sandwich" roll.  I'll be hungry again by 8:00, but then that will be 4+ hours from "first" breakfast.......
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Avatar universal
Ohhh I eat breakfast every day!!! Monday-Saturday I eat early in the morning and Sunday I eat with my boyfriend a bit later in the morning. I use to not eat breakfast when I was in High School....actually I never use to eat at all in school only until I got home. I then learned that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it is brain food!!! I can now say breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!!!!
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703362 tn?1427766328
So...here I am and I am fighting hard to incorporate breakfast into my daily equation (lunch too *smile).  Today's breakfast was one egg (scrambled in microwave - no milk, no cheese), wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla w/ 2 tablespoons of spicy salsa.  It was good.  I have to say that the breakfast thing is still kind of hard and I sometimes have to 'just do it', but I think that over time I will get used to it.  ; )  Just have to keep doing it over and over until it becomes a habit.  Yippeee!  Sounds silly, but that's a major accomplishment for me.  
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579258 tn?1250649343
TRUDIE - You have quite a variety of choices for breakfast and now I would like to try the homemade granola bars and low fat muffins .. any chance we can get you to post the recipes .. perhaps in separate threads?

LUCINDA - Although you voted that you do not eat breakfast (thank you for your honesty) .. Congratulations on working to change this habit!  Will be most interested in hearing how you are doing after eating breakfasts as compared to before .. regarding energy, thinking and change in weight.

BARB - WoW Girl .. you get up EARLY!!!!  Two breakfasts is such a good idea and love how you plan what you are having; it surely helps with your success!  Sometimes I eat breakfast twice as well .. sometimes I want cereal for breakfast and have eggs for lunch or supper .. and .. I've been know to use a bowl of cereal for a snack.

MSNIKI - Your point about breakfast being brain food is SOOOOO true .. and to think I went through high school like you .. without eating breakfast.  Do you suppose that is why I didn't wake up till lunch???  I hadn't realized it until you said "breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!!!!" .. that I believe it is mine as well.  That is a huge change and realization for me .. it used to be supper!

WHAT DID EVERYONE HAVE TODAY???

I had 3/4 c of cinnamon pecan Special K and 1/2 c skim milk.  Just getting ready to go have a snack of coffee and a mango (running a little behind today).  Just think .. REALLY REALLY REALLY SOON  ... we can enter this info in our FOOD JOURNALS!  Then, when we do these kinds of posts, we can Link To Our Food Journals .. so we can try something new, share breakfast ideas and encourage each other.  

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703362 tn?1427766328
I made an interesting observation about the results of this poll.  Has anyone noticed that everyone either eats breakfast always (at least during the week according to results) or does not eat breakfast.....there are no responses in the in between level.  Seems to be all or none for the most part.  Just something that occurred to me.  I wonder if there is some meaning to this finding?  What does everyone else think?
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Avatar universal
It's so true Ranae!!! When I was in school all I ate was a hot pretzel and a ton of water all day until I would get home at around 3 or 4, then I would scarf down food like no tomorrow. I have no clue why I never ate breakfast or lunch in school, the food was fine I guess I had better things to be doing at lunch time!!! LOL

Anyways today for breakfast was 2 multigrain waffles (Kashi go lean) with about 1 tsp of spreadable butter and some red grapes. I also had water with breakfast too.

I'm already thinking about tomorrows breakfast ( I try to plan my meals 1 day in advance so I have enough time to eat it ). Probably something along the line of a Fiber One English muffin with 1 egg cooked in pam with some Kraft 2% sharp chedder cheese and 1 turkey sausage pattie (to make my own breakfast sandwhich) YUMMM!!!!

I truely LoVe breakfast foods. I honestly could be hapy with eating breakfast all day long.
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579258 tn?1250649343
Ms Lucinda - Yes, that is an interesting observation and the stats have changed slightly with 2 people eating breakfast 5 of the 7 days.  What amazes me is how many of us ARE eating breakfast on a fairly regular basis!  Since you shared that your vote was the only "I don't eat breakfast" vote .. I am HAPPY to share with the entire community that YOU are eating breakfast daily and are changing that behavior.  Pretty Impressive!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!

MsNiki - Couldn't agree with you more .. I could and sometimes choose to use "breakfast" choices. When I get really, really hungry, I can get more food compared to calories this way ..

LoVe (I liked the way you spelled this) your preplanning!  It got me thinking .. tomorrow .. Pumpkin Pecan pancake, 1 egg and turkey bacon!  Queen for Day!  Hmmm .. then oatmeal with a little protein powder and fresh strawberries .. I'm set for the next 2 days.  

One tip to share .. when you're making something like Pumpkin Pecan pancakes .. you can make more and cook them, let them cool, separate them with pieces of wax paper, place in freezer bag and freeze.  They'll be ready any day you choose simply by taking them from the freezer to the microwave.  Voila ..

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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
My "first" breakfast (4:00 am) was a hard boiled egg, with a sandwich thin and some of the Canadian bacon (American style) that I've come to enjoy.  It's fiber and protein.  My "second" breakfast today was another hard boiled egg and of course, both accompanied with plenty of coffee...  I did lack fruit today -- shame on me.

I normally hard boil 5-6 eggs on Sunday evening - that way I have one for each work day.  As in the case of this morning - I ate one before I left for work, and because I didn't have anything else planned for "second" breakfast - I just peeled another egg and slipped it into a zip top sandwich bag - so when I was hungry again around 8:00, I ate it.  

I also keep some weight watchers ww bagels in the fridge/freezer, along with some light whipped cream cheese, for those days when I've not planned well ahead of time..  

BTW - breakfast "food" is good any time of the day.  I often eat even a third "breakfast" after work, for dinner - maybe adding fruit, or some veggies, etc......  
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657315 tn?1319491387
I had yogurt and a hard-boiled egg.  It was "cardio" day (step aerobics), so I needed more protein.
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579258 tn?1250649343
Barb and Twehner - Thanks for sharing .. it is sooo nice to hear how everyone is doing and the choices that are being made.  It certainly has opened up my thoughts to some new things to do and try.

Barb - I'm gonna try boiling 5-6 eggs .. I really like hard boiled eggs but do not think of them in advance .. your suggestion has helped.  It also gives me another way to use the entire dozen before the expiration date.

Twehner - Great job on the step aerobics .. hmmm .. wonder if I could do those.  Do you have a tape or a routine?  Protein is definitely needed when exercise .. as are some ready carbs just prior .. like fruit ...

Speaking of fruit .. going to go cut me a slice of watermelon .. wow is it low in calorie and soooo filling!
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657315 tn?1319491387
Wellll, I go to a step class.  BUT, my library does have workout videos you can borrow...

Can I tell you a funny hard-boiled egg story?  GOOD!  This happened 2-3 years ago.

I go through spells of keeping those in the fridge.  I usually know how many are in the bowl and I was noticing that I'd take one, but later there would be MORE in the bowl.  Obviously, someone was putting raw eggs into the bowl with the hard-boiled eggs.  I thought my son was doing this to be funny.  He would have been 16-17.  I would NOT give him the satisfaction of telling him I was on to his silly little game!  I'd just figure out which eggs were which and put the raw ones back in the door of the fridge.

A whole year or so of this went by and we finally found out the REAL story!  My little one, who would have been 3 or 4, thought she was "HELPING" when she saw the # of eggs get low in the bowl.  SO!  She would put some from the door INTO the bowl!  

We laughed SO HARD that she was doing this and because I thought it was my son ALL THAT TIME!!!!
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
We do love that little one, don't we?????  Great story and just goes to show - they do try to help even when they don't always understand........
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579258 tn?1250649343
Now THAT has me smiling .. the heart of a child that wants to help.

You know .. as we all go forward in this weight loss journey .. we can take away a wonderful lesson from Twehner's "Egg Story" ...

Our children .. and they can be of all ages .. can be one of our greatest support systems as we make this journey, especially if we ask them for their help/assistance and include them in our plans/activities.  Grandchildren can be included and are most willing collaborators!  And, if you're a young mother wondering thinking you do not have enough time for exercise or to prepare meals .. ask the little ones to "help" in the kitchen and have them do the physical activities right along side you.  Solves the "time" issue, teaches them the lessons they need for a healthy life .. and their energy and excitement rubs off on us to keep us energized and motivated.

Now .. as for breakfast this morning .. I fell down a little.  Did manage to have 1 cup of cottage cheese for 180 calories and a frozen entree of all things .. meat and mashed potatoes for 190.  Unconventional .. but on plan.
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748902 tn?1286034758
I will be having a small bowl of fresh fruit i have this every day, then half hour later 1 cup musli with skimmed milk, I have this most days i alternate thiw shredded wheat, I was with lucindamartinez, never used to eat breakfast or lunch just a large evening meal,i found out that eating breakfast and lunch really helped with the weight lose, i am eating more food than i was before so it didnt make sense that i was losing weight, but the body needs fuel throughout the day,so eating regular really helps.
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703362 tn?1427766328
I have found the same exact thing to be true Elaine!  I am dropping weight this week and since this is the same week that I initiated breakfast and switched to diet soda, although have not really incorporated a great deal of exercise....I can really tell the difference.  Yea!  Off to have some of the Jennie-O turkey ham that I purchased along with a boiled egg, and some whole wheat bread that I bought (shame on me, I usually make it)....good news is, I found a kind with double fiber.  ; )  
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