5 Best Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss

The weight loss industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. People spend thousands of dollars on diet books, meal delivery services, pills and meal replacements. But when it comes to weight loss, one of the most important factors is blood sugar. Now before I explain why, I should mention that that’s not the only important variable. There are, of course, others such as your overall intake, your activity level, the quality of the food you eat and more. But to simplify things, if you paid attention to one thing, it should be your blood sugar regardless of a diabetes diagnosis or not.

Let’s say you had dinner last night at 6:30pm, and this morning you have breakfast around 7am. You have gone over 12 hours with no food, so naturally your blood sugar levels are very low. If you wake up and have something like a bagel, which is pure carbohydrates (essentially pure sugar/glucose because that’s what these carbs get broken down into), this causes a huge spike in your blood sugar levels.

What happens if sugar levels are too high?

 When sugar levels become elevated, insulin, a fat-storage hormone gets secreted from the pancreas. Its job is to get the sugar out of the blood. Why, because extremely high sugar levels in the blood is dangerous. So, the sugar gets swept out of the blood and into cells, where, just to put it simply, it gets converted to fat and stored.

Then let’s say you don’t eat anything until around 12:30pm. Your sugar levels are low again, so you have a sandwich. Hopefully there is a good source of protein and some nice vegetables (fiber) in the sandwich, but the bread creates another significant spike in your blood sugar levels. This carbohydrate rollercoaster with the spikes and the crashes is the fastest way to gain weight. 

How to prevent weight gain

• Not going too long without eating, or eating every 3-4 hours
• Eating a balanced meal with lots of fiber (plant food), clean fats like egg yolk, avocado, coconut products, and clean protein like grass-fed beef, free range eggs, wild-caught seafood and more. All of these nutrients help to buffer the sugar spike when consumed with a higher carb item
• Swapping unprocessed carbs (ex. sweet potato, etc.) for processed carbs like bagels, waffles, etc.)
• Watch your portions. Eat until you are satisfied and save the rest for later

Typical breakfast foods are often high in refined carbs like cereal, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and more, but here are plenty of healthier alternatives that will keep you satisfied, give you clean and lasting energy and help contribute to weight loss. Below are several healthy breakfast ideas to help you manage your blood sugar levels, fill you with long-lasting energy and help you lose weight.

Health breakfast ideas for weight loss:

1. Veggie packed smoothie – I eat a smoothie almost every day for breakfast and I’ve turned so many of my clients on to it too. It’s an easy and delicious way to start the day off with lots of fiber (lowers blood sugar and helps with detoxification), clean protein and healthy fats. Pro tip: frozen cauliflower rice and frozen spinach have no taste in a smoothie with other ingredients in there so sneak them in. I use 1 cup of each!
2. Omelets – this is an awesome meal. You can stuff it with all sorts of veggies, plus egg whites are an amazing source of protein and the yolk super healthy fat. I love omelets so much, and during the week, I find myself eating them for lunch. 
3. Parfait – I like dairy-free and high-quality dairy (full fat) yogurt. I always opt for the unflavored versions with the least sugar (aim for 4g or less). I add my own flavor and it’s way more delicious. I usually add organic blueberries, chia seeds and grain-free granola. 
4. Egg muffins – this is a great option if you want to meal prep in advance. This is another option to sneak in a nice portion of fiber with various veggies like mushrooms, spinach and broccoli. You can grab a few for the road (not ideal, but sometimes we have to) and you’re off to a good start that day.
5. Egg-free paleo breakfast bowl – this is a delicious option if you have a bit more time. I’ll throw in tons of veggies, some sauteed sweet potato, nitrate-free/non-sugar/hormone free turkey bacon and even some sauerkraut and call it a day. It’s delicious, well balanced and comforting. Perfect for cold weather. 

What food and beverages to avoid:

• Juice and other high sugar beverages
• Pure sugar options such as bagels, waffles and pancakes
• Not eating (unless fasting, although fasting is not for everyone)
• Using artificial sweeteners other than stevia and monk fruit
• Over-caffeinating
• Highly processed foods