Let's Talk about Breakfast!

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

Bet you've heard that one before.  You're trying to eat healthy so you think, I'm going to start my day off right!  You know donuts aren't the best choice, so instead you start your day off with a big bowl of cereal, it even says heart healthy on the box!  Or maybe you have some whole grain toast.  What about some oatmeal, that's healthy right?  How about a big glass of OJ on the side?  Don't have time in the morning?  Just grab a granola bar.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?  Do you also feel hungry around 10 am?  Do you experience a burst of energy (sugar rush) right after breakfast, but then feel like you're dragging again soon after?  Maybe it's time to rethink your breakfast!

But my box of cereal says it's "heart healthy!"  Cereal is a processed food!  Even "healthy, natural" cereals like Kashi have long ingredient lists.  Cereal is loaded with sugar (and so is your tall glass of OJ).  Any sugar that isn't used as energy is stored as fat.  Got 3 minutes?  Watch this:

If you can't get over the fact that something with "heart healthy" on the box could be bad for you, maybe you should take a moment to consider that the point of food advertising is to make money off you, so they are going to tell you just what you want to hear.  You may also consider that there are a ton of politics involved.

So what should you eat?  How about some eggs!  I know what you're thinking, what about cholesterol?! 

Heart disease took off in the early part of the twentieth century, and doctors frantically searched for the cause throughout the next several decades. Tests in the fifties initially showed an association between early death by heart disease and fat deposits and lesions along artery walls. Because cholesterol was found to be present in those deposits (of course it would!) and because researchers had previously associated familial hypercholesterolaemia (hereditary high blood cholesterol) with heart disease, they concluded that cholesterol must be the culprit. In fact, what happens is that in response to an inflammatory situation, the body uses cholesterol as a “band-aid” to temporarily cover any lesions in the arterial wall. In the event the inflammation is resolved, the band-aid goes away and repair takes place. No harm, no foul. Unfortunately, in most cases, the inflammation proceeds, the cholesterol plaque is eventually acted on by macrophages and is oxidized to a point at which it takes up more space in the artery, slows arterial flow and eventually can break loose to form a clot. And all this time the cholesterol was just trying to be the good guy! Blaming cholesterol for all this is like blaming a cut finger on all the band-aids you have lying around your house.

Read more: The Definitive Guide to Cholesterol

So it all boils down to inflammation and what causes inflammation?  Sugars, grains, legumes, and processed oils.  Want to know more about cholesterol?  Click here!

Eggs are an excellent source of protein that will keep you full throughout the morning.  They are a whole food, no weird hidden ingredients!  Egg yolks are extremely nutrient dense containing magnesium, B12, omega-3's, selenium, vitamin D, vitamin E, and much more!  Add some veggies to your omelet and you'll start your day off with a wealth of nutrients!

Eggs every day might be a bit much for some people, so what else can you eat for breakfast?  Make a green smoothie, grab a Lara bar in a pinch, or start thinking outside of the box!

And one last thought, are you actually hungry in the morning?  I know we've been conditioned to think breakfast is required, but you don't need to force yourself to eat breakfast.  If you're not hungry, don't eat.  It's that simple.

Again, please click on all the links!  There's a ton of information and research to support the points I've presented.  I know I'm asking you to reconsider a lot of things that we've been conditioned to know as truths.  But since more than one-third of all US adults are obese, it might be time to rethink what we know!

What's your favorite way to eat eggs?

I love them scrambled up with onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and some cheese.  I like them a bit wet, so they are sorta gooey... I hate overcooked eggs, no browned eggs for me!

4 Ways to Start Eating Paleo Now

Cutting out things that may currently be a staple in your diet (bread, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, etc.) may seem overwhelming.  I used to eat oatmeal or granola for breakfast, hoagies or sandwiches for lunch, and pasta, potatoes, and rice as a third of my dinner.  But when I found out about Paleo, it seemed so obvious that if I replaced all of the processed carbs I was eating with vegetables that I would be eating healthier.  I felt like my eyes had been opened and was babbling all the new information to Dave until he was sick of listening.  He was a little resistant at first, but he supported my efforts and got on board.  We weren’t very strict, still grabbing hoagies for convenient lunches, enjoying Dave’s mom’s decadent desserts, and oh yeah, there was beer and maybe even some mixed drinks.  But Dave started losing weight, it was falling off him, it really seemed like he was down another pound every day.  He lost 25 lbs over a few months and looked great!  He was a believer.

For some people, it’s best to dive in head first!  The Whole30 is a great way to see quick changes in your body and understand why you would want to eat this way, but it’s also intense and can be intimidating for a beginner.  However, even making small changes in your diet can make a big impact on your health.  Here’s a few tips to help you start out!

1. Replace your rice/pasta/potatoes with another veggie!

I used to eat a meat, a veggie, a starch for dinner just like conventional wisdom told me I should.  An easy step towards eating more Paleo is to replace your starchy side for another vegetable.  A side salad, some roasted cauliflower, grilled asparagus, steamed spinach, even steam in the bag veggies from the freezer.  Get creative with new-to-you veggies, google some recipes or buy a cookbook, bust out of your iceburg salad, plain boiled vegetable rut!

2. Just say no to buns!

Plain grocery store bread, bagels, hamburger buns, etc. don’t really taste good.  A fresh crusty bread from a bakery… ok, that tastes good but the majority of bread products that people shovel into their mouths only taste good because of the sauce, spread, meat, spices, veggies, etc you put on top if it.  So why not just eat more of the good stuff?

• Order your burger without the bun, you can try a lettuce wrap or just eat it with a fork (easier to load up unlimited toppings of sautéed onions and mushrooms, avocado, lettuce, tomato, pickles… and bacon!)
• Skip sandwich bread and make a lunch meat roll up!  Lay out two pieces of lunch meat, overlapping the edges of them.  Layer cheese, your condiment of choice, lettuce, tomatoes, whatever you want and roll it up!  I recommend two or three and you can make them all different!
• Make a lettuce boat!  Skip tortillas and shuttle buffalo chicken into your mouth using a nice piece of romaine lettuce.

3. Get rid of your sugar bomb breakfast!

Breakfast seems to be a frenzy of juice, cereal, oatmeal, granola, and baked goods, but this just leads to a blood sugar rollercoaster and you’re probably hungry before you even make it to lunch.  Loading up on protein and veggies will keep you full and keep you slim.  Make a green smoothie or cook up a veggie omelet.  If you don’t have time in the mornings, make some egg muffins, a frittata, or some hard boiled eggs ahead of time for a quick grab and go breakfast for the week.  Or *gasp* eat dinner leftovers for breakfast.  You can eat anything at any time, so if you’re struggling for breakfast options, make extra at dinner.

4.  Eat whole foods!

Try to eat things that don’t have an ingredient list (meats, veggies, fruits, nuts).  If they do have a list, the fewer the better!  If you can’t pronounce something on that list, then how do you know what it’s doing to your body?!

Hope this helps, let me know if you’re thinking about Paleo and want to know more

Do you have any Paleo eating tips?

Paleo 101 - Blog Round Up

Since I posted about my Whole21, everyone has been asking me for more information about the Paleo Diet.  Honestly, I believe in this lifestyle so much that I want to share the goods with anyone who will listen!  I recently wrote about why grains suck and I intend on writing some more summary posts, but if you're like me and once you get an idea in your head, waiting is like pure torture... here's a few of my favorite Paleo 101 resources to hold you over!

Puddin' can't wait any longer!

If you still haven't read this post, please start here: The Beginners Guide to the Paleo Diet.  It's a really great summary and there are legos!

Seriously, read that ^^^ and then read these:

Mark's Daily Apple - I don't remember how I first stumbled upon this website, but I'm so glad I did!  Mark supports a Primal way of living, which is his twist on Paleo plus his views on fitness, getting outside, and fitting some play into your schedule.

• Definitive Guide: The Primal Blueprint - 10 key principles to follow to live the healthiest life possible.
• The Primal Blueprint: 8 Key Concepts - This post explains the whys!
• Primal Blueprint Success Stories - Mark posts success stories every Friday that range from weight loss to curing migraines to reversing diabetes.  They are definitely motivating!

Whole9 - This website is the home of the Whole30 program that I followed to obtain my epic results!

• The Whole30 Program - The Whole30 is a 30 day reset for you body.  You eliminate all the questionable things out of your diet and learn just how great your body can feel without them.  Afterwards you reintroduce things individually to see exactly how they affect you.
• The Whole30 Timeline - This timeline will help you understand how you're feeling and why!

Holly Would If She Could - I found this blog when I was first thinking about doing the Whole30 and now I'm hooked.  She's sarcastic and straight forward and her blog topics range from recipes to race training to fun Friday links.  If you're thinking about doing a Whole30, her website is a great resource, but even if you aren't I'd still recommend it!

• A Month of Whole30 Dinner Ideas - Whole30 or not, here's a bunch of clean Paleo recipes compiled in one spot.
• 10 Tips to Make Your Whole30 a Success

And if you're thinking, blogs are ok but I really want to read a book that covers everything - here's an amazing round up of Paleo books with some guidelines to help you find which one is right for you!

Well, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Thank you so much for reading and don't forget to go like my Facebook page!