The notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is one of many diet myths. Past studies suggest that eating breakfast contributes to weight reduction as most people tend to crave less at night.
But those studies, which most people are ingrained to believe, are being overshadowed by a new body of research. Recent studies suggest that people who skip breakfast consume fewer calories on average than people who eat their meal in the morning. They also don’t overeat later in the day. In short, skipping breakfast is not that bad at all.
For many people who don’t eat breakfast, this has been the norm. So if you’re someone struggling with weight loss, maybe you should try a different morning routine, one where you don’t eat food. Below are some alternatives to spending a healthy morning without breakfast.
- Drink Tea, Coffee, or Veggie / Fruit Juice
If you’re not a fan of food right after waking up, then a healthy beverage might ease your morning.
Teas are great. They’re packed with helpful polyphenols. Harvard studies say that drinking two to three cups of herbal and traditional teas can reduce the risk of premature death, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. But not too hot, as they say, it can be damaging to the gut.
Plus, plain tea has zero calories. (Not if you intend to put on milk and other additives.) So if having breakfast entails consuming a dense of calories, then drinking tea might reduce a great deal of it.
Not everyone is a fan of tea. So coffee is a good alternative for a breakfast-free morning. For the healthiest option, choose freshly brewed coffee without milk nor sugar. Make sure the beans are organic and not chemically farmed. And if for you it’s not coffee without milk, opt for vegan choices like soymilk, almond milk – you get it.
Consuming standard coffee is generally healthy. Three to five cups of coffee a day has been shown to reduce several chronic diseases. But too much can lead to excessive caffeine and can worsen insomnia, anxiety, and jitteriness.
Now, let’s go for the best option. If you have a blender or a juicer and have access to fruits and vegetables, we recommend a nutritious beverage. While you can eat fruits and vegetables directly, some people prefer to juice them as it’s convenient and delicious.
You can juice almost anything and your options are endless. Try combining kale and carrots. Then add up some natural sugar with apples and beets. Cabbage, spinach, broccoli, parsley, and cucumber are all fun alternatives too. Whatever you have in the fridge, throw it on the machine, and voila, you have a low dense yet nutrient-packed breakfast.
- Early-Morning Meditation
Don’t want breakfast? Then skip food, and let’s meditate.
Meditation has been regarded as a recipe for a stable mental health. It helps reduce stress and anxiety – overall promotes emotional health.
You can meditate at any time of the day for about 10 to 12 minutes or longer if you like. But it’s a good idea to do it in the morning since you feel invigorated after waking up than later.
Plus, it’s an excellent way to start your day. You feel more refreshed, content, focused, optimistic, and in line with your goals.
When I started ditching breakfast, I would sit on my bed and focus on my breath for about ten minutes. I felt fuller afterward and did not have unnecessary cravings by the end of the day.
- Revitalize With Yoga
For physical activities, we don’t want too energy-draining ones. Or else we might crave breakfast afterward. So yoga is a good choice.
We have high levels of cortisol in the morning to prepare us for the stress of the day. Yoga helps ease our stress hormone levels. By reducing our fight or flight response, we’re more likely to start our day relaxed. Yoga also taps the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby improving both body and mental health.
Yoga is a physical activity but not physically taxing. After some twenty minutes of routine, you’re more energized but less stressed. In this case, it can even eliminate the dependence on caffeine, which is known to bring both energy and stress levels high.
I also look up to some yoga influencers online. Yoga is more than just the twenty-minute activity; it’s a lifestyle. You have to be more mindful of what you consume , and how you affect the people around you. Influencers, who detail their lives online, can be an inspiration for how you live yours.
- Try Gardening
This pandemic has seen a great interest in planting as most people are stuck at home. Good thing, because gardening is a good physical and mental exercise.
But it could also be a good routine in the morning. Instead of preparing food, why not prepare your plants for the day.
Gardening doesn’t have to be physically draining. Watering your plants and trimming off dead leaves are less tiring than an aerobic workout, but it’s as delightful and stress-relieving. Plus, a good amount of sunlight and air begin the day well.
I don’t have much space outside but bringing small outdoor plants has helped me cope up with morning stress. Nowadays, I will gaze at them for a moment while sipping tea, and my mood just gets better.
- Walk Outside
As you notice, we’re all for workouts, only not too much. Walking is a very moderate exercise that can be done in the absence of any fancy equipment. Put on your walking shoes and typical outdoor clothes and start walking. Feel the breeze and early morning sunshine.
Walking trumps an unhealthy breakfast. Walking five miles a week diminishes the possibility of heart and other cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress.
I used to think that walking is just a waste of time. So if I were going to work out, I would always jump to high-intensity activities. But it turns out, walking has benefits that some high impact workout. Walking reduces stress and clears out your mind. It can instigate creativity and solve problems.
Final Thoughts
Let’s make it clear: breakfast is still important. If you have a good knack for preparing quality morning meal than sugar-laden usuals, go on and eat your breakfast. But if you partake breakfast because of guilt, then might as well channel your effort to something else.
Drink healthy options; go out and walk or do yoga; plant small, low-maintenance herbs; or just stay at home and pause to meditate. The truth is most people’s breakfast options are junk. The time-constricted rush of the morning allows for many people to just throw on the countertop whatever they can and call it the most important meal.