Okay, we'll admit that some mornings the idea of a meal is just unappealing. If you feel queasy at the idea of choking down toast, try a liquid breakkie instead. Concoct a simple DIY smoothie with a banana, handful of berries (frozen fruit makes it a snap), low-fat milk and orange juice.
Or swap your office latte for a Starbucks Vivanno breakfast drink, which provides one fruit serving, 16 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre per yummy, 270-calorie, 16-ounce serving. Add a hit of espresso to the Chocolate Banana flavour for a no-calorie jolt of caffeine.
5. You'll have more energy
Food literally provides you with energy. When you start your day on nothing, you're running on empty. But if you eat up, you've got what you need to make it through your workday, and, hopefully, a lunchtime gym session, too!
6. You're less likely to cheat on your diet
Spacing your calories throughout the day at regular intervals is better than going through a starve-binge routine each day. Don't deprive yourself of breakfast – or other meals for that matter – or you may just find yourself losing control later in the day.
Seriously: would you rather eat a wholesome breakfast and then have one small but satisfying slice of cake at your office colleague's birthday party, or skip breakfast and then gorge yourself on multiple slices of cake washed down with pop?
7. You'll feel smarter
"Eating breakfast provides an energy boost to the brain for mid-morning alertness and performance," says clinical dietitian Chen.
Fuelling up your brain is the right thing to do whether you're at the office, in class, or on the go. After all, who can concentrate when their stomach's rumbling?
8. You're setting a good example for your kids
A University of Minnesota study published last year in Pediatrics found that 25 per cent of teens regularly miss breakfast. Some do so to save time in the morning, but a sizable portion does it in a misguided attempt to lose weight.
An earlier Finnish study found that children who skip breakfast are more likely to have parents who also skip breakfast.
Unfortunately the results of skipping breakfast are the same for youths as adults: less energy and concentration, a higher likelihood of obesity and nutritional deficit.
So eat up, because your kids are watching you!
Start eating together as part of your family routine, or, for those rushed mornings, at least keep an array of healthy on-the-go snacks like cereal bars, bananas and low-sodium roasted nuts in the kitchen and breakfast will become part of your family’s healthy lifestyle.
Read more:
• 10 ways to sneak exercise into your day
• 8 ways to blast belly fat
• Exercises that will boost your energy
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