Three Compelling Reasons Why Breakfast is a No Brainer

 

There is one decision every single person alive makes each and every morning. This decision will affect you the rest of the day.

Ironically, so many people make a poor decision and as a result do not even know how much better their day could be if they made a better decision.

 

Did you know the first substance you put in your body makes a HUGE difference in the quality of your day ahead?

But sadly, many people do one or more of the following:

Pour it

Caffeinate it

Junk it

Unwrap it

Sugar it

Nuke it

Inhale it

Skip it

 

[tweetthis]The goal should not be “what’s easiest or quickest” but what is “healthiest and most effective” to start your day nutritionally.[/tweetthis]

 

Ironically, so many people have been “doing breakfast ineffectively” for so long they don’t know how good it could be if breakfast was actually healthy!

Here are THREE Compelling Reasons Why Breakfast is a No Brainer:

1. Kick Start Your Metabolism

Research has shown that when you eat a good meal in the morning it kick starts your metabolism which ultimately allows you to burn fat sooner in the day.

After a night of sleep, your body needs a wake-up call and putting something “healthy in the tank” is the best way to kick start your metabolism which will provide benefits the rest of the day.

“Skipping breakfast, or any other meal for that matter, is not a good idea”, says Michelle Bishop, clinical program coordinator for Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center.

“Breakfast helps boost the metabolism, and when you begin skipping meals, your metabolism can be affected as well. Your metabolism helps break down your food into smaller pieces. If you don’t give your metabolism something to do, it slows down and get stored as fat in the body.” Increased body fat anyone…?

http://www.ahchealthenews.com/2013/06/17/proper-diet-can-boost-your-mood-and-energy-levels/

 

2. Energy

 

When I cheat, I feel it all morning and pay for it sometimes all day. I justify it because it seems easy but never worth it. I drag and concentrate more on food than I normally do and as a result, set myself up to make another poor decision. Been there?

 

Instead, I prefer a healthy, energy-focused breakfast that sets my body up for the fuel it needs to attack the morning and ultimately the day ahead.

 

For short-term and long-term energy boosts, make a habit of eating a high-fiber, carbohydrate-rich breakfast, says Jaimie Davis, PhD, RD, research associate at the Institute for Prevention Research at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-health-benefits-11/fatigue-fighters-six-quick-ways-boost-energy

 

3. Nutrition focus for the day – momentum

 

If I’m running late, lazy (I be honest amongst friends, right?) or just plain exhausted, I may choose to have a bowl of cereal or a muffin and it starts a series of unfortunate events.

 

I almost always never correct this with the next meal but justify my behavior and make another poor choice at lunch. Then dinner. Then a late night snack.

 

“People skip breakfast thinking they’re cutting calories, but by mid-morning and lunch, that person is starved,” says Milton Stokes, RD, MPH, chief dietitian for St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City. “Breakfast skippers replace calories during the day with mindless nibbling, bingeing at lunch and dinner. They set themselves up for failure.”

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/lose-weight-eat-breakfast

 

But this is completely solvable when you begin the day with a great breakfast. If you’ve worked out in the morning then had the right breakfast, your chances of tanking lunch, dinner, or snacking dramatically decreases. If you’re anything like me, that’s the focus and discipline I need to succeed.

 

For example, here is my average breakfast that’s worth the 10 minutes of preparation time:

• Organic eggs (scrambled / fried / poached) cooked in coconut oil and served with salsa
• Sautéed Spinach with grape tomatoes cooked in coconut oil & garlic salt
• Fruit – berries / banana, etc.
• Avocado
• Beverage – coconut water mixed with orange, cranberry or blueberry juice

 

This type of breakfast kick starts my metabolism, gives me energy, and serious momentum for a nutrition focus. Did it take a few minutes to prepare? Absolutely. And it was worth every minute from the nutrition to the taste. In the end, the planning was absolutely worth the result.

Seriously, ten minutes to prepare and ten minutes to eat and clean up. So worth the time and effort nutrition fans!

As a result, I find my morning is SO much stronger and I’m far more likely to make healthier food choices the remainder of the day.

Book Recommendations:

• It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig
• Paleo Lunches & Breakfasts on the Go by Diane Rodgers
• Good Morning Paleo by Jane Barthelmey

 

Question for Comments:

Which is the most compelling reason for you to create a top shelf breakfast?

kickstart your metabolism

energy

nutrition focus for the day

The Direct Correlation Between Nutrition & Fitness

 

Is there a link between nutrition and fitness?

Is it possible that if there is a lack of focus on one, it directly affects the other?

Do you find that if you’re not working out, you’re more likely to derail your nutrition plan?

Or if you’re eating healthy, you’re more likely to workout and definitely see results sooner?

Here’s a picture of me on any given day if I’m not fully aware of the direct correlation between nutrition and fitness:

 

Here are the Three Most Likely Culprits to Derail Me at Any One Time:

1. INJURY

A couple of days ago I tweaked a muscle in my back and I got my money’s worth and then some.

I would absolutely love to give some tall tale meat-head response of how I pulled this muscle lifting some impressive amount of weight (insert who could care less here)

Instead, the truth and reality is I was sore from a workout, turned quickly, and my 45-year-old body rebelled like a teenager being given a curfew. That was it. Done. No workouts for at least a week.

2. WEATHER

I live in the Chicago land area. Any given year, 4 -5 months are hibernation time to a local. Are we used to it? Absolutely. Do we like to get outside and exercise like the other 7-8 months? Fat chance (pun inserted for emphasis).

And like a bear coming out of hibernation (Chicago Bear that is), there is a price to pay for that long winter’s nap.

Not everyone has weather as an issue, but a good portion of the country could blame this seasonal struggle. And isn’t weather relative anyway?

3. LAZINESS

Nothing beats the becoming physically better battle more than good old-fashioned laziness. Just look around. How long would it take to prove this theory?

You wish you could blame something or someone else but the truth is all of your energy is thinking of excuses and your workout stops there.

I find that after my injury heals and / or the weather improves, if I’ve been out of the routine long enough, my next foe is the battle of laziness.

Nutrition and Fitness have a direct correlation. One word:

Results

Nothing motivates behavior more than results. If I’m working my abs and start to see another six-pack other than the one that caused the problem in the first place, I am all the more motivated due to the results.

The key is watching and waiting for it then leveraging it. Let me give you an example.

As mentioned earlier, I’m unable to workout at all for at least a week due to this injury. AND the weather has not broken yet in Chicago.

I VERY EASILY can just wait for both the injury and the weather to change my circumstances. Or…

I could prepare for it by paying CLOSE ATTENTION to my nutrition right now knowing that the injury will heal and the weather will improve soon.

Once I do, I’m in THAT much better of a position to take on FITNESS since my NUTRITION is in balance.

So, what is the moral of the story (besides don’t do drugs)?

You also know the direct correlation between FITNESS and NUTRITION in your own body.

The reality is both affect each other and if you can leverage one of them (for me, nutrition), I can directly affect the other one (fitness).

 

Closing Question:

What derails you in the areas of nutrition and fitness…?

Defining Be Personally Better

6 Descriptions of Someone who is Personally Weak

It’s possible that someone could be physically and even professionally better but still lacking in one crucial area of life.

The most ignored part of the average person is their sense of purpose and character. This area is rarely seen immediately but could absolutely implode your life. Let me explain.

I am passionate about this critical area because I’ve struggled being personally better in this area in the past and as a result of character decay, I deeply hurt others and myself.

It was a long road back but worth the effort. Yet ironically, could’ve been avoided altogether.

The final of the three key areas of Escaping Your Average and Embracing Better is the personal side of your life. Your heart = Your Inner World. Here is the symbol for Be Physically Better moving forward:

This is the area that is the most unseen and the most neglected. It’s usually exposed during crisis and to others in a moment of surprise. It begins with “did you hear about…” and “can you believe he did..?”

It’s also the area that is truly important but not urgent. You will not see dramatic changes if ignored for a day or a week but over time, can decay and become exposed. It is truly and ultimately who you are at the core.

So many successful people have imploded their lives because they’ve neglected this key area and the collateral damage was immeasurable and often un-repairable.

Jim Rohn once said, “There are two types of pain you will go through in life, the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” Which one are you?

Here are SIX Descriptions of Someone Weak in this Area of His or Her Life:

• Someone you may like but not really trust
• Inconsistent and changes with their surroundings
• Easily compromises their values
• Accomplishes something and feels empty
• Justifies their behavior and lives by “do as I say, not as I do”
• Cares more about their reputation than their character

 

Be Personally Better consists of two main categories. Each one is directly affected by the other and is the strongest when both are working together. And when done effectively, can provide exponential results. What are the two categories?

1. Purpose

2. Character

Every Friday I will be writing on one or the other of these critically important subjects. One Friday will be a purpose focus. The other Friday will be a character focus.

What Do We Want?

We want to live a life of purpose and on purpose but many have either not taken the time to truly think through their personal vision, mission and values for their life let alone write them down and live by them.

And most of us could truly grow in our character. We have weak areas that are either heading down a dangerous path or may be holding us back from becoming who we ultimately long to be in our lives. Or even others who need us to be in their lives (insert your spouse or kids here)

This area may be the most challenging of the three key areas of escaping average and embracing better.

My hope is you will be doing to do the difficult work required to truly grow in this area of your life.

Becoming personally better is no easy task. It takes self-reflection, being uncomfortable, and ultimately willing to make the necessary changes to excel in this area that only you can control. But it will be SO worth it in the long run.

[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_url=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]“You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” – Eckhart Tolle[/tweetthis]

My hope for you if you’re willing to take the journey to excel in the areas only you can control, is that you will be willing to do the “heart work” which is the “hard work” in your life to truly grow at the deepest level.

I want nothing more for you than to escape YOUR average personally by living a life of purpose and developing a strong character.

KEY ACTION:

Commit to doing the hard work needed to finding your purpose and developing a strong character.

KEY QUESTION:

Are you willing to do the inner work to become personally better no matter how difficult the process?

Defining Be Physically Better

7 Natural Negative Progressions to Avoid

Have you ever felt like you were doing great in other areas of your life but not physically? Maybe this is you right now.

I’ve been there. I was well over 30 pounds over weight. I looked horrible and felt worse. It affected every other area of my life.

Then I had enough. Something had to change. I made a decision to escape my average. No turning back. The resolve was there. The discipline was there.  And it was game on.

I’m close to the best shape of my life and plan to run a half marathon and Olympic triathlon this year at 45. Bring it on!

Have you ever been there where you’ve simply had enough? Maybe you’re there right now or very, very close. Well then, you’re exactly in the right place!

One of the three key areas of Escaping Your Average and Embracing Better is in the physical side of your life.  Your body = your outer world. It’s what everyone sees and there is nowhere to hide.

We try to hide it with baggier clothes. We may even joke around about the extra weight and even make excuses. But we know and that’s what really matters.

This is one of the key areas that only you can change in your life and most often, the most difficult one. Here is the symbol for Be Physically Better moving forward:

It’s the area people are the quickest to admit that needs to be changed.

Often it’s average at best and offers tremendous disappointment and guilt. (The gift that keeps on giving) But more often, just not enough for true change. Is that statement true of you? (Insert self-reflection here…)

[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_url=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]I’ve met incredibly successful people who are excelling in almost every other area but are struggling in the physical area of their life.[/tweetthis]

Why? How can they be so successful in other areas and yet struggle so much in this area?

Ironically, the physical area of your life affects you and the other key areas of your life. It also affects the people you love no matter whether you like it or not.

For some, it may not be THAT known to others but deep down you know and that’s what really matters. You’ve settled for average. Average for you. And you know you may be on a dangerous road that needs attention and action.

Here are 7 Natural Negative Progressions to Avoid:

1. You don’t like how you look
2. You begin limiting what you wear by how you look and feel
3. Your activities are limited by your weight or level of fitness
4. Your unable to do activities with your friends, spouse and / or kids
5. You begin experiencing health complications
6. Your forced with the decision to make major health lifestyle changes or else…
7. You just give up because it’s just too much work

You could be any where on the above natural progression. The further down the list, the more concerned you should be. But you can change it at any point in time. Even today.

Be Physically Better consists of two main categories. Each one is directly affected by the other and is strongest when both are working together. And when done effectively, can provide exponential results. What are the two areas?

1. Nutrition

2. Fitness

Every Monday I will be writing on one or the other of these critically important subjects. One Monday will be a nutrition focus. The other Monday will be a fitness focus.

Most motivated, busy professionals are interested in changing this area of their life but need the following:

• To be educated
• To be motivated
• To be challenged

The goal of each post in this area is to educate, motivate and challenge you to escape your average and embrace better in this critical area of your life.

I will do my part but ultimately it’s up to you. Only you can make the change in your life.

My hope is if you’ve read this far, you know in your heart, it’s time to change and embrace being physically better to escape your average you have come to settle for in your life right now.

My best audience is MOTIVATED, busy professionals who want to excel in areas only they can control. And often it starts with what is most obvious to others and gives you a sense of confidence: your body.

Wouldn’t it be great if you decided today that enough is enough and you’re going to do the hard work to escape YOUR average and be physically better?

Are you motivated? Are you willing to be educated and challenged? If so, then we’re going to get along just fine.

KEY ACTION ITEM:

Choose one area (either nutrition or fitness) that you’re going to focus on right now.

KEY QUESTION:

Are you satisfied with how you look and feel about yourself? Is there room for growth in this area?