I grew up eating cereal for breakfast. My favorite was Golden Grahams-- oh, the golden goodness, the crunch & honey-yumminess, the perfect match for milk! In college, I ate Total cereal for breakfast and dinner, assuming that I'd get all my vitamins twice-- it wasn't called "Total" for nothin', right? For years, even as a fitness professional, I ate cereal, though my choices got healthier-- bran flakes, Cheerios, even Kashi. Cereal-- the perfect food. Good for any meal, any time of the day!
When I first found out I had high cholesterol, I swapped out my morning cereal for oatmeal-- the cure-all for cholesterol woes. I became an oatmeal junkie. But I still enjoyed the occasional bowl of cereal at night-- I figured it beat a bowl of ice cream. And then I read the book In Defense of Food, the main point of which is that cereal, like all foods in boxes & packages, is NOT REAL. It's a scientific concoction of ingredients that at some point, way back in history, came from something real. And with that, I made the personal decision to give up cereal. (Gasp!) I say "personal" because I have allowed my hubby & kids to continue partaking of cereal, as long as the sugar grams are in the single digits per serving-- it's the best I can get from them at this point, and I figure, I survived this many years eating it, & all I can do is explain to them my reasoning, teach by example, and hope that one day, they will make the same decisions. Isn't that how most parenting goes? For the record, the "sugar gram rule" has limited them to Cheerios, plain Life, Kashi, PB Cap'n Crunch, Kix, and Honey Bunches of Oats. So even though I've compromised my food values, I feel good in the fact that they aren't eating all those "other cereals".
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Now that I've given it up, if I try to enjoy just one little bowl of any cereal, even Kashi, I get immediately ill-- my tummy swells like an inflating balloon & I suffer cramps worse than the girly variety & I remember why I eat REAL food.
Of course, cereal isn't the worst thing you can eat for breakfast (ahem, Sausage Egg-McMuffin), but it is the most common breakfast, at least in America. It is quick. It is tasty. It makes you drink your milk. And everyone is doing it. But I hope with this blog post that I can inspire at least one person to minimize or eliminate cereal intake, even for a week or two. Because so many wonderful other food choices await! Especially for those of you who are runners, strength trainers, busy moms, or otherwise need energy for the day!
When I work with clients to help them achieve their weight-loss or physique goals, I emphasize "swapping" over "depriving"-- often what they're eating isn't BAD; there's just choices that are MUCH BETTER. So . . . we swap. So with breakfast cereal, what should we replace that with? Here are a variety of options . . . Now, some people will say these ideas take way too long to prepare. Not if you've prepped a bit. Plus, what's wrong with getting up 10 minutes earlier? While I make my breakfast, I unload the dishwasher, check email on my phone, or help the kids with their breakfast. It isn't really an inconvenience-- it's how you manage your time. Okay, so here goes . . .
1.) Oats. Again, we're not going for the sugary stuff in the small packets. Get plain whole oats or steel-cut oats. You can still make this in the microwave, so it is not really less convenient than those packets. You also control how it is sweetened (stevia, liquid stevia, a dab of raw honey, fresh berries, mashed banana) and what flavors & embellishments you want, if any. Some people add a little protein powder (my fave brand is Isopure); others add sliced apples & walnuts, berries & almond slivers, cinnamon & strawberries. Mmmm. The options are endless.And oats are filling!
2.) REAL whole grain toast with 2-5 hard-boiled egg whites. Locally, Prairie Grain Bread Co. makes real bread, meaning all 4-5 ingredients are easy to pronounce (whole wheat, eggs, honey, etc.) I'm sure there are other brands out there. For domestic goddesses, make your own. The eggs-- enjoy them scrambled, omelette-style, not just hard-boiled, but do avoid the yolk or just consume 1-2. Your dog can eat the unused yolk (ooh, silky fur), or even easier, just use egg white from a carton. Enjoy a piece of fruit on the side, like grapefruit, banana, a cup of fresh berries, orange slices, grapes, canteloupe, mango, pineapple, etc.
3.) Oatcakes. I got this idea from my friend RuthAnn & love, love, love it. It's basically equal parts plain oats mixed with egg white, plus a dash of ground flax seed (optional for healthy fats), cinnamon to taste, and stevia to taste. You could toss in fresh blueberries or sliced bananas before cooking, too. You cook them like pancakes, but they are more dense, so don't expect light & fluffy. These babies fill you up, & they are a go-to meal for endurance runners, athletes, & fitness buffs because they are the perfect combination of protein, carb, and fat (with the flax). Instead of smothering in butter & syrup, I top with some plain greek yogurt & thawed berries with their juice. Mmmm. If you're not a fan of plain greek yogurt . . . sorry, you should be! But you could also use low fat or fat free cottage cheese, a little bit of raw honey, natural peanut butter/almond butter, etc. I use 1/4 c. scoop for the batter & 3 oatcakes is one serving for me. I'll make a batch of 12, eat 3, freeze 9-- easy to thaw, re-heat, & eat.
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| sorry, I couldn't help eating them before snapping a pic!
292 cal/4 fat/41 carb/21 protein (that includes my coffee with a little soy milk)
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4.) Egg-white veggie omelettes with a side of fruit. This is my favorite and again, super-versatile. To make it easy, prep your desired veggies in snack-sized baggies, ready to just dump in your pan with 1/2 Tbsp of grapeseed oil or EVOO & saute. Typically, I use a large handful of spinach, 1-2 mushrooms sliced, 1-2 Tbsp of fat-free feta, & and crushed red pepper to taste. But I also like asparagus, onions, peppers, zucchini, squash, chopped broccoli, scallions, etc. Just saute your veggies, add 1 c. liquid egg white, salt/pepper to taste (not too much salt if you have high blood pressure), and cook like an omelette. Because it IS an omelette. This meal takes a bit longer to prepare, but I use my time to prep my protein shake, do dishes, etc. This meal is filling, full of fruits & veggies, and the protein is perfection! If you need a few more calories & carbs, serve it up in an 80-cal whole wheat tortilla.
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| with spinach, mushroom, feta & berries: 274 cal/8 fat/20 carb/32 protein |
And there you have it-- my top 4 breakfast choices! Easy, yummy, filling, clean, healthy, and notice they all have fewer calories than that measly bowl of cereal, but much more protein & a lot less sugar! You deserve a breakfast of champs!
BTW, a word about milk. I don't really drink milk, simply because I don't tolerate it well. I prefer soy milk or almond milk, but I really don't drink milk at all, just add a little to my morning coffee instead of cream. I've gotten in the habit of not drinking with meals but tons of water between meals. That said, if you don't drink coffee, you can enjoy some herbal tea, REAL juice (but it would take the place of your fruit), or the milk of your choice. However, skim is really the only true low-fat choice. 1% milk, 2% milk . . . that makes the fat content sound so low, doesn't it? Here's the truth about what percentage of fat is in your milk: (www.caloriesperhour.com)
| Type of Milk | Calories from Fat |
|---|---|
| Whole or 4% Milk Fat | 46% |
| 2% Milk Fat | 35% |
| 1% Milk Fat | 20% |
| Skim or Nonfat | 0% |
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