7 Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss

Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper…is this how you should eat for weight loss? And if breakfast is king, what are some easy ideas and recipes for breakfast for weight loss?

My patients hear me say this all the time - in part, because our bodies do like to eat this way for weight loss.

Energy metabolism and appetite regulating hormones follow circadian rhythms. The body likes to avoid misalignment with eating and sleeping circadian patterns.

Shifts in eating and sleeping patterns can cause you to gain weight. The extreme example of this is shift workers…people who are up at night eating their meals and sleeping during the day. But even milder examples, such as social jetlag, has an effect on energy and metabolism. (Social jetlag is when you eat at biologically unfavorable times.) 

So, In the quest for weight loss and hormonal balance, many busy moms overlook one crucial element of their daily routine: breakfast. This simple tweak could align your hormones with your circadian rhythm, kickstart your metabolism, and keep cravings at bay.

The secret lies in prioritizing protein at breakfast.

As a dietitian specializing in hormonal balance for busy moms, I've seen firsthand the transformative effects of starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast. Let's delve into why protein is your hormonal ally and explore seven delicious breakfast ideas to help you jumpstart your journey.

Why Protein at Breakfast Helps Balance Hormones and Encourages Weight Loss

• Protein helps Regulate Appetite Hormones: Protein stimulates the release of hormones like leptin, which signals fullness, and reduces levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. By including protein at breakfast, you'll feel satisfied for longer, reducing the temptation to reach for sugary snacks mid-morning.
  

• Protein Supports Muscle Health: Hormonal changes, especially during periods of weight loss or postpartum recovery, can lead to muscle loss. Protein provides the building blocks necessary to maintain lean muscle mass, keeping your metabolism revved up and aiding in fat loss.
  

• Protein Balances Blood Sugar Levels: Pairing protein with carbohydrates slows down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes. This steadies energy levels throughout the morning, preventing mood swings and sugar cravings.
  

• Protein Aids Hormone Production: Many hormones, including insulin, estrogen, and thyroid hormones, rely on protein for synthesis. Ensuring an adequate intake of protein supports the production and function of these hormones, promoting overall hormonal balance.

Now that we understand the importance of protein, here are seven protein-packed breakfast ideas and recipes to kickstart your day and keep your hormones in check

1. Greek Yogurt Parfait: (I should mention that, as of March 1, 2024, yogurt carries the FDA-Approved Qualified Health Claim that, “Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes according to limited scientific evidence.”

• 1 cup of Greek yogurt (approximately 20 grams of protein)

• 1/4 cup of granola for crunch and fiber

• Mixed berries for antioxidants and natural sweetness
  

2. Scrambled Tofu with Vegetables:

• 1 cup of scrambled tofu seasoned with turmeric, onions, peppers, and spinach

• Served with a side of sliced avocado for healthy fats
  

3. Protein Smoothie:

• 1 scoop of protein powder (approximately 20 grams of protein)

• Handful of spinach for added nutrients

• 1/2 banana and a tablespoon of chia seeds for fiber and omega-3s

• Blended with dairy or soy milk or water for creaminess
  

4. Eggs and Vegetable Omelet:

• 3 eggs (approximately 18 grams of protein)

• Loaded with mixed vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms

• Served with a side of salsa for added flavor
  

5. Quinoa Breakfast Bowl:

• 1 cup of cooked quinoa (approximately 8 grams of protein)

• Topped with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (approximately 14 grams of protein)

• Sprinkle of chopped nuts and sliced banana for texture and sweetness
  

6. Turkey and Avocado Wrap:

• 2 slices of turkey breast (approximately 12 grams of protein)

• Wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla with sliced avocado and spinach leaves
  

7. Overnight Oats:

• 1/2 cup of rolled oats (approximately 5 grams of protein)

• Mixed with 1 cup of dairy or soy milk

• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for fiber and omega-3s

• Topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra protein and creaminess
  

Incorporating these protein-rich breakfast ideas for weight loss into your daily routine can set the stage for hormonal balance and sustained energy throughout the day. Remember, it's not just about what you eat but how you nourish your body to support your overall health, including your hormones!

Want more high protein recipes to balance your hormones, help you lose weight, and boost your metabolism? Sign up for your FREE 7 Day Hormone Balancing Meal Plan!

Counting Blessings, Not Calories: How Practicing Gratitude Can Help you Shed Pounds

We know being grateful can help us relieve stress, adopt an abundance mindset and be happier, but did you know practicing gratitude can also help you lose weight?

Recent studies tell us that gratitude isn't just good for your mental health; it does wonders for your physical well-being too. One study, conducted by Mills and colleagues in 2015, found that gratitude helps lower blood pressure, reduces stress, and even improves your sleep. It can also be a powerful tool in the battle against symptoms of depression and anxiety, which can boost your weight loss motivation.

Grateful people tend to steer clear of resentment and envy, and the more we experience this positive emotion, the higher our overall positive vibes. It's like a chain reaction - positivity breeds more positivity.

Not all people who experience stress see weight gain, but there are several ways these two are interconnected.

1. Stress has a hormonal impact: Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone associated with the body's "fight or flight" response. Elevated cortisol levels over an extended period can lead to increased appetite, particularly for high-calorie and sugary foods. Excess circulating cortisol levels also promotes that 'stubborn', hormonally-driven belly fat.

2. Stress and emotional eating go hand in had: Many individuals turn to food as a coping mechanism during times of stress. This emotional eating often involves consuming comfort foods that are typically high in calories, sugars, and fats.

3. Sleep causes disrupted sleep patterns: Stress can negatively impact sleep quality and duration and sleep has been linked to weight gain and obesity. Sleep deprivation can affect the body's hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin, leading to an increased appetite and a preference for energy-dense foods. Additionally, fatigue from lack of sleep can decrease motivation for physical activity, further contributing to weight gain.

Gratitude can be a powerful tool in reducing stress in several ways:

1. Shifts Focus:

Gratitude encourages you to focus on the positive aspects of your life, shifting your attention away from stressors and negative thoughts. This mental shift can help reduce stress by promoting a more positive outlook.

2. Perspective:

Practicing gratitude helps you gain perspective on your problems. When you reflect on the things you're thankful for, it becomes easier to see that your stressors may not be as overwhelming as they initially seemed.

3. Stress Reduction Hormones:

Gratitude has been linked to the release of "feel-good" hormones, such as dopamine and oxytocin. These hormones can counteract the effects of stress hormones like cortisol, helping you feel more relaxed and less stressed.

4. Resilience:

Regularly practicing gratitude can enhance your emotional resilience. It equips you with the tools to better cope with challenging situations, making you less likely to perceive them as stressful.

5. Social Connections:

Expressing gratitude often involves acknowledging the support and kindness of others. Building and maintaining social connections through gratitude can provide a strong support system, which can help mitigate stress.

6. Improved Sleep:

Gratitude can improve the quality of your sleep. When you focus on positive aspects of your life before bedtime, it can help calm your mind and reduce the anxiety that can interfere with sleep.

7. Mindfulness:

Practicing gratitude often involves being mindful and present in the moment. Mindfulness can reduce stress by grounding you in the here and now, helping to reduce rumination and worry.

8. Positive Feedback Loop:

As you experience the benefits of gratitude, it can create a positive feedback loop, reinforcing the practice and its stress-reducing effects.

To harness the stress-reducing power of gratitude, you can start by keeping a gratitude journal, where you regularly write down things you're thankful for. You can also express your gratitude to others through words, actions, or small gestures, which can strengthen your social connections and further reduce stress. Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine can be an effective way to help manage stress and improve your overall well-being.

Kickstart your gratitude by joining my 15-day Gratitude Challenge in my Facebook group starting November 24th! Just join the group and you'll be alerted to the daily prompts. All you need is a journal and an open mind. :)

How can gratitude help with weight loss?

Gratitude can indirectly help with weight loss by positively impacting your mindset, emotional well-being, and behavior. While gratitude itself won't directly cause weight loss, it can play a supportive role in the following ways:

1. Reducing Stress:

Expressing gratitude and focusing on positive aspects of your life can help reduce stress. High stress levels can lead to overeating and poor food choices, which can contribute to weight gain. Lowering stress through gratitude can help you make better choices when it comes to your diet.

2. Improving Emotional Well-being:

Gratitude can enhance your emotional well-being and overall mood. When you're in a better emotional state, you're less likely to turn to food for emotional comfort, reducing emotional eating.

3. Promoting Mindful Eating:

Gratitude encourages mindfulness by making you more aware of the foods you have, their quality, and the pleasure they bring. Mindful eating can help you enjoy your meals more and reduce overeating.

4. Building Healthy Habits:

Expressing gratitude can be a part of a broader self-care routine, which may include regular exercise and a balanced diet. Maintaining these habits is crucial for weight loss and overall well-being.

5. Enhancing Motivation:

Gratitude can motivate you to take better care of your body and health. When you appreciate your body and its capabilities, you may be more inclined to engage in physical activities and make healthier food choices.

6. Strengthening Social Support:

Gratitude can strengthen social bonds and relationships. Having a supportive network can make it easier to stick to a weight loss plan and maintain healthy habits.

7. Shifting Focus:

Instead of focusing on what you lack or what you can't eat, gratitude encourages you to focus on what you have and the nourishing foods available to you. This shift in perspective can make it easier to make healthier choices, say no to the unhealthy ones, and follow your WHY.

Combined with a diet balanced in nutrients for your blood sugar, exercise that compliments your hormones, and creation of sustainable healthy habits using my EAT framework, you will absolutely achieve and maintain a healthy weight!

Kickstart your gratitude by joining my 15-day Gratitude Challenge in my Facebook group starting November 24th! Just join the group and you'll be alerted to the daily prompts. All you need is a journal and an open mind. :)

Why your Calcium Supplement May not be Helping Your Bones

Worried about bone loss? Here’s what busy women need to know about calcium-rich foods and supplements.

Milk does a body good, right? (Anyone remember that??) Milk is an excellent source of calcium, along with calcium-rich foods dairy and non-dairy foods. But you’re not actually absorbing 100% of that calcium.

Here’s what you need to know to prevent bone loss.

What's the Big Deal with Calcium?

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, building and maintaining sturdy bones and teeth, helping muscles send messages to the brain and blood vessels shuttle blood throughout the body.

Calcium teams up with vitamin D to increase its absorption.

Bones: The Calcium Vault

The majority of your calcium stash—about 99% of it—is tucked away in your bones and teeth. Think oft hem as your body's bank vault, where calcium is the currency. As you grow, your body invests in your bones, and by the time you hit 30, you've pretty much reached your peak bone mass. 90% of peak bone mass is achieved by age 18-20 and is completed by age 30.

After menopause, women lose an average of 1% of bone mineral density each year. Bone loss slows down after 70, but it's still happening. 30% of post-menopausal women will have osteoporosis.

Which foods are highest in calcium?

Foods should be your first choice in meeting your calcium needs each day.

Of course, there’s dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese.

Non-dairy foods have significant amounts of calcium too.

Canned sardines and salmon (with those tiny, edible bones)

Kale, broccoli, Bok Choi

Foods fortified with calcium in the US, like tofu (if it’s calcium-set), ready-to-eat cereals

Fruit juice – calcium citrate malate is a well-absorbed form of calcium in some fruit juices.

Is Calcium Hard to Absorb?

Age, level of stomach acid, disease, and medications can all affect calcium absorption.

Calcium Absorption – What Interferes with calcium absorption?

Certain compounds in plants like oxalic acid and phytic acid can form tricky bonds with calcium, reducing its absorption. Spinach, with all its healthy goodness, has an absorption rate of just 5%. Meanwhile, milk has a 27% absorption rate.

Caffeine, phosphorus, and low vitamin D levels can also join the "let's make calcium absorption harder" party.

How Much Calcium Should I Take at One Time?

Whether it’s from food or supplements, the body can absorb about 500 milligrams of calcium at a time. If your supplement has more than that, your body has to do something with the rest. It’s possible that the calcium could cause blood clots or calcium deposits on artery walls.

What Helps the Absorption of Calcium in the body?

There are a few things and conditions that can increase your calcium absorption.

Vitamin D is necessary to absorb calcium and sometimes it’s better taken with food and not on an empty stomach.

Should I Take a Calcium Supplement?

I believe in a food-first approach and a nutrient in pill form is not processed in the body the same way as from food.

There have been studies that found little, to no benefit, from taking a calcium supplement to prevent hip fractures. There have also been studies that have found that calcium supplements increase the risk of calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries.

That being said, you may need a supplement to meet your needs.

The two most common supplement forms are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

The actual amount of elemental calcium in each supplement is important because that’s what your body is absorbing.

The supplement label usually tells you the amount of elemental calcium in each serving, but you can figure it out, as well.

Calcium carbonate is 40% elemental calcium by weight. So, if your supplement is 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate, it contains 400 mg elemental (absorbable calcium).

Calcium citrate is 21% elemental calcium.

Which Form of Calcium is Absorbed Best?

Calcium carbonate should be taken with food for better absorption. (Since it’s solubility rate is lower.)

Calcium citrate is less dependent on stomach acid, so it can be taken without food, but, in general, absorption of supplements is greater if taken with food regardless of stomach acid.

Remember, one of the biggest factors in absorption is the amount consumed at one time. Absorption is best with intakes of less than 500 mg at a time. And absorption decreases as amount increases.

For example, you absorb 36% of a 300 mg calcium dose, but only 28% of a 1,000 mg dose.

Why Can't I Tolerate Calcium Supplements?

Some people have a harder time tolerating calcium supplements than others.

Smaller doses throughout the day can help reduce side effects like gas, bloating, and constipation.

(Which are worse with calcium carbonate supplements, especially if stomach acid is lower (like in older people and those on antacids.) Taking calcium supplements with meals or in divided doses also decreases side effects. (So, if you’d like to take a 500 mg calcium supplement each day, consider taking a 250 mg dose in the morning and a 250 mg dose in the evening.)

How do I Choose the Best Supplement?

Supplements’ safety and truthful claims are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. Many products independently test their products and may bear a U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) abbreviation, (CL) Consumer Lab, NSF (National Sanitation Foundation); they meet voluntary industry standards for quality purity, potency, and tablet disintegration or dissolution.

For some supplement recommendations that are third-party tested, visit my Fullscript Bone Health store HERE.

Can Too Much Calcium Supplement Cause Problems?

Although your body has a built-in regulatory process for calcium maintenance, disease and

overuse of food + supplements could cause high calcium levels.

You don’t want to consume more than the tolerable upper limit of calcium each day from food and supplements combined. This could increase your risk of kidney stones, constipation, prostate cancer, calcium buildup in blood vessels, and a decrease in absorption of zinc and iron.

So, stick to the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for calcium.

Calcium is your ally in the journey to healthier bones and a happier smile. Cheers to getting up off the toilet by yourself when you’re 90! :)

The information provided on this website in intended solely for education purposes and cannot

substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician or Registered

Dietitian Nutritionist.