Breakfast: A Dying American Pastime?

According to an ABC poll, individuals in the United States are showing a major tendency of ignoring Mom's advice by skipping breakfast on a regular bases. Nearly fifty percent of the population between eighteen and fifty-four skip breakfast regularly.

Skipping breakfast has been proven to reduce performance at the workplace and downgrade it in the classroom, causing fatigued brains, tired bodies as well as cranky moods. There is a center in the brain that registers when the body is missing important nutrients. By mid-morning, many breakfast-cutters indulge in a pick-me-up such as coffee or candy, which is hardly enough to truly sustain the body until lunch. Furthermore, we are the most prone to making unhealthy meal choices and consuming
larger-than-life portions when we are ultra-hungry. Let us keep it real. What would a growling stomach choose: a Big Mac with fries or a Caesar salad?

Are You a Breakfast Bum?
If breakfast were a class, how often do you cut? Many of us who do not consume breakfast happen to have very valid reasons as to why (or so we think). Here's our response.

"I am trying to lose weight"
Skipping meals does not help you to lose weight. Actually, it seems to make weight control even harder for reasons stated above. In addition, research studies have shown that individuals who consume breakfast on a regular basis are often leaner than those who do not. Let us put it this way: to help the body to conserve energy as it goes without food, the body's metabolism slows while we sleep. Feeding your body in the morning gives your metabolism the jump start it needs—giving you more energy and allowing your body to burn more calories throughout the day.

"I'm not hungry in the morning"
Don't get it twisted: breakfast doesn't have to be a full spread, four course meal. A hard boiled egg (yolk removed) with some hummus or just a small cup of good cereal with some soy milk will do the trick.

"I don't have time. I need my sleep"
Let's put this in perspective: the 10-15 minutes it takes to prepare and consume a humble breakfast would give you much more mileage than that extra 10-15 minutes under the covers.

"No time-the kids make it impossible"
Stuffing your kids' mouths with Pop Tarts or Dunkin Donuts is not instilling good breakfast habits in your children. Studies show that children perform better in school when they've eaten a healthy breakfast. We know it gets hectic, but breakfast should be a priority and don't forget to partake yourself. Children who see their parents eat breakfast are more likely to follow suit. Besides, quality time with the family seems to be dwindling these days. How about you and the kids sitting down for cereal using this time to discuss plans for the upcoming day? Heck, you can even use paper bowls and plates!

"Breakfast makes me more hungry" Breakfasts consisting of simple carbs like white bread, bagels, refined grains such as corn and white rice and sugary kids' cereals puts your blood sugar on the high end of the Richter scale. By that we mean they have a high glycemic index, which means they are broken down into sugars in the body quickly. When your blood sugar comes down from the high, you're ready to eat every and any thing that isn't moving. Cereal selection is very important. Remember that you are counting on it for your day's foundation.

Zone Diet Products from Dr. Sears
Zone Diet Plan products such as Omega Rx Fish Oil, Zone Diet meal replacement shakes and bars, formulated by Dr. Barry Sears.