Breakfasts to Boost Metabolism

Some meals are better than others at jump-starting your metabolism. What and when you eat breakfast can give you a critical edge when it comes to your morning workout or being on top of your game at the office. Choose to tackle your day head-on with energy to burn by eating the right breakfast that boosts your metabolism.

What is Metabolism?

• Women's Health Magazine put it this way: "Here's a secret: slaving away inside your body---right this minute---is your very own personal trainer working tirelessly to help you burn calories and shed fat. It's called your metabolism..."

  Metabolism is how the body makes use of energy. We get a bigger bang for our buck, metabolism-wise, when we are young. As we age, our body's ability to use fuel provided by food efficiently slows down. By adding lean muscle mass, exercising and embracing proper nutrition, you can enhance your metabolism as you age.

Breakfast & Metabolism

• "You can't affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories a day by exercising properly and eating right," according to John Berardi, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of The Metabolism Advantage.

  A high quality breakfast will jump-start your metabolism and help keep it working all day. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. On the other hand, those who did not eat breakfast gained nearly three pounds.

Eating to Win

• What you should eat for breakfast depends on what you are planning to do. If you are heading to the gym, your needs are different than if you plan to spend the day behind a desk. Keep it light before a workout and save the meal to replenish and restore glycogen and feed your muscles afterward.

  Before your workout, opt for carbs and a little protein. Good choices are an apple with a tablespoon of nut butter or 1/2 whole wheat bagel with peanut butter. After your workout, you will want to eat to replenish your muscles. Protein is key here. Select almonds, cottage cheese or protein drinks.

Everyday Breakfast

• On days you do not plan to exercise first thing, choose one item from each of these food groups: fruits and vegetables (fruits, vegetables or 100 percent fruit juice without added sugar), grains (whole grain rolls, bread or bagels, or hot or cold whole grain cereal, such as oatmeal), dairy (nonfat milk, low-fat or fat-free yogurt), protein (egg whites or fish, like smoked salmon, low-fat cheese such as cottage or mozzarella, whey protein and nut butters) and fats. You will not likely need additional fats if you include animal protein, cheeses or nut butters. If you must, add 1/2 teaspoon of real butter or olive oil. Keep away from margarine and other trans fats.

  Green tea has also been shown to boost metabolism. If you consume 2000 calories a day, you will burn 80 calories from the green tea. This may be small, but it is an easy way to burn a few extra calories, plus green tea is loaded with healthy antioxidants.

Breakfast Ideas

• Use your imagination when selecting breakfast, so you don't get bored eating the same thing every day. A bowl of oatmeal combined with a half scoop of vanilla whey and a few berries is an excellent choice. If you are feeling a bit adventurous, create a healthy egg white, mushroom and low-fat cheese mixture to top off a whole-wheat English muffin. A great, fast breakfast is a container of low-fat yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese and some fruit. You can either mix with a spoon or whirl it through the blender if you don't like lumps. Boosting your metabolism with the right breakfast doesn't have to be hard; it just requires a little planning.