Eating Breakfast

[Guest guest]

I found the following article and maybe it might help those who have cea

and don't eat breakfast... someone on the list here convinced me to change

my ways *smiles and hopes he is well* ...

a

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=5624

Hey moms and dads: National School Breakfast Week is March 4-8. Need a few

good reasons to participate? There's a lesson in this for you too.

Out of the traditional three meals a day, breakfast is still considered the

most important. But, it's also the most frequently missed. About 15 percent

of teenagers and 30 percent of adults skip breakfast.

Here's why you should join the ranks of morning munchers and some

suggestions for eye-opening eats:

The Benefits of Breakfast

1. A Head Start

Breakfast is designed to " break the fast. " After 8 to 12 hours of sleep,

your blood sugar (glucose) levels will be low and your brain and muscles

will be running on empty. Waking up and getting started is hard to do at the

best of times, but it's even harder to keep going if you do not refuel. The

body needs a meal to produce the glucose necessary to get you revved up for

the day.

2. Nutrition Insurance

A balanced breakfast should provide about a fourth of your daily needs for

essential nutrients. When breakfast is skipped, the missing nutrients --

particularly iron, calcium and fiber -- are not made up in subsequent meals

and snacks. So a regular breakfast can help ensure that you meet daily

requirements and have a better nutrition profile over the rest of the day.

3. A Healthy Weight

Breakfast helps to regulate your appetite throughout the day. It also

jumpstarts your metabolism, which slows down overnight. So missing breakfast

to reduce calorie intake is definitely not the answer for weight loss.

Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food at the next meal or nibble on

high-calorie snacks to curb hunger. Their diets tend to be higher in overall

calories and fat than those who enjoy a morning meal. Moreover, dieters who

have breakfast tend to be more successful at shedding pounds.

4. Peak Performance

A wake-up meal can help you perform better in school, at work or at play by

keeping you more alert, improving your ability to concentrate and retain

information. When it comes to children, breakfast actually helps them learn

better. Kids who skip breakfast have trouble focusing and tend to be

inattentive, restless and irritable by late morning. Those who eat breakfast

have been found to have better test scores and lower rates of tardiness and

absenteeism.

5. Good Habits

Eating behaviors developed during childhood can last a lifetime. If you

never had breakfast as a child, it is likely that you are one of the 30

percent of American adults who still skip breakfast... and your children

could be doing the same thing. The incidence of childhood obesity is rising.

The percentage of overweight children has tripled since the 1960s; a

shocking 1-in-7 children are now considered obese. So establishing good

eating habits at an early age is crucial. Teaching kids to eat a healthy

breakfast is one way to help reduce these concerning statistics.

National School Breakfast Week aims to demonstrate the beauties of breakfast

to kids. But it is also a good time to look at eating habits in the home.

And the a.m. meal might be the perfect opportunity to serve as a role model

for your whole family.

Tasty and Healthy Meal Ideas

A nutritious, delicious and convenient breakfast can take on many forms

depending on your lifestyle. The best breakfasts provide fuel (calories)

plus nutrition. Ideally you should include whole grains, protein, fat and

fruits to cover most nutrients. Here are some suggestions that can help you

and your family get the most out of your morning:

Grab 'n' Go Breakfasts

a.. Fruit shake made with fresh fruit and skim milk

a.. Low-fat yogurt

a.. Small bagel or toast

a.. Fresh fruit cup

a.. Individual cereal box with skim milk

a.. Breakfast bar (look for those with less than 200 calories and 5 grams

fat)

Quick Family Breakfasts

a.. Boiled or poached egg

a.. Instant oatmeal with applesauce

a.. Whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and low-fat yogurt

a.. Toasted English muffin or whole-grain toast with low-fat cream cheese

Weekend Brunches

a.. Low-fat French toast with fresh fruit and yogurt

a.. Egg white omelet with turkey sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes

a.. English muffins topped with poached eggs

a.. Breakfast parfait with low-fat yogurt, sliced fresh fruit, and

high-fiber cereal