As I’m sitting down in front of my laptop on a magnificent Monday morning here at home, with my breakfast on the side, and glancing at what I was having for breakfast (a smoked salmon sandwich) - I was reminded of what my lifestyle was many years ago.
For those of you who don’t know about my story, I led a very unhealthy lifestyle back then during my schooling days and in college. To give you a rough idea of what my eating habits were like:
1. I never ate breakfast, and my first meal of the day would be lunch.
2. I drank plenty of sugar loaded Milo and Horlicks in those rare occassions I did have breakfast.
3. My largest meal of the day was dinner (not only were they large, but I would also have 2 large helpings). Finishing an entire large pizza was nothing unusual.
4. I snacked a lot, and they were usually ice-cream, chocolates, fast food, local kuih/desserts, etc
5. I was never a fan of ice-blended coffees, etc like most teenagers nowadays - cos I’d just rather go have a MEAL at McDonalds instead - and that was exactly what I would do.
I’ve blogged so much about about breakfast before - and I think it is more than coincidence that when I looked up my previous post about breakfast - it was actually written exactly 1-year ago, on February 2009. Do read last year’s “What’s for Breakfast” for more.
Besides being a good start nutritionally for the day, I find that having a good nutritionally adequate breakfast also symbolizes our ‘commitment’ to a better lifestyle, and a great morale booster on those days when you’re tempted to eat ‘rubbish’ the rest of the day. I have foundd that those who had a great healthy start often tend to stay on track throughout the day because we don’t want to mess up a good start. (Like all those people who like to drive around their shiny new cars with the plastic wrappings on the seat still intact - it’s new, and we don’t want to mess it up!). That’s just human nature. :-)
If you have a bad start (e.g. a plate of nasi lemak), chances are high that you’d just continue to mess up your meals for the rest of the day.
Often, I ask my clients - “What did you have for breakfast?”
Even after working with them for many months, I’d always ask them that - and it is simply for me to know if they’re doing okay. If they told me that they had a big bowl of fried noodles for breakfast… then that would prompt me to pay more attention and perhaps probe their habits/happenings in their life to understand why that happened in the first place.
For someone who is on a plan to reach their fitness goals, especially when it comes to fat loss - having a messed up breakfast usually is a sign of something else happening.
Going ‘off-track’ a healthy eating plan (skipping breakfast, wrong type of snacking, missed meals, etc) isn’t just because one isn’t prepared. Through my own personal experience, and by working with so many people help overcome eating problems - I’ve found that there are always other factors that cause this, such as work stress, emotional issues, lack of motivation, and so on. And if these can be identified, then something can be done.
So today, I’d just like you to ask yourself that one simple question…
What did you have for breakfast?
Share it with us on the comments section below - I’d love to get your feedback. Then check to see, is that meal aligned to your fitness goals? If it isn’t… then take steps to do something about it now:
Is everything okay at work?
Is everything okay at home?
Perhaps you got into an argument and you’re holding unforgiveness towards someone?
Have you given up on your plans to live healthier?
Are you slacking off in everything you do?
When you begin to take steps to address some of these issues, you’ll realise that it would also benefit your fitness goals.
I want to hear from you… so do share below.
In health,
DM
P.S. - My BodyRedemption System (to be launched next week) helps address issues and habits that could be sabotaging your fitness goals. For more complementary information, head over to http://www.bodyredemptionsystem.com.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
My breakfast today are:
1. Tuna sandwich
2. 4 half-boiled eggs with 2 pcs of wholemeal bread
3. ON Whey Protein+4 tbsp oatmeal shake
My fitness goal is to gain mass. So I pretty much eat whatever I want (but I naturally don’t like stuff like McD, KFC and Pizza Hut and lean more towards sushi, sashimi and other ‘real’ food).
Anyway… breakfast usually consist of scrambled eggs and french toast, with a cup of regular tea/green tea. Sometimes I do go for the mee goreng with friend eggs, though. Nasi lemak only on rare occasions. Nowadays I can’t even look at nasi lemak…. it’s just not as appealing as it was before.
It is kinda embarassing to write in here what I eat almost every breakfast, but I need input or advise on what I eat, since even till now, I kinda sucks in my diet.
Ever since I’ve started work fr 9-6 with non-flexi time, plus I’m still having hard time to wake up early, I’ll usually go to Bread Story and bought 2 diff types of bread and eat in the car. (I know my diet is very high in carbs coz I’ve calculated and observed before for 3 days, but is it good?) Usually I’ll grab ham bread and a cheese wand (that’s it’s name). Other days when I’m bored with breads, I’ll take dimsum 6pcs and 1 pao.
Another question, is dimsum consider a healthy food, since it’s steamed?
Anyway, back to my breakfast, there are times when I have more time to prepare my bfast ie on weekends, I’ll have a bowl of blueberry cereal + low-fat milk/yogurt. Now I know this is a healthy bfast, ain’t it?
Back to the days when I have more flexi-time at work and able to go to gym in the morning, I usually had power bar or protein shake + creatine before morning gym, then will have 2 half-boiled eggs with toast bread for post-workout bfast. (I know I should take protein AFTER, but I er, don’t have all the stuffs to blend the protein. I mean, u guys should know what kind of stuffs we need to make protein ie shaker, milk, super big tong of protein etc). I do miss those bfast days. Now I just don’t have the privilege to eat like I used to.
So what do you guys think?
Today is sort of my cheat day… so I had a small plate of dry pan mee, with a poached egg on top with a glass of sugarless barley… asked for extra boiled spinach! I have lost 23 kilos in the past 8 months and reduced my body fat percentage by half what it was at the start… living a renewed lifestyle based on sound fundamentals on nutrition, physical activity and musco-skeletal strength buildup.
I have not been taking any supplements, protein shakes, whey, etc… Currently reviewing how they work and how I would work them into my dietary needs/goals.
About 3-4 years back.I too never take breakfast. Never thought it’s important and suffered the various consequences - e.g gastric, fluctuating weigh, fatigue etc.
After I started on a healthier lifestyle, with healthy breakfast, i felt the change for the better.
These days, it’s wholegrain bread, yogurt with muesli or milo with 4 table spoons of oats ( btw, only learned how to eat oats about a year ago! :) )
On days when I have time, I’d down 3 pieces of whole meal breads with a slice of cheese and peanut butter spread + a cup of milo (mildly sweet + milk powder/fresh milk). On days when I need to rush, I’d just take 2 pieces of whole meal breads plus the milo. Obviously, the latter is a poor choice unworthy of the term ‘breakfast’. Well, I’ve made a huge leap from having the regular 1 white bread + milo with sweetened milk during my highschool and early college days, though, further fine-tunes need to be done. But well, breakfast is only but one of the small changes that I’ve made in my diet; I did some refinements on snacks, lunch, dinner etc. too :)
One thing I realise when I started being picky over what I eat was that it eventually becomes a habit. This habit ended up making me feel disgusts towards the greasy/sugary foods I once used to love. The foods which I dislike in the past, have become essential nutritions to building a healthier me. It happens when one starts to eat with a goal/purpose in mind and you won’t get easily bored with your new routine, if it’s for the better of your own body.
I had some cheese and a cup of tea and milk (with sugar)
I’ve learned that breakfast is a very important meal of the day and it really does get your energy and metabolism going. I eat really healthy throughout the day and pay attention to snacks and what I’m eating. It’s slowly coming off the way I want however, it’s the night time that tends to be my down fall. I find myself hungry late at night. Any advice? I’m thinking maybe I’m not getting enough at dinner or my workouts early evening after dinner are bringing on the hunger later??
Hype everyone..
my diet is pretty simple..its been like this since 1st of january 2010. My goal is to get lean first…then probably get bulk again in june.
My breakfast consist of 8tbs of oatmeal and 1 scoop of ONS whey protein. I am staying in university, so getting a clean and good food is pretty hard.
primarily have stucked with weetbix,oatmeal, and cereals for breakfast all my life…
I went to the gym yesterday for the first time, trying to get in shape and build some muscle, after the gym I had to help a mate put up a new fence (big job) I was planning on going to the gym every day and have sat sun off, I did not get to the gym this morning, I am so so so soar, I can even feel the pain wrighting this, However back to the question this morning for breakfast I had 2 snack sized packets of chips and a cheese burger leftover from dinner last night not to mention since then I have consumed 2ltrs of coca cola and half a dozen cigarettes. I am wanting to turn my life around Im getting a bit of a podge I weigh around 85 kg any tips on giving up the crapy eating habbits will be great. Cheers.
I normally take 2 lighty toasted whole meal sandwiched with 1 pcs of cheese. Sometimes I burnt my bread. lol. I read it here in dm.com that high heat kills off protein so I very particular with it nowadays. 1 cup of HL milk and 3 soft/half boiled eggs ( 1 whole and 2 with whites only)
OR
1) Oatmeals + Milk + Dried Fruits
2) Soft/half boiled eggs
I been taking 3 meals per day since my last post here and I found that I am mentally and physical stronger than I used to be. Im lovin’ it.
Today’s bfast.
8am: Eggs (2 small omega eggs + one egg white) scrambled with spinach and a thumb size cheese left to melt on it. No salt, a dash of white pepper, 0.5 teaspoon olive oil, sauteed in garlic on single slice of gardenia wholemeal loaf. :)
I eat a fruit at about 10am.
11am: 4tablespoon of oats with 0.5 table spoon of raisin 5-6 almonds with approx 150ml skimmed milk.
I used to skip bfast 22kg ago. :P
Suitlin, I like your breakfast the most - not many people put veggies in their breakfast - but I believe it is absolutely essential! I now start off my day with a blended shake of:
1 - 1.5 scoops whey protein
handful of nuts (usually almonds or walnuts)
1 - 2 tsp flax seeds (ground)
1 or 2 green apples
5 -6 ‘cubes’ of frozen spinach (saves the effort on buying, storing, washing for me)
My ’shakes’ have come a long way since I first started them:
http://www.dailymuscle.com/2009/03/26/at-the-kitchen-with-dm-a-super-shake/
Adeline: I believe that one will always find time to do the things they love. If you value your fitness goals and physique, what is taking 20 minutes of your day to prepare meals for the next? I know super-busy high profile businessmen who are constantly on the move and YET can make time to eat healthy. Sorry but I cannot accept your excuse.
KevL has summed up a lot by saying this “One thing I realise when I started being picky over what I eat was that it eventually becomes a habit. This habit ended up making me feel disgusts towards the greasy/sugary foods I once used to love.”. You’ve cracked the code my friend. THAT IS lifestyle change! :-)
Thanks everyone for sharing (even those of you who emailed me to privately confess that you enjoy your roti canai and nasi lemak! - I appreciate your honesty)
I like your take on it: “symbolizes our ‘commitment’ to a better lifestyle”. True that. It’s like I can miss everything out, yet I’d so so hate to miss out on breakfast. That throws my whole day off. My mode sinks, my focus goes down to zero and there’s no passion to workout. The opposite is true, great breakfast and my day is set… my chances of hitting the gym later that afternoon are much increased.
Mark Martinez
Hi DM;
I just got to know this blog….i learnt a lot already surfing this 2 days. I started my weight control (obviously I am overweight) since 19th Nov 2009. Two days after my 38th b’day….my birthday present was looking myself into the mirror seeing those dangling body parts (which are not suppose to).
Let’s not bore as we are on the topic of breakfast :
I normally take 3 slice of whole grain bread with cheese or yogurt every working day morning, and weekends i am more creative in making a tuna sandwich and/or yogurt fruit sandwich. I do cheat once every 2-3 weeks when i take my favorite nasi lemak or roti canai for breakfast but strictly hold to 1packet of nasi lemak or 1 roti canai and make sure i don’t repeat for the next weekend.
It was very very very tough for me to stop roti canai and nasi lemak as I am GILA of those….can say every weekend breakfast. Now I hardly take a nasi lemak / roti canai in a month…the last one I had was 3 weeks ago….will not go into it this week. Is this considered okay or i have to totally get rid of my cravings…which I am gradually doing so?
Todate, i have lost 7kg in 14 weeks (19Nov’09 - 2Mar’10) readjusting my meals (i never miss meals) and working out in a gym 3-4x a week.
Please advise.
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