First Breakfast, Then Go Sporting

It is no myth or wives tale, breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day and the way you should fuel for all your physical activity. So before you head out the door for your morning run (like I always used to do!) or bike around town, you should start each and every day with a healthy breakfast. Some people are split on when exactly active individuals should eat breakfast, but research shows that eating first and then sporting may be best for your body. If you want to have the fuel required to be an athlete in peak condition, you need to make breakfast a priority every morning before you partake in your sport of choice. It doesn’t matter if you are a pro or simply trying to have fun, a balanced breakfast can give you an edge and help kick your athletic performance up a notch.

Manage Hunger Through the Day

When you are active, you need to consume more calories each day to give your body the energy it needs. This means that you can’t afford to skip out on breakfast. There is even a bit of physiology connected to the importance of this morning meal. Research shows that eating breakfast will keep your body from bottoming out and getting too hungry. If you start the day off on the right foot with a great breakfast, you will likely feel better and be able to work out more effectively. Eating breakfast kind of gives your body a guarantee that it will get the daily nutrients it requires to perform at a high level.

What Should You Eat?

If you want to make the most out of your morning meal before you tackle your sport of choice, you need to watch what you eat. Not every food is ideal to consume right before physical activity. As long as you are eating healthy breakfast food options, you can be guaranteed to feel your best during your exercise. Some of the best breakfast foods for sport enthusiasts include eggs, whole grain toast, milk, nuts and seeds, apples and peanut butter or even a bowl of oatmeal. The amount of calories in your morning meal can range, but it is a good idea to get at least 500 calories in, if possible. Since it is such an important meal you need to make it count and eat the right foods. The right nutrients will give you the fuel your body desires most.

A Matter of Preference

When it comes down to it, eating breakfast before or after you go sporting is all a matter of preference. However, if you want to be your best and perform your sport at the highest level, you really should think about starting your day off right with a wholesome breakfast. A breakfast of champions can be the way to get your body in the best shape and help you fight hunger throughout the day. Breakfast really is the most important meal that you can’t afford to skip out on.

How To Go About Setting Your Daily Nutrition Goals

Out of 100 random people, how many do you think believe healthy eating is a good idea? Now, how many do you think actually make an effort to eat nutritious foods? Out of the two groups, which are you? If you'd like the switch from the former to the latter, read on! There are some easy changes you can make to improve your diet. All it really takes is some minor adjustments, and this article will give you some great advice about how to do that.

Ensure you're consuming enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. To ensure you receive the recommended daily allowance of fruit and vegetables, eat at least 9 servings. It may seem like a large amount, but eating that amount is not so difficult. Have a cup of orange juice when you're eating breakfast, or put tomato sauce onto spaghetti dishes.

Try not to make meat the only source of food that you get protein from. There are other edible form of protein out there. Find it in fish, tofu, legumes, and most nuts. Try switching up the main course in their favor or adding your favorite proteins to a side dish. Not all proteins are of equal molecular structure. Try to consume different types of protein so that your body can then put them together.

Pregnant women need to focus on nutrition. Pregnant women require a lot of protein in their diets, which can be difficult if they are experiencing morning sickness and have a lowered appetite. To get an adequate amount of protein in her diet, an expecting mom can add egg whites to her breakfast smoothie. Eggs have no fat, are low calorie, and each egg white has 3 grams of the protein needed. Therefore, for pregnant women they are a wonderful protein addition. Use pasteurized eggs to avoid health problems.

A great thing to do when you are trying to get healthier is to prepare your own meals and snacks for school or work. When you pack you own meal, you are sure that you won't eat out or eat unhealthy foods. In a few short minutes of preparation, you can have several meals that are of high quality.

If you're sporting a lot, watching your nutrition intake is very important. You need to eat some carbs but protein and vitamins are needed too! Maybe professional athletes (from boxers, cyclists to skiers) get advice on their nutrition intake. 

When eating a restaurant, share your meal with your partner. Even when you choose carefully, you can end up with more food (and more calories and fat) than you need. You will also save money while you're saving on calories by giving some of your meal to someone. That way, it is possible to enjoy dining out but not sink your dietary goals.

People that study nutrition know that they need to cut highly milled grains out of their diets. If you take out the husks or hulls of the grains you will get rid of the source of the most nutrients and fiber. Does purchasing these depleted milled grains and then proceeding to purchase supplements to restore the original benefits of the original whole grain make any sense? This is an absurd practice.

It is too bad that a lot of people do not understand the ease with which they can eat better. Hopefully now that you have read this article, you know what you need to do. Even small changes can have a large impact on your health.