Confession: I Eat the Same Thing for Breakfast Every Day

By , SparkPeople Blogger
For the past six years I have eaten the same foods for breakfast almost every day of the week. These foods include Quaker Weight Control Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, one tablespoon chopped walnuts, half a banana (or fresh blueberries in season), four ounces of tart cherry juice (I added this to my breakfast meal in July 2009) with one, maybe two cups of black coffee. This has been my go to breakfast for so long now that I no longer have to think what I will have, I just go the pantry grab the packet of oatmeal, heat the water, add the walnuts and fruit and I am good to go.

While some may find that this is too many calories for breakfast or too many carbohydrates, as a runner, this has become my ideal breakfast as it helps fuel my long runs. The added fiber from the oatmeal and fruit along with the healthy fat from the walnuts provide me with greater satiety so that I stay fuller longer.  

We all know the importance of eating a variety of foods to ensure our bodies receive the proper nutrients to heal, recover, fight off disease and help with our energy levels. But according to studies, too much variety main be responsible for our weight gain.

There have been several studies alluding to the fact that too much variety in our food choices can actually lead to weight gain. The most recent study published earlier this summer in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that "women who ate macaroni and cheese every day for a week were taking in 100 fewer calories each day than normal by the week's end." The reason could be that the lack of variety caused the women to be less interested in the food they were eating so that they ate fewer calories.  

While studies are important in helping us understand the complexity of weight issues, I am cautious to follow guidelines based on studies, which is why I live by the mantra, "We are all an experiment of one." That does not mean that I throw all caution to wind. There are proven principles that have been shown to work for the vast majority of us and those cannot be ignored.

So what  does this mean for me?

Before I started my weight loss journey almost seven years ago, I was not one to eat breakfast on a consistent basis. I found that breakfast was the easiest meal for me to skip. More times than not, I found myself not hungry upon wakening, so I did not feel the need to 'waste those calories.'  So why should I eat something when I was not hungry, especially when time was of the essence to get out of the house in the morning.

But that all changed in February 2005 when I began my final attempt to reclaim my health. I did lots of research on the topic of healthy habits of healthy individuals and one of the common threads I found was skipping meals can actually lead to weight gain. Reading that breakfast is the most important meal of the day spurred me to change my habits. I never skip breakfast, even if that means I only have a banana and a small glass of cherry juice.

I also understand that eating a variety of foods helps to ensure that our bodies receive the needed nutrients to function properly. This is why I try to incorporate veggies, fruit, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats in my other meals and snacks. I try to use foods that are in season, which for now include lots of fresh oranges and apples.

Regardless of what you choose to eat, even if that meal is the same day in and day out, eating breakfast helps provide us with the energy to take on the day. It helps fire up our metabolism while helping with cravings later in the day. Not to mention, breakfast allows us to feel in control of making healthy choices and boost our mood even if those foods are the same foods, day in and day out.  

Do you eat breakfast every day? Do you vary what you eat or do you eat the same foods for breakfast every dat? What have you eaten for breakfast that is not a typical 'breakfast' food?