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Some 25 years ago, a normal breakfast for me was a rack of ribs, two to three eggs drowned in butter, hot biscuits with jelly and a quart of OJ or a milkshake. No, I am not kidding. It is hard to believe I could consume that amount of food, but I did not get to be more than 300 pounds eating carrot sticks and yogurt. It makes me sad thinking about it because I remember how I felt after eating: Tired, depressed and bloated. My bad habits started young. Growing up overweight, I mostly ate sugary, high-fat and processed foods. If I ate cereal, it was usually something more like candy.
My journey to becoming fit started with small changes. First I stopped "dieting" in the traditional sense and started exercising. Working out made me feel better physically and mentally. Soon I wanted to make better choices, so I cut down to half a rack of ribs. Then I began to educate myself about nutrition and slowly began to incorporate what I learned. I figured the best way would be to improve the first meal of the day. For a food addict like me, one bite of breakfast can set the tone for the whole day. If eating a big, sugary, fat-laden day-starter, chances are you won’t make good choices for lunch or dinner.
I can’t tell you how many overweight women I’ve talked to who say they skip breakfast. Most of them wait until they are starving and then eat an enormous lunch. I don’t have to tell you where that leads.
Finally, there is scientific evidence to back up the old saying, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." A new study from the University of Minnesota cited in the journal "Pediatrics" shows teenagers who skipped breakfast were more likely to be obese than those who ate it regularly. It’s the largest study to date about the eating habits of teens and shows those who passed on breakfast were more likely to eat fast food or vending machine snacks and less likely to exercise. Some of the kids said they refrained from breakfast in an effort to lose weight. As we know, the number of obese adolescents has tripled over the past 20 years.
Today, my diet consists of fruits, veggies, whole grains, proteins and nuts. Do I stray from that every once in a while? Yes, I do. I have my occasional cookie, doughnut or ice cream. I consider these to be treats, not staples. I still challenge myself daily, but I am convinced a good breakfast jump-started a healthy life for me. Yogurt and fruit or an egg and some turkey bacon and I am good to go.
Debra Mazda is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and president of ShapelyGirl Fitness, which offers workout DVDs, CDs and an online community at www.debramazda.com. Contact her at debra@debramzada.com.
