Food - What to Eat - Breakfast

By: Ranae Whitmore

One of the most frequently asked questions is, "What do you eat?" Before discussing this topic at some length, there are a few statements that are important to be made.

*"Diets" simply do not work; the very nature of the word implies the "beginning" and an "end" to a way of eating that has, historically, been unhealthy.

* A lifestyle change is needed to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

* Changing your lifestyle is fun, exciting, rewarding and an exploration into new and heightened flavors, an adventure to new lands through various cuisines that allow for choices that are healthier and more nutritionally sound. It's all in how you adjust your mind to a positive approach!

* The way I begin to counsel someone is to ask them to create a list of the foods they would normally eat if calories were of no concern. This provides a starting point and allows me to see where their tastes lie. None of us are the same and we must study this and make choices together to be successful.

* Next, we examine those choices and let them guide us in making comparable flavor choices while instituting better preparation choices and learning how to substitute and alter some of the key ingredients that can easily be exchanged for healthier components.

* Following success in changing our thought process about food and evaluating our willingness to look inward to the root of our behaviors, we can move forward in developing and instituting a plan to begin the most rewarding journey of a lifetime.

* Intuitive eating is introduced to assist in making the total transition and is a crucial component for a successful long-term lifestyle change.

*Basically, three meals and three snacks seem to be the choice of many of us who have experienced long term success. Here are a few things you may find helpful.

-Calories in, minus calories used, equal your weight loss/gain.

-Caloric intake must be regulated according to the amount of exercise a person is performing.

-My success was achieved with approximately 1,400 to 1,500 calories a day with moderate exercise.

* My meals were usually kept between 300 to 500 calories so that total meal calories were 1,200 throughout the day for my three meals.
* My snacks were usually kept between 100 to 150 calories so that total snack calories were 300 daily for my three snacks.
* These figures could fluctuate somewhat so that total calories remained between 1,400 to 1,500 calories.
* I lost 137 pounds, which averaged 1.67 pounds per week. There were weeks I lost nothing and a few I gained. Losing nothing is still winning! The weight gained was not put on overnight; it should take a respectable amount of time to lose it as well.

-Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day! This meal starts your metabolism, which enables your body to begin burning calories. It provides the nutrition to stimulate your thought processes and the stamina to begin your day energized and ready for action!

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Egg, fried, no added fat 1 large egg 92calories
Oils, cooking spray, all varieties 1/3 second spray 2calories
Toast, whole grain, 100% whole wheat 1 slice 100calories
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray Topping 5 sprays 4calories
Bacon, Ready to Serve, Oscar Mayer 3 slices 70calories
Sea Salt, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories
Fresh Ground Pepper, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories
Coffee 1 cup 0calories
Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30calories
TOTAL CALORIES 298

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Oatmeal, regular, quick or instant, cooked 1/3 cup 104calories
Milk, Cow, Fat-Free, Skim 1/2 cup 45calories
Banana, fresh 1 small (less than 6 inches) 72calories
Walnuts, English 1/2 oz 90calories
Tea (bag, loose, instant), brewed 1 cup 2calories
Splenda, sugar substitute 1 packet 2calories
TOTAL CALORIES 315

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Eggs, scrambled 2 med eggs 140calories
White toast, reduced calorie 1 slice 45calories
Peanut butter OR 1 1/2 tsp 50*calories
Blackberry Jelly 1 1/2 tsp 25calories
Hash browns 1/2 c shredded, 2.8 oz 68calories
Olive oil 1 tsp 39calories
TOTAL CALORIES 315

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Item (McDonald's) Portion Calories
McDonald's Egg McMuffin,
Without Canadian bacon 1 (4.3 oz) 290calories
McDonald's Minute Maid Apple
Juice 1 box (6.8 fl oz) 90calories
TOTAL CALORIES 380
Item (Starbucks, Portion and Calories
Loaves, mini, no sugar added, whole wheat pumpkin 1 mini loaf (3.4 oz) 250calories
Espresso Hot, Cinnamon Dolce Latte with sugar free syrup and non-fat milk, no whipped cream 1 tall (12 oz) 96calories
TOTAL CALORIES 346

Item (Caribou Coffee, Portion and Calories

Biscotti, original, almond 1 (2 oz) 230calories
Hot coffee, Northern Lite Latte with sugar free syrup and skim milk, no whipped cream 1 med (1 pint, 4 oz) 123calories
TOTAL CALORIES 353

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Cereal, Strawberry Harvest Crunch,
South Beach Living OR 1 cup 170calories
Cereal, Oat Flakes & Wild Blueberry Clusters OR 1 cup 200*calories
Cereal, Go Lean, Instant Hot OR 1 packet 150calories
Cereal, Grape Nuts OR 1/2 cup 200*calories
Cereal, Cheerios, Original OR 1 cup 100calories
Cereal, Fruit Harvest, Strawberry/ Blueberry (Kellogg's) 1/2cup 110calories
Milk, Cow, Fat-Free, Skim 1/2 cup 45calories
Blueberries, fresh 50 berries (2.4 oz) 39calories
TOTAL CALORIES 284

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Yogurts, fruit flavored, fat-free 1 container (4.4 oz) 118calories
High Protein Breakfast Bar, South Beach, Cereal, Chocolate OR 1 Bar (10 grams protein) 140calories
High Protein Bar, Herbalife, Deluxe Chocolate Peanut 1 Bar (10 grams protein) 140calories
Coffee 1 cup 0calories
Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30calories
TOTAL CALORIES 288

Breakfast Ideas-Item, Portion and Calories

Eggs, omelet 2 med eggs 140calories
Green onions 2 TBSP 4calories
Tomatoes 1 thin slice (5 oz) 3calories
Mushrooms 2 oz 2calories
Green peppers 1 TBSP 2calories
Pepper Jack Cheese, 2%, Singles, Kraft OR 1 Slice 50*calories
Parmesan Cheese, Grated Fresh, Kraft OR 2 TBSP 20calories
Swiss cheese, No Fat, Singles, Kraft 1 Slice 35calories
Steakhouse Seasoning, McCormick Grinder 1/4 tsp 0calories
Toast, whole grain, 100% whole wheat 1 slice 100calories
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray Topping 5 sprays
4 calories
Tea (bag, loose, instant), brewed 1 cup 2calories
Splenda, sugar substitute 1 packet 2calories
TOTAL CALORIES 309

These are just samples; wanted to show you that you can eat in, eat on the go or eat at one of your favorite coffee houses. Please create your own breakfast ideas according to your tastes and reference portion sizes and calories using package labeling or by going online.

Journaling EVERYTHING you eat is critical to your success, especially in the early stages, to accurately account for your true caloric intake. REMEMBER ... YOU TOO CAN DO THIS!!!! It's YOUR Life and YOUR Journey; Have Fun!!! : ]

Lose Weight
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 
 • 

» More on Lose Weight