It’s Monday morning, and I’m getting a late start. All I had time for was my routine cup of tea and some biscotti (a lovely combination by the way). About an hour and 15 minutes later, my blood sugar started dropping, and I was starving. The quality of my work went down because I couldn’t stop thinking about food (Good thing I don’t counsel on Mondays 😉). I did what I was supposed to and ate breakfast, right?
Carbs
An essential component to any meal. If you’re looking at a car, carbohydrate is like the gas in the tank -it’s what the car runs on. In a similar way, carbs are the fuel your body uses to function. If you want to think clearly and optimally, you’ve got to get in carbs.
Fat
Fat is the oil in the car that makes everything run smoothly. In the human body, fat helps nerve cushioning, hormone production, and the absorption of certain vitamins. A lot of people don’t know this, but if you’re taking a vitamin D supplement, it’s probably going to absorb better if you take it with the largest meal of your day (due to the higher fat content). Fat also helps slow down the digestion of carbs making you feel more satisfied, helping with blood sugar control, and preventing that post meal crash an hour after eating.
Protein
Protein is the structure of the car. Literally what holds it together. Protein is what builds and repairs cells in your body, from muscle tissues to antibodies. If you did any heavy lifting today, you probably made tiny tears in your muscles, which is why eating protein after weight lifting is really important. Protein is also super important in satiety. It helps slow down the digestion of carbs and helps hold you over for longer. Have you ever eaten a big steak and a bowl of cereal on separate occasions? Which one kept you full longer?
Fiber
It literally takes up space in your stomach. Your body can’t digest it all into usable fuel, so if you eat fiber, it holds space in your stomach till it moves through. So adding in some vegetables with your rice is probably going to hold you over a little longer than just the plain rice.
Calories
If you don’t get enough calories, you’re probably going to be hungry. Even if you get all the macros AND fiber. My biscotti had maybe 150 calories. My body burns a lot more than that in the time frame between breakfast and lunch, so obviously, I needed more calories for my brain and body to function well until lunchtime.
To keep yourself feeling comfortable and full between meals, ideally you’ll want to get in all of the macros as well as fiber and enough calories. If you’re short on time, at least plan for a carb and a protein, as these work well together to fuel and satisfy.
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