A filling ,nutritious breakfast is key to starting your day on a high note, and fuel your challenging workouts. (Photo: Pexels) Eating a nutritious breakfast is one of the most important things when you are trying to lose weight and also build lean muscles. It is mandatory to fill your diet with nutritious whole foods throughout the day to optimise your health, build muscles and lose weight in a healthy, and sustainable manner.
Gurpreet Kaur, senior clinical nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chandigarh, suggests the following foods for breakfast when on a weight loss and muscle-building journey along with easy, fuss free recipes:
Oats
Oats — low in calories, high in fiber and protein — make for a healthy and delicious breakfast option. It also contains beta-glucan which helps in lowering blood sugar and controlling the appetite.
Recipe: Combine 1 cup of cooked oatmeal with half cup of berries or any seasonal fruit, 1 tsp flax seeds and a handful of almonds for a power packed, high fiber morning meal.
Eggs – Eggs contain all the essential amino acids which are needed to build muscle tissues.
Recipe: Make an omelet in minimum oil, add chopped veggies to it for added nutrition, and a slice of whole grain toast to complete the meal. This protein packed breakfast is especially great to build strong muscles and bones.
Yoghurt
Yoghurt is a great source of protein. (Photo: Pexels) Yoghurt is a great source of protein, bone strengthening calcium and electrolytes like potassium. It also lends healthy bacteria which keeps your gut healthy and boosts your immune system.
Recipe:Make a delicious yet quick and easy yoghurt smoothie by adding berries and nuts to balance the meal.
Mixed sprouts and poha
Sprouts are excellent for your digestive health as well as for maintaining healthy skin. On the other hand, apart from carbs, poha is rich in iron and fiber content which means you are less likely to feel lethargic during the day hours.
Recipe: You can add mixed sprouts to the poha and cook it for 2-3 min while continuously stirring to avoid overcooking.
Urad dal
Urad dal, also known as black gram, is rich in dietary fibers, vitamin and minerals, especially potassium, iron and magnesium. It also helps in treating inflammation of joints and muscle pain, strengthens the nervous system and improves the digestive system.
Recipe: Make a batter using rolled oats and soaked urad dal and fill it in greased idli molds. Steam it for 5-10 minutes.
While filling up on the right foods can easily curb the cravings and keeps us full for a longer period, consuming the wrong foods can amplify cravings and set you up for failure. Here are a few things Kaur advices to skip when it comes to a healthy breakfast:
– Try to avoid breakfast made from refined grains such as sugary breakfast cereals and white bread as it provides more calories without much nutrition.
-Avoid taking store bought protein shakes for building muscles as these could lead to many health risks.
-Avoid having greasy breakfast such as fried puris or oily parathas with butter.
– Listen to your body and its needs, but don’t over eat.
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