When your mother told you, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, she wasn’t just trying to get you to eat your cream of wheat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when you’re on a journey to lose weight. Breakfast provides your body with its first boost of energy to start your day. Studies have also proven that a healthy breakfast can increase your attention span and heighten your sense of well-being.

The following are the best breakfast ideas for those of us who are on a journey to get healthy, and lose some of those extra pounds we packed on over the winter months.

Smoothies
Smoothies are a perfect way to incorporate all the necessary servings of dairy, whole grains and fruit into your first meal of the day while also giving you a breakfast you can take with you if running late or have a long commute to work. Simply mix your choice of fruits and yogurt with some ice and flaxseeds in a blender and enjoy!

Eggs
Having eggs as part of your breakfast not only gives you the added protein to your diet, but also allows you to incorporate different ingredients and flavors so this healthy breakfast never gets dull or boring. Try making an omelet with spinach, cheese and a protein left over from dinner leftovers. Add a slice or two of whole wheat bread and peanut butter and you have yourself a low calorie, nutritional healthy breakfast.

Cereals
If mornings are a little less productive time for you until you have your first cup of coffee, cereal is an easy and healthy breakfast. When purchasing cereals, avoid ones with cartoon characters on the box, and look for ones with healthy doses of fiber, whole grains and other essential nutrients. Add fruits to the cereal base like bananas, blueberries or raisins to give yourself the one or more servings of fruit for your day. When adding your dairy component, try to stick to dairy with a lower fat content like 1% milk or even substitute in almond milk.

Rules to Remember:
– Healthy breakfast has 1/3 of your daily caloric intake
– A Healthy breakfast has at least 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber
– A healthy breakfast should have one serving of: whole grain, dairy, and fruit. Feel free to add protein into this trio for added energy for your day!