Rise + Shine

It’s important to eat breakfast.

Are you shocked? Have your eyes rolled into the back of your head? Of course they have. I’m not even going to bother telling you why it’s important to eat breakfast, because you already know (keeps you from getting cravings later in the day, gives your body a good protein to run on, good for your metabolism, etc….sorry, I couldn’t help myself). So, after you slap on the Pink Patch and put on your shoes – have breakfast.

Sounds easy, right? Look, I’m no morning person, so I value every minute I have. I tend to hit the snooze button: I do NOT have time to cook anything, and more importantly, eat anything before I leave the house.

Also, is it just me, or do you not feel hungry in the morning? I find that I usually have no appetite at all, which may have to do with the idea that your metabolism works at its fastest in the morning.

So, I have a very basic solution: grab-and-go-no-cook breakfast. These are small breakfasts, but they’ll get you through till lunchtime very, very well. Protein is key for breakfast, so is a low-fat, low-sugar carb. Feel free to mix and match based on your personal preferences.

- Two hardboiled eggs and an orange, tangerine, or apple (boil the eggs the night before and keep them in the fridge)

- 1 container (1cup) of fat-free raspberry yogurt and 1 small granola bar (make sure it’s less than 100 calories and low in fat, such as Quaker Cereal bars)

- Half a whole wheat bagel spread with Neufchatel cheese and topped with a slice of tomato (make the night before, wrap and refrigerate)

- 1 apple, 1 stick part-skim string cheese, and 1 hardboiled egg

Round out with your daily coffee or tea. These breakfasts were designed to be eaten on the go as well, so when you’re sitting in rush-hour traffic or on the subway or train, you’ll begin pumping in fuel. By the time you get to the office or to class, you’ll be ready to face the world.

Tip: If you want a breakfast that needs to be prepared the night before, make sure to prepare it after you’ve eaten dinner, so that you aren’t seized to consume it immediately.