Resolution One: Breakfast is a 2010 must-have!

Eating breakfast daily should be on everyone's resolutions list..if you have a list. I have a list, but I don't need to put this one on it, since I am religious about eating something every morning before 9:00 AM.  I know lots of people that proudly boast "Oh, I'm never hungry in the morning, so I don't eat breakfast", like that's a good thing.  Think of the word: break-fast! It's that simple. When you sleep your metabolism goes into hibernation mode, and doesn't "wake up" until your first meal of the day. So, if you want to burn more calories in a day, your biggest mistake is not breaking your fast. Now, I'm not talking about the 500 calorie bran muffin, or 200 calorie sugar-laden donut. Fiber and protein are your friends. This combination will keep you fuller and you'll be able to bypass those office sweets!

I bet my close friends don't even know that I've been having the same items for breakfast for the last 15 years. I'm a creature of breakfast habit and I can eat the same thing for months at a time. When I get bored, I switch to whatever is next on my options list. Currently I'm loving an egg white omelette made with any vegetables I have in the fridge, with a low-carb, whole wheat tortilla.  I put hot sauce over the omelette and eat it in the tortilla. Hot, spicy foods are also known to speed up your metabalism and keep you more satiated. 

My other options (I'm sure I'll get tired of this soon) are: 2 L'Eggo whole wheat waffles with a small amount of peanut butter, a whole wheat english muffin with melted 2% cheddar cheese, oatmeal with berries or raisins, and two Morningstar Veggie Sausage patties with fruit.. Yes, that's it, five options. My splurge once a month will be a whole wheat bagel with low-fat cream cheese and tomatoes. Breakfast out is always an egg-white omelette with all the trimmings. I've found that keeping it simple with fewer options works best for me. Each of these breakfasts are about 220 calories. Add my mug of coffee and I'm at 250 each morning.

Oatmeal with berries

Now, obviously there are times when you're rushing in the morning and need to stop someplace for a quick cup of java and breakfast. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts are my go-to places. At Starbucks you can get a yogurt parfait with fruit or one of their new low-calorie hot breakfast sandwiches.  Both are full of fiber and protein. Dunkin' Donuts, really? Yes! They have delicious egg-white flat bread sandwiches that come in under 300 calories and one that has turkey sausage for meat lovers. With the addition of their english muffin and egg white sandwich, Dunkin' Donuts is a great healthy start to the morning. Just don't let that donut smell get to you!

Bon Appetit!