's motd Thurs Aug 5, 2010

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YOUR FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY

Thursday, 05 August 2010

When I get up in the morning, I say my prayers, count my blessings then head for the kitchen to prepare myself a healthy breakfast. I might as well tell you, I love breakfast. Hey, I could have breakfast for breakfast, lunch and dinner! LOL. No, seriously. There's many an evening where I could make myself a tasty and healthy omelet for dinner.

But sadly, I'd say that most people in America skip having breakfast. Hey, a cup of coffee on the run does not count as breakfast! Breakfast is the time when you sit down and take time to nourish your body for the very first time that day.Think about this. As you slept last night, you didn't eat. So in fact, your body was actually fasting while you were having those sweet dreams. So breakfast is born from the phrase, "breaking the fast." Get it? BREAK...FAST! Now I have to tell you, after my night of "fasting," I can't wait to get up in the morning to break my fast. Some mornings I'll have half-a-papaya filled with fresh blueberries. Once in a while, I'll poach an egg and place it on top of half an English muffin. I don't eat eggs often but when I do, I enjoy every bite.Sometimes I crave oatmeal in the morning. I like to add Ocean Spray Crasins, (dried cranberries), to my oatmeal.Then on other mornings, I might decide to make a healthy smoothie. I make it with nonfat milk, a little Greek yogurt, strawberries and a few drops of vanilla. I blend them all together, pour into a pretty glass and enjoy. Oh, so good!

Once in while, I'll have a quarter of a bagel with just a touch of cream cheese. Or maybe I'll make myself a healthy banana split. I use sliced bananas, cottage cheese and drizzle it with fat-free apricot preserves. I don't eat the same thing for breakfast every morning. I'd end up getting bored.I remember the days when breakfast was just about the biggest meal of the day for me. See, when I was growing up, every morning my father would prepare a breakfast fit for a king. He'd make bacon, sausage, fried or scrambled eggs, hash browns, grits with melted cheddar cheese, toast and plenty of orange juice. Oh, I can close my eyes and still taste those incredible breakfasts my father used to make for us at 926 St. Louis Street in New Orleans! But I'll tell you, those were not the "Breakfasts of Champions." They were more like the Breakfasts of Overweight People!

Now heres a fact you should know. People who don't eat breakfast actually increase their risk of ganging weight. Studies have found that people who skip breakfast a lot were four times more likely to end up becoming obese. Now I know that a lot of you don't have breakfast because you claim to "not have time." Well, after reading today's message, I hope you'll begin making time to have a healthy breakfast each morning. It's that important!So let me say again, please, make time for breakfast! It'll give you the strength and energy you'll need to get your day off to a good start while taking care of your body's nutritional needs as you begin your day.Tomorrow morning, I'm going to make a small pancake and top it with a teaspoon of peanut butter and cinnamon. And how will you break your fast in the morning? Love,