Start your day the breakfast way
RIGHT FUEL IN THE MORNING AND YOU’RE MOTORING
Breakfast remains the most important meal of the day, yet breakfast time is often treated like a “snack on the go” and doesn’t command the respect it deserves. If you are serious about your health and serious about your sports performance then you need to listen up.
See the value of breakfast like a video game “powerbar”. When you are low on juice, you need to do anything to try and find the right fuel source to power up. Failing to find the right fuel for your body ends up being a bad day at the office or poor performance on the field.
Here’s why. On average, supper will be served between six and seven and for most athletes bedtime would have to mean no later than 9pm if you are going to get your essential eight hours of sleep before waking up at 5am. Breakfast is eaten only usually round 6.30am or 7am in the morning. That means your body has gone nine to 10 hours without some sort of fuel source.
During sleep, your body is very active, using last night’s supper as the fuel source to make sure you are ready to rock the next morning. Let’s say you missed breakfast because there was simply just no time, it means your next meal will be between 14 and 16 hours later.
Most lunches are not gourmet affairs, but instead a classic sandwich comprising of a cheese spread, marmite or peanut butter and jam. The quality of your lunchtime meal at the office or at school is far from nutritious or rich in nutrients.
Ask yourself an important question. Do you think your body is just a machine you can use and abuse at will, and then when competition time comes, you ask it to perform and fire on all cylinders?
It doesn’t work like that, my friend. You need to treat your body with respect. If results, high performance and longevity in your sports career means anything to you then that respect starts in the preparation of your meals and kick-starting your day off like a champion. The epidemics of worldwide breakfasts around the world starts with a cereal box and don’t let me get started on why most cereals are not good for you. There has been some advancement in cereal technology such as Future Life but these companies are few and far between.
The focus of this article is to change two small behaviours
1: Stop eating so many sugary cereals for breakfast; and,
2: Add 20gm of protein to your breakfast in any natural shape or form.
Proteins, unlike carbs, take longer to digest, which means your concentration, memory and mood are going to be calm.
Teachers and bosses out there, you’re welcome. By adding protein to the start of the day you will be supercharging your day for success. I could tell you to add nuts, fruit, yoghurt, low GI toast with almond butter as well, but that is purely up to you. All I want from you Spartans is more protein and less sugar.
A small note on supplementation. Protein shakes have their place for high performing athletes but the reason they call them supplements is because you are supplementing a GOOD NUTRITIONAL plan. You are not using it as a substitute. Great nutrition which leads to great performance starts with making sure you have power meals filled with nutrients that matter. Once you have perfected your plan, then with expert advice, seek to supplement your training with a protein shake.