Source: paparazzioops.net via Amber on Pinterest

Approximately 25 percent of Americans skip breakfast on a daily basis.

There is a common thread of reasons:

My stomach isn’t ready in the morning.

It makes me feel heavy.

It makes me feel nauseous.

I don’t have time.

Also, the rules of healthy eating have changed, modernized and evolved so much over the past decade. Is it still the most important meal of the day?

Some skip breakfast due to dieting and trying to lose weight. Cutting out calories by skipping your morning meal is actually extremely counter productive. A small, light meal can jump start your metabolism, give you more energy and prevent you from getting hungry throughout the day, avoiding binge eating out of extreme hunger late afternoon.

Many of us substitute a cup of coffee for breakfast, which can definitely give us a jolt of energy, but not necessarily the type of fuel our bodies need. While a little bit of caffeine can have positive health benefits, it shouldn’t be used alone as your morning fuel—it just tricks the body into having energy instead of providing it with sustenance.

If you are not used to eating breakfast it can definitely feel awkward and forced to start. Our stomachs feel smaller in the morning from going hours without food while we are asleep and starting with a gigantic meal may be too overwhelming for some of us. Though breakfast has been recommended to be the largest meal of the day, depending on your schedule it can work best to just have something light for breakfast and then a few hours into your day when you start to have more of an appetite, have a hearty lunch.

As a former “Coffee only” breakfast person, I completely understand the importance of a morning cup of Joe!

Caffeine in moderation also has some awesome health benefits. It’s a mood booster, stimulates your central nervous system, increases metabolism, contains antioxidants which lower your risk of heart disease and increases mental focus.

What I have come up with is a no-fuss way to have a healthy, light breakfast, including your morning cup of coffee all in one delicious beverage! It’s a smoothie I have designed over the course of a few months of slowly integrating breakfast into my own routine.

It keeps me full for approximately three hours and provides me with a few hundred calories to jump start my metabolism, count as a small meal, and give me energy to begin my work day, or morning exercise routine. I’m far less tired, cranky, and feel more focused for sure.

This is only my own personal preference as far as flavors and ingredients that work with my diet but you can play around with all kinds of different recipes.

I start with brewing a pot of coffee, French press, espresso—whatever your caffeine preference is!

While my coffee is brewing, I break up a banana into a blender. Fruit is a great breakfast food, provides natural sugar, is light, and the potassium is great for sore muscles from yoga!

1-2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Contains protein, and the healthy bacteria to keep our digestive systems on track. If looking for a vegan substitute you can take 1-2 tablespoons of oatmeal and water, microwave it for one minute to soften and toss it in!

1-2 tablespoons of organic peanut butter. Great source of protein and healthy fat to burn during your morning workout.

1-2 tablespoons of honey. Excellent natural sweetener. You can substitute with the same amount of crystallized coconut sap for a lower glycemic content or agave, whichever works best for you!

1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Great source of antioxidants and of course who doesn’t love the chocolate, banana, peanut butter combo?

A teaspoon of flax seeds can be a nice addition for fiber.

Lastly, I add a small strong cup of brewed coffee or a couple shots of espresso right into the blender and blend until smooth. The measurements are to taste, or depending on how many calories and how thick and hearty you want your smoothie to be! This has become ceremonial and probably my favorite meal of the day.

Give your own breakfast ritual a try!

Angela Melissa Diaz is a self-proclaimed ecofashionista and thrift store/vintage clothing junkie. She’s writing for the ecofashion and wellness sections of elephant as well as bringing her social butterfly skills to the social media team. If you cannot get in touch with her via any forms of technology, she’s on her yoga mat flowing through vinyasas at 90 plus degrees or studying for her certification in health and wellness counseling. She hopes to save the world from bad food choices and stagnant lifestyles while reminding everyone to breathe and laugh as much as possible. You can reach her at [email protected] or find her on Facebook.

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