The [Real] Breakfast of Champions

It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The result of this statement has somehow shifted from the most important to mean the largest meal of the day. It is true that mornings are the most fasted time of the american diet. Approximately 8-10 hours of time separates our last meal from breakfast. This is why it is called break-fast.

This fasted state provides an opportunity to flood our system with nutrients. Most people recognize this as proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but our intention should be on micronutrients rather than macronutrients. 

Quality over Quantity

We should be focused on the density of the meal rather than the quantity of it. For those of us who do eat breakfast, we should seize the opportunity to nourish our body when it is most receptive. Ensuring that we feed with the vitamins, minerals, omegas, bacteria (yep), cofactors and so forth. 

Let’s be honest, the day gets away from us. It is much easier to control our breakfast than it is to control our lunch or dinner. Since our willpower is the highest in the morning, the early hours are the opportunity we need to be certain we are fueling up each aspect of our anatomy. During these early hours it is a good idea to be rigid and system oriented allowing for more food expression as the day progresses. 

Start Strong > Finish Strong

Gary Keller, the author of the best selling book “The One Thing” stated (I will paraphrase) recently in an episode of “The Tim Ferriss Show” that a life scheduled and filled from beginning to end doesn’t make for such a good life. However, he indicated that we should be achievement oriented in the early hours, ending around noon. At this point we can relax a little bit so that we appreciate the other side of living.

This makes great sense nutritionally. Getting to noon with a scheduled food plan setup for nutrient achievement would be huge progress in the lives of many. Most likely, the system you set in place for these early hours will continue to carry over for the remainder of your day. This carry-over will make you more conscious of the decisions you make even without such struct rules. 

A REAL Breakfast of Champions used to look like a bowl of cheerios (I personally love cheerios) but now thanks to innovation and awareness, is generally referred to as a superfood smoothie. This is exactly what I do and what I suggest for many individuals with a recipe that can vary but is best served with the following ingredients. 

The Success Seeker Smoothie

Ingredients

2 Cups Mixed Greens

1 Cup Blueberries

1 Cup Cold-Water

¼ Cup Coconut flakes

1 ½ Scoop Whey Isolate Powder

1 Scoop Effective Greens Powder (Optional But Recommended!)

These ingredients all have a specific purpose and can serve a benefit beyond the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats they provide. 

Mixed Greens: Adding in a variety of mixed greens essentially gives you a salad in a smoothie. By blending the greens you help breakdown the fibers so that the vitamins and minerals become more readily available. Your greens should vary from time to time but should include 3-types if possible. 

Blueberries: While there are many other berries with benefits, blueberries fit this recipe for success. Blueberries have been shown to increase levels of BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) which can have a direct result on focus as well as long-term brain health. In addition, they are one of the best anti-oxidants you can find. 

Cold-Water: Probably a no-brainer but water will not only help with hydration but also with nutrient delivery. 

Coconut Flakes: Coconuts secretly carry the fat MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) which are a fat worth including in your diet. MCT oil is directly sold (and I personally use it) for a number of reasons but we should also respect the origin in which it comes from. Coconut not only contains these MCT’s but also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects. It is like a cleanse for your gut!

BONUS: The fats help increase the bio-availability of the vitamins found in the other ingredients.

Whey Isolate Powder: As a proprietor of Whey Isolate it is easy for me to pitch you on the benefits. Sticking to the main benefits however, Whey Isolate contains a rich source of essential amino acids which will help with muscle recovery and growth. Oh, by the way, your brain is a muscle as well. Not having enough protein in the diet can cause atrophy (shrinking) of this muscle…

Effective Greens: This supplement has more benefits than we can list here but lets focus exclusively on Reishi Mushroom. Reishi is one of the best immune system ingredients on the market. Reishi also makes for a great stress reducer. This will prove helpful as your day progressively gets busier and your workload increases. Which also lowers our immune system so it’s a good thing you have your Reishi!

Combine all of these ingredients and blend into a single drink. The result will be taking advantage of both nature as it exists and science as it has evolved. Moderate in calories but off the charts in micro and phytonutrients, the Success Seeker Smoothie is a drink that will offer benefits for years to come. 

The first part of your day is the most important part of your day. While we do not want to become the Hare, that takes a nap because he is so far ahead of the Tortoise, getting off to a head start is never a bad idea. It is better to coast into the finish line rather than play catch up, because you got started off on the wrong foot. 

Give this smoothie a try and let us know what you think.