Breakfast is undeniably a key meal of the day and kickstarts the morning. However, no matter how early your start is, it’s important to set the tone for the day if weight loss is your goal. Losing weight is a struggle for many but simple tweaks could easily help the process.
Working from home during the coronavirus pandemic has seen many people’s routines change.
With more time to play with as a result of less commuting, mornings can now be more of a relaxed affair.
This could lead to switching on the television to catch up on the news or a favourite show.
However, if you’re trying to lose weight, this could hinder your progress.
Watching television while eating is a huge no-no for dieters.
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This is because you cease to focus on the food you’re eating.
Such an approach can result in not feeling satisfied at the end of the meal and wanting to eat more.
It’s key to be aware of what you’re putting into your mouth.
“Being focused on the TV takes away the mindfulness of eating and the appreciation of the flavours and textures of the foods you’re putting in your mouth, as well as the size of the portions that you’re eating,” The Nutrition Twins, authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure, told nutrition and health website Eat This.
Dieters are advised to take their time when eating breakfast.
Keep screens off and chew consciously and without distraction.
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The same rule applies to snacking when watching TV – you’ll likely end up consuming more so don’t give in to temptation.
There are a number of other mistakes you should steer clear of if you want to shift the pounds.
The good news is that working from home can make one error easier to avoid.
It’s inadvisable to eat breakfast when you’re not actually hungry yet.
When you’re rushing off to the office, eating breakfast after rising may seem like the only option.
But if you’re still based at home you can most likely eat when suits you – which could benefit your diet.
Julieanna Hever, a plant-based dietitian and author of The Vegiterranean Diet and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition, told Eat This that it’s key to listen to your body.
“Try tuning into your natural hunger/satiety signals and have breakfast only once you are truly physically hungry,” she said.
“Your body knows best about how much and when you need to eat.”
That said, dieters should not be tempted to skip breakfast altogether.
“It’s vital you eat the right number of calories in this first meal of the day, Stephanie Clarke, RD, and Willow Jarosh, RD, of C&J Nutrition told PopSugar.
“It’ll leave you feeling hungry soon after eating, which will cause you to need more food and can translate to more calories consumed over the course of the entire day,” they said.
For those looking to slim down, between 300 and 350 calories should be eaten at breakfast.