Hey Team,
Breakfast- what the hell is it supposed to consist of? The meal isn’t a one size fits all approach, despite what the latest TikTok may say. If you were to ask what the “ideal” breakfast is, my answer will always be “it depends.”
Are you going for a run? Are you going for a lift? Are you going straight into office work? Are you traveling? Are you taking a rest day? Are you going to a conference?
You get the picture.
Here are 3 of my general breakfast guidelines:
1.) The Cleanse: Before solids hit your palette, it’s important to hydrate from a night of sleep. As you snooze your body is working diligently to flush out toxins, repair muscles, and break down food. That’s right, when you’re in dreamland it puts out the traffic cones for a round of nighttime construction. Help finish the job with an 8 oz. glass of water, add a sprinkle of salt and a splash of lemon for optimal absorption. This should essentially serve as step one for the day. If you want to go for the daily double, follow it up with cleansing herbs. My daily mix is a ginger & turmeric blend.
Danielle’s Not-So-Secret Shot:
- Add 1 medium ginger root
- Add 1 small turmeric root
- Add 1 whole lemon
- Add 8 oz. coconut water
- Blend all ingredients
- Strain into glass container
- Pour for daily morning shots
*If you’re feeling spicy, add in cayenne powder prior to blending
2.) Daily Adaptation: The macros you eat in the morning should serve as fuel. If you’re hitting the road for a run, aim for quick carbs like fruit (yes they are carbs), or my favorite pre long run food- a potato. Yup. A solo spud after my water, ginger shot and glass of greens. Generally if I’m going straight into work or a lowkey gym session, my standard breakfast is carbless with high protein emphasis. This could be eggs cooked to your liking, some veggies or a blended protein smoothie. Remember that traditional American breakfasts were a construct of marketing. There’s no reason your morning meal can’t be savory and nutritious. Skip the sugar.
3.) Follow Through: Some people don’t wake up hungry. I’m a big believer in not forcing food if your body isn’t feeling it. Maybe you ate late the night before, or it’s the day after a relatively stagnant day. Intuitive fueling is one of the most helpful skills you can work on. If you happen to skip food before your morning workout, make it a priority to nourish your body fairly quickly after. You likely just blew through the remaining glycogen stores from the day before and you’re going to very quickly begin to feel the effects of lower blood sugar. Grab some carbs, a quality, clean protein, and start the recovery process strong.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be rocket science, but it should be something that leaves you energized and ready, not sluggish and bogged down. Experiment to find what works best for you and don’t quit on the ginger shots too quickly. You’ll be surprised how quickly your body adapts to goodness.
Until next time. 👋
