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While many people start the new year with tons of health and wellness goals, I wanted a different approach and reflect on all the progress I made while identifying some areas that needed more focus. Breakfast is one area I was not as consistent as I would like and after reading chapter 2 of “Integrative Nutrition” by Joshua Rosenthal (see link if you would like to purchase book here – https://amzn.to/42iE4EX), I was motivated to complete an exercise that is suggested towards the end of the chapter.
The exercise consists on eating seven breakfast choices and reflect on how your body feels right after eating it and one to two hours after. Our bodies and daily activities are all different and our dietary choices need to approached with an awareness of our uniqueness and bio-individuality. I am not a nutritionist or registered dietitian and by any no means attempt to provide specific nutritional advice. These are just results of my own experience trying different breakfast choices and my goal was to tune into my body and bring the mindfulness piece to eating breakfast in order to get a guide on what to choose.
While some choices may work best for me, there may be different choices that are optimal for you. Here are my findings:
Day 1 – Scrambled eggs – I had them with some blackberries and coffee, and I was surprised that I felt satisfied even 2 hours after eating it, mind was sharp and focused.
Day 2 – Scrambled tofu – I prepared it with red peppers and onions, paprika, turmeric, olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. While in terms of taste, I prefer eggs, I had a similar result in sharpness and focus as day 1.
Day 3 – Oatmeal – I prepared overnight old fashioned oatmeal and added some ground flaxseed and made it with almond milk and sliced bananas. I was satisfied right after but felt the need for a mid morning snack.
Day 4 – Bagel with cream cheese and Jelly (Book suggested to try boxed breakfast cereal but I don’t really eat any so I swapped for something I actually pick) – I enjoyed it but a few minutes after I felt sleepy then by 10 am I was hitting a low.
Day 5 – Muffin and Coffee – I got the blueberry muffin. It didn’t satisfy me and I felt I needed to eat something in addition to the muffin.
Day 6 – Fresh Fruit Smoothie – I purchased a fruit smoothie, I didn’t feel as satisfied and about an hour after I was looking for a snack. Note that this only had fruit and no protein powder, veggies or other add-ons that would make it a balanced protein shake that I prepare at home and recommend to my clients.
Day 7 – Fresh Green Juice and handful of nuts – I was a bit skeptical because I believe that fiber is needed to keep you full. I didn’t feel heavy and my mind felt clear but I was hungry less than an hour after. I am sure I got great nutrients but felt that I needed more fiber and texture for that satisfied feeling.
CONCLUSION – While foods are not necessarily good or bad, performing this exercise made me aware that my body seems to function better when I have a lower carb, higher protein breakfast. As a personal goal and choice, I am going to choose eggs or tofu for breakfast on days that I know I have a lot of intense tasks to complete and that the bagel, muffin and oatmeal may be best choices for lazy mornings on the weekends when I can relax and don’t have a lot of complex tasks or meetings back to back.
See attached a one-page form that you can print and use to perform your own mindful breakfast exercise. Please share in the comments or send me an email with your experience, I would love to hear how it has helped you tune into what makes your body feel the best and how it may impact your breakfast choices in the future.
If you are interested in getting support of a health coach to get a thorough assessment of your health and work on building healthy habits that support your wellness goals, feel free to contact me at hello@jennypena.com. My current offerings are always listed here – https://jennypena.com/
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