Issue 051

June 2009

If you’re skipping breakfast then you’re falling at the first hurdle of your nutritional needs. Get ready for the day with a belly full of breakfast.  

Are you the kind of guy whose breakfast usually consists of a hastily quaffed cup of coffee, usually containing enough caffeine to fell a horse? Or are you the sugar-coated cereal and milk type who still munches the same brand you did when you were in school? If you’re either of the above, then you’re likely to be found face down at your desk sometime around midmorning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and yet it is possibly the one people pay least attention to. How often do you think, “I’ll grab something on the way to work,” only to be confronted with a counter full of nutritionally devoid cakes and pastries that even pigeons won’t touch? With a little planning and forethought, breakfast shouldn’t be a challenge, even for the latest-rising, bleary-eyed bunch of you.  

Laying the foundation

Starting the day with an empty stomach is about as worthwhile for those with an active lifestyle as skipping any other meal. As you’ll have gone anywhere between eight to ten hours since last eating, it’s crucially important that you refuel before jumping headfirst into a hectic day’s worth of work and training. Without a good meal to start the day you will soon feel low in energy.  

They key to a good breakfast is ensuring it contains everything your body needs. This isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Low glycemic carbs will make sure your muscles have enough fuel to get through the rigors of the day ahead, while fruit will give you the vitamins you need for healthy body functions.  

Eating oatmeal (or porridge) is one of the best ways to get a good breakfast inside you, and the three following recipes can all be put together in less than five minutes.  


The busy guy’s breakfast

  • Oatmeal
  • Cup of milk
  • Handful of frozen berries
  • Scoop of protein powder
  • Natural honey to taste

Take a cup of oatmeal and mix with a cup of low-fat milk. Stir in the frozen berries. Microwave for one minute. Remove and add the protein powder, stir well and microwave for another minute, taking care the oats do not dry out (add a drop more milk if necessary). Remove, add honey to taste (no more than one teaspoon) and serve. Total cooking time should be less than three minutes.  

The power breakfast

  • Oatmeal
  • Cup of milk
  • Ground flaxseed
  • Peanut Butter
  • Half a banana

If you’re not too bothered about weight classes, need a particularly filling meal or are looking to bulk up, add a tablespoon of peanut butter along with a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your bowl of oats. Cook for two minutes, chop-in half a banana and serve.  


The lean breakfast

  • One cup of yoghurt
  • Handful of rolled oats
  • Sprinkle of pumpkin and sunflower seeds
  • Handful of sliced almonds
  • Diced apple
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon

If you’re cutting weight or looking to trim down that waistline, forgo the milk, halve the amount of oats you would usually have and try this recipe instead. Add a handful of oats to a cup of low-fat yoghurt, sprinkle on the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, add the diced apple and sliced almonds and finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  


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