Do you need to eat breakfast?

This is one of the most common nutrition questions I get asked.

A lot of people don't eat breakfast because they just aren't hungry in the mornings. And that's totally fine. If you're getting through your day without breakfast and feeling satisfied and energised, then you can probably get away with not eating breakfast.

However, if you're skipping breakfast and you find yourself having cravings in the afternoon or keep reaching for snacks, this could be a sign that your body isn't sufficiently fuelled. In this case, it may be beneficial for you to include breakfast in your day.

When people do have breakfast, a big mistake that they make is that they're not consuming a GOOD breakfast. A piece of toast or a small bowl of cereal is not a sufficient breakfast! For your body to be adequately fuelled and receive essential nutrients, your breakfast needs to include the following:

- A source of protein such as eggs, yogurt or high protein bread

- Healthy carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread, oats or sourdough

- Healthy fats such as avocado, yogurt or cheese

- Either fruits and/or vegetables

Including these in your breakfast will ensure that you are fuelled throughout the day and are less likely to resort to snacking or making poor food choices later on. Ensuring you have a good breakfast can be time consuming, so I recommended preparing things in advance where possible.

Below are some breakfast ideas I would recommend:

- Avocado and eggs on sourdough or wholegrain bread

- High protein muesli with high protein yogurt and berries

- Vegetable and feta omelette with sourdough or wholegrain bread

- Protein powder shake with milk, banana, dates and peanut butter

- Oats with protein powder and milk, topped with berries and yogurt