best fitness oriented breakfasts

conor2469

Personally when I wake up in the morning I find that I'm not in the mood for eating anything. However i always make myself eat something because it is apparently the most important meal of the day, or so I've heard. However these meals never amount to anything more substantial than a brown scone and some cereal, or toast.
Has anyone got any suggestions for some healthy, nutrient packed, easy to prepare morning food that would hold me over for a few hours until lunch?

Any help appreciated, cheers in advance.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Porridge is your best bet. I hate the stuff personally, so i go with Weetabix which is apparently a close second. You could throw the oats into a smoothie though... which is what I'm gonna start doing when I get a blender!

An Citeog

+1 for porridge. Add a bit of flaxseed, some variety of nuts and a spoon of honey or whatever you want to give it a bit more flavour. If you're getting sick of porridge every morning, try scrambled eggs. Add in a bit of smoked salmon or some chopped chives to give it a bit more colour and flavour aswell.

4Xcut

IS there a marked difference between readybreak and proper porridge, just the former is much handier.

eclectichoney

I cook my jumbo oats in the microwave - takes about 4 mins or so, and then a minute to stand, so it's just as handy imho.

phelixoflaherty

Porridge. It's the only thing.
You can add sultanas, toasted seeds spud anything. plus unlike boxed cereals damn all added salt or sugar.
Cheaper so you can save and buy yourself a sweatband

conor2469

ok thanks guys this is gold, lot of people mentioned porridge, what kind of figures is that throwing up for a single serving in terms of calories etc? I eat scrambled eggs quite a bit and really like it; 3 eggs, some milk and you're good to go, protein is a definite plus for me. Could this lead to cholesterol problems?

Cravez

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Porridge is your best bet. I hate the stuff personally, so i go with Weetabix which is apparently a close second. You could throw the oats into a smoothie though... which is what I'm gonna start doing when I get a blender!

It's an acquired taste . I personally didnt like porridge at first, but then started adding a desert spoon of honey into it and makes such a difference. My main source of carbs has been nothing but oatmeal for the past 2 months and the difference compared to eating white, refined or sugary carbs is astonishing. Iv dropped so much bloat and water weight that i look a few kilo's lighter but look a bit more leaner and thicker. Since i train in the mornings, Porridge w/ milk + whey & a banana does the trick for me.

WolfForager

Am i the only person who eats Muesli?

Was eating porridge for 2 months, was gradually adding more sugar so i had to stop or it'd be more sugar than porridge!

accensi0n

WolfForager wrote: »

Am i the only person who eats Muesli?

Was eating porridge for 2 months, was gradually adding more sugar so i had to stop or it'd be more sugar than porridge!

Yep, muesli and eggs for myself.

Blacktie.

Porridge wit banana and a handful of almonds for me. I have a hard boiled egg every morning aswell. O and a few glasses of milk. Tasty!

BraziliaNZ

porridge oats, just throw in some hot water, microwave for 20 seconds, then add yoghurt to taste, best breakfast ever

Colm_OReilly

conor2469 wrote: »

ok thanks guys this is gold, lot of people mentioned porridge, what kind of figures is that throwing up for a single serving in terms of calories etc? I eat scrambled eggs quite a bit and really like it; 3 eggs, some milk and you're good to go, protein is a definite plus for me. Could this lead to cholesterol problems?

Nope, you're onto a winner with eggs for breakfast.

Macha

conor2469 wrote: »

ok thanks guys this is gold, lot of people mentioned porridge, what kind of figures is that throwing up for a single serving in terms of calories etc? I eat scrambled eggs quite a bit and really like it; 3 eggs, some milk and you're good to go, protein is a definite plus for me. Could this lead to cholesterol problems?

I'm female and I'd have 1/2 cup (c. 40g), which is about 150 calories. So if you double that, you'll have around 300 calories plus whatever you put on it.

I like throwing in a few berries (the Boylans frozen ones), then when it's cooked, adding cinnamon & vanilla protein powder - tastes great.

AFAIK, eggs have a bad rep but high cholesterol is more genetic than diet-related. There are more than a few lifters that eat 2+ eggs/day with no problems.

RoosterIllusion

4Xcut wrote: »

IS there a marked difference between readybreak and proper porridge, just the former is much handier.

Get oatmeal, it's like a finer grain of porridge, cooks much faster and I now eat it instead of porridge because I find it easier to stomach in the morning.

corkcomp

RoosterIllusion wrote: »

Get oatmeal, it's like a finer grain of porridge, cooks much faster and I now eat it instead of porridge because I find it easier to stomach in the morning.

it also packs a serious ammount of fibre!! 100g has around 15g of fibre .. I think the protein content is higher than porridge also

rubadub

People are recommending porridge, but it is really oats they are recommending. i.e. there is no need to cook the oats. Museli is just oats and nuts & fruit. you can add your own mixture, and fresh fruit is more filling.

conor2469 wrote: »

ok thanks guys this is gold, lot of people mentioned porridge, what kind of figures is that throwing up for a single serving in terms of calories etc? I eat scrambled eggs quite a bit and really like it; 3 eggs, some milk and you're good to go,

Just add the oats into the eggs & milk and make oat pancakes. More here

corkcomp wrote: »

it also packs a serious ammount of fibre!! 100g has around 15g of fibre .. I think the protein content is higher than porridge also

If you want fibre get some oat bran or wheat bran, think it has 66g fibre per 100g!

corkcomp

rubadub wrote: »

People are recommending porridge, but it is really oats they are recommending. i.e. there is no need to cook the oats. Museli is just oats and nuts & fruit. you can add your own mixture, and fresh fruit is more filling.


Just add the oats into the eggs & milk and make oat pancakes. More here



If you want fibre get some oat bran or wheat bran, think it has 66g fibre per 100g!

does anyone else find that muesli isnt that filling? 100g of porridge cooked is a fairly large bowl and it keeps me full for ages but eating 100g of oats with milk and some fruit just doesnt have the same fullness factor?

eclectichoney

corkcomp wrote: »

does anyone else find that muesli isnt that filling? 100g of porridge cooked is a fairly large bowl and it keeps me full for ages but eating 100g of oats with milk and some fruit just doesnt have the same fullness factor?

Maybe it's because you don't drink water with it (as would be the case if you made it into porridge). Or it could be a psychological food volume thing (I find this with nuts)

100g of porridge though? You must need a big bowl :eek::eek:

Reyman

Porridge can be a bit of a gooey start to the morning. I take lots of oatmeal 150 gms raw, with 25gms of flaxseed in about a pint of warm milk. I'd say that runs to around 750 calories.

It sets me up for the morning - smashing!

Magic Eight Ball

All this talk of Porridge has me craving it now.. :pac:
+ whatever for Porridge!

Colm_OReilly

A little food for thought for you porridge lovers out there:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/uncategorized/a-cautionary-tale-of-mucus-fore-and-aft/

j@utis

+1 for porridge, but my favorite is wholemeal bread toast with peanut butter and banana yummeee!.

scquinn

I eat porridge every morning with some cottage cheese, raisins, sunflower seeds mixed in, sometimes ill add chocolate whey instead of cottage cheese, lovely!

DéiseGirl

j@utis wrote: »

+1 for porridge, but my favorite is wholemeal bread toast with peanut butter and banana yummeee!.

that's my favourite breakfast as well. I'd *nearly* be looking forward to waking up on the mornings I'm having that

davmol

4Xcut wrote: »

IS there a marked difference between readybreak and proper porridge, just the former is much handier.

WELL, im in the same boat ...so whats the deal ???Is ready brek in the same league as 'SUPER' porridge or not?
I like ready brek easier to prepare and not as sludgy as porridge

WolfForager

corkcomp wrote: »

does anyone else find that muesli isnt that filling? 100g of porridge cooked is a fairly large bowl and it keeps me full for ages but eating 100g of oats with milk and some fruit just doesnt have the same fullness factor?

I eat roughly the same amount of Muesli as i did porridge, i have my breckie around 7.30, when i ate porridge i was hungry at 10, but muesli keeps me going to 11! Great stuff.

An Citeog

Never add the whey before you cook the oats, unless you're looking for wallpaper paste. I learned that the hard way!:o

banshee_bones

Hi all, same position as the OP but iv always felt porridge as too sickly or something but i may try it with honey think it was coz i was eating its on its own! was told theres alot of sugar in museli so wouldnt have classed it as the 'healthy' option!

Macha

rubadub wrote: »

People are recommending porridge, but it is really oats they are recommending. i.e. there is no need to cook the oats. Museli is just oats and nuts & fruit. you can add your own mixture, and fresh fruit is more filling.

Yeah, probably best to make your own muesli as many store-bought versions have added sugar.

davmol wrote: »

WELL, im in the same boat ...so whats the deal ???Is ready brek in the same league as 'SUPER' porridge or not?
I like ready brek easier to prepare and not as sludgy as porridge

Ready Brek isn't as good as porridge (ie oats) because it is more processed. Basically it is finely milled oats, whereas ideally you should be going for the Jumbo Oats (eg Flahavans organic ones...yum...). Finely milled oats are going to be more easy for your body to digest, meaning that you will digest them more quickly and so be hungry more quickly.

Essentially, the difference is that jumbo oats are lower GI than finely milled oats or pinhead oatmeal or even normal oats so they will keep you fuller for longer and will keep your blood sugar levels lower.

Reyman

taconnol wrote: »

ideally you should be going for the Jumbo Oats (eg Flahavans organic ones...yum...). Finely milled oats are going to be more easy for your body to digest, meaning that you will digest them more quickly and so be hungry more quickly.

Essentially, the difference is that jumbo oats are lower GI than finely milled oats or pinhead oatmeal or even normal oats so they will keep you fuller for longer and will keep your blood sugar levels lower.

I second that - Jumbo oats. They're you're only man!

Forget all that sugary muesli stuff. Have a couple of spoons of sugar after your oats if you need a fix.

davyjose

Eggs for me.

I rarely find myself in a situation where I can't get enough carbohydrates throughout the day, if I need them, so I don't fill up on carbs at the start of the day(or any other meal), if I can help it.

brettmirl

Porridge with a bit of cinnamon. Yum Yum.

big_poppa

conor2469 wrote: »

ok thanks guys this is gold, lot of people mentioned porridge, what kind of figures is that throwing up for a single serving in terms of calories etc? I eat scrambled eggs quite a bit and really like it; 3 eggs, some milk and you're good to go, protein is a definite plus for me. Could this lead to cholesterol problems?

Scrambled eggs for me made with 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg, milk, lil butter and cottage cheese blend it all together in to the pot taste's amazing does the job but you cant beat a few oats always feel full for ages

Static M.e.

Sorry to revive this from a few days ago but I would someone to clarify one point for me please.

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Porridge is your best bet. I hate the stuff personally, so i go with Weetabix which is apparently a close second.

Is this anyway true?

I dont like Porridge so I eat Museli but I would prefer Weetabix

WolfForager

Don't be a pansy, eat muesli!



Yes you heard me.

Now if you want me i'll be hiding out in my panic room.

celestial

Static M.e. wrote: »

Sorry to revive this from a few days ago but I would someone to clarify one point for me please.



Is this anyway true?

I dont like Porridge so I eat Museli but I would prefer Weetabix

Weetabix is ok - 4% sugar versus sugar free Alpen which is 15% sugar!

g5hn710m4xpdwy

I'v switched from having 2 slices of buttered or marmalade on toast to 2 weetabix (dry) with half a spoon of suger. Hope it's healthyer.

Jam-Fly

Scrambled egg whites. Can't go wrong with these, esp if you're training/lifting in the morning.
If you find egg whites a bit boring, having egg whites with some beans is good too.

All Bran and/or scrambled egg white is a good breakfast too.

I wouldn't reccommend a smoothie in the morning (if you're working out before 3pm) as these tend to be quite acidic which is not good if you'll be getting the heart pumping.

copacetic

Static M.e. wrote: »

Sorry to revive this from a few days ago but I would someone to clarify one point for me please.



Is this anyway true?

I dont like Porridge so I eat Museli but I would prefer Weetabix

I find Weetabix works for me. Probably about the healthiest option of the packaged cereals imo. I like it with a little honey or banana.

Would personally say it is better than Museli if it is shop bought as they tend to be loaded with sugar.

jaggiebunnet

always porridge and banana for me and if that is not available then weetabix with low fat milk - no sugar on it..takes a while to adjust to the taste but you do eventually.

I'v switched from having 2 slices of buttered or marmalade on toast to 2 weetabix (dry) with half a spoon of suger

are you saying you have weetabix without milk ? :eek:

Static M.e.

WolfForager wrote: »

Don't be a pansy, eat muesli!

I spend half my morning picking out all the bits I dont like, back to Weetabix I go. Thank you all

cozmik

celestial wrote: »

Weetabix is ok - 4% sugar versus sugar free Alpen which is 15% sugar!

Most of the 15% sugar in the Alpen would be from the added raisins while most of the 4% in weetabix comes from added sugar. Personally I think the raisins are better for you.

rubadub

Jam-Fly wrote: »

All Bran and/or scrambled egg white is a good breakfast too.

People just automatically think all bran, or bran flakes are "good", because they taste bland and the ads tell them they are "good".


All bran

Ingredients
Wheat Bran (86%), Sugar, Barley Malt Flavouring, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Salt, Niacin, Iron, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12.

17% sugar


Bran Flakes

Ingredients
Wholewheat, Wheatbran (21%), Sugar, Salt, Barley Malt Flavouring, Honey, Niacin, Iron, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12.

22% sugar

Most of the 15% sugar in the Alpen would be from the added raisins while most of the 4% in weetabix comes from added sugar. Personally I think the raisins are better for you.

+1, there will also be a little naturally occurring sugar in the grains.

People are surprised that weetabix is perhaps the best of a bad bunch, yet think branflakes are fine, just shows the power of marketing.

copacetic

have to disagree with people saying the sugar in Alpen is from raisins, when I get to the bottom of a bowl of alpen there is a pile of sugar flavoured milk that you don't get in other cereals.

corkcomp

rubadub wrote: »

People just automatically think all bran, or bran flakes are "good", because they taste bland and the ads tell them they are "good".


All bran

17% sugar


Bran Flakes

22% sugar


+1, there will also be a little naturally occurring sugar in the grains.

People are surprised that weetabix is perhaps the best of a bad bunch, yet think branflakes are fine, just shows the power of marketing.

your right about the bran flakes but lets remember folks there are different levels of "healthy" when it comes to breakfast choices, Bran flakes may not be as good as porridge oats but they are still better than hash browns and sausages from the deli! I reckon if people go around saying weetabix is not healthy (even if you have a huge helping of 4 pieces your getting very little sugar, but lots of fiber etc) it could put people off making changes to their diet - same goes for the readybrek vs jumbo oats, personally I prefer jumbo oats but many people may find readybrek better / more convenient and overall its a reasonably good breakfast choice

cozmik

copacetic wrote: »

have to disagree with people saying the sugar in Alpen is from raisins, when I get to the bottom of a bowl of alpen there is a pile of sugar flavoured milk that you don't get in other cereals.

The raisins ae listed higher on the ingredients list than the dried skimmed milk so I think it's fair to say they account for most of the sugar.

corkcomp

cozmik wrote: »

The raisins ae listed higher on the ingredients list than the dried skimmed milk so I think it's fair to say they account for most of the sugar.

Hard to know TBH, but i have noticed the sugary milk at the bottom of the bowl also .. I dont think raisins "give off" much sugar when mixed with other dry ingredients ... e.g. When i have homemade muesli with jumbo oats, oat bran and raisins / dried fruit I dont get the sugary milk?

rubadub

Alpen original

Wholegrain Wheat (37%), Wholegrain Rolled Oats (36%), Raisins (14%) (Flame Raisins, Raisins), Sugar, Dried Skimmed Milk, Roasted Sliced Nuts (2.5%) (Hazelnuts & Almonds), Milk Whey Powder, Malted Barley Extract, Salt

but the other poster was talking of sugar free alpen

Wholegrain Wheat (42%), Wholegrain Rolled Oats (36%), Raisins (15%), Dried Skimmed Milk, Milk Whey Powder, Roasted Sliced Nuts (2.5%) (Hazelnuts & Almonds), Malted Barley Extract, Salt.

Though malted barley extract is pretty much sugar.

celestial

Anyone doing a test taste would say that Alpen 'sugar free' is sweeter than Weetabix - and that's because it is! 15% sugar is still sugar regardless of whether it comes from raisins and don't forget you have milk powder in there too which has sugar. It is still over 3 times as sugary as Weetabix. Weetabix is 95% whole wheat with a dash of sugar.

In any case, both are better than the usual junk cereal people eat!!

r3nu4l

copacetic wrote: »

have to disagree with people saying the sugar in Alpen is from raisins, when I get to the bottom of a bowl of alpen there is a pile of sugar flavoured milk that you don't get in other cereals.

Indeed, while raisins are better than a spoon of refined sugar, it is still sugar and if your goal is weight-loss then sugar-free Alpen isn't the way to go imo.

Have a look at the nutrition data on raisins.

Nutrition data wrote:

The good: This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.

The bad: A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.

Of course, porridge is the best of them all providing you watch the portions if your goal is weight loss.