Why is breakfast so important?

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There is no doubt that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet up to a third of adults in the UK skip it.
Your first meal provides energy for your day's activities and contributes to your intake of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc.
Breakfast is an important way to maintain a healthy weight; studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight. Studies have also shown that breakfast may help improve mental alertness and physical performance. So all of you doing the couch to 5k challenge should be eating a good breakfast!

What makes a good breakfast?

Breakfast should be a full meal and not just a snack. About 20% of your energy intake should be at breakfast which equates to 400 calories for women and 500 for men who want to maintain their weight. The Foods Standards Agency recommends at least one starchy food at breakfast e.g. cereal, porridge and bagels. Having a glass of juice in the morning equates to one of the recommended 5 portions of fruit and veg per day.
Here are some breakfast ideas that will keep your energy levels high and help you to maintain a healthy weight.

1. Porridge with dried fruits
Serving size: 50g with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk.
Health benefits: oats reduce cholesterol and are rich in fibre, which is good for digestion. Oats also release energy slowly, making you feel fuller for longer, and the milk in porridge contributes calcium.

2. Muesli, fruit and yoghurt
Serving size: 50g with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk.
Health benefits: whole grains are rich in fibre, making you feel full and improving your digestion. By adding fruit, you're eating one of your five-a-day portions. Yoghurt provides calcium, protein and fat, making this a balanced way to start the day.

3. Wholegrain breakfast cereal
Serving size: 50g with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk.
Health benefits: many breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

4. Boiled eggs with wholemeal toast
Serving size: two eggs and one slice of wholemeal toast.
Health benefits: eggs are rich in protein, and vitamins A, D, B12 and E. They're also a rich source of zinc and calcium. There are nine types of essential amino acids that the body cannot make and has to get through food. Eggs are one of the few foods that contain all nine types of essential amino acids.

5. Wholegrain bagel with smoked salmon and low-fat cream cheese
Serving size: one bagel and one slice of smoked salmon.
Health benefits: smoked salmon is rich in omega 3 and counts towards your weekly intake of oily fish. Smoked salmon is also rich in vitamin E.

Check out simply breakfast for some great breakfast inspiration!

I usually have 30g of cheerios and 125ml of skimmed milk for breakfast which is 4 pro points on the Weight Watchers plan and I try to eat a banana and some berries which have a points value of 0.
What do you eat for breakfast?

*all nutritional information was found on http://www.nhs.uk/

Lemon Mess

The best bit about this recipe is if you are pushed for time you can cheat and buy ready made meringues and no one will know!!

Serves 6
266 calories per serving

Ingredients
For the Meringue
2 free-range eggs
115g caster sugar

For the lemon curd
2 level tablespoons cornflour
100g golden caster sugar
juice of 5 lemons and the zest of 2
2 free-range egg yolks

For the last bit of white stuff
120ml whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 120°C / Fan 100°C

First make the meringue by whipping the egg whites with a handheld whisk until quite stiff, the gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time.  Once you are satisfied that you have a feminine and glossy-looking mixture dollop six blobs onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and pop into the oven for 2 hours.

To make the lemon curd put the cornflour, sugar, lemon juice (strain this in with a sieve to prevent lumps later) and the lemon zest into a small saucepan over a medium heat.  Stir roughly for 7 minutes until thickened.  Take the pan off the heat for 5 minutes in order to cool slightly.  Beat in the egg yolks with a balloon whisk until combined and set aside.

Whip the cream with a handheld whisk until soft but not stiff.

To assemble roughly crunch up the meringue so that you have  a mixture of different- sized chunks and textures.  Gently fold most of the lemon curd, followed by all of the cream (this is important to create the ripple effect( into the meringue before dividing the mess up.  Finish off by running the remaining curd in swirly whirlies over the mixture in the bowls.

I substituted the sugar for fruit sugar to give the recipe a lower GI count and counteract the potential sugar rush.  I made it for a family lunch so doubled the quantities and served it in a big bowl.  It was lovely and tart and incredibly moreish.  Yum yum!

Sunday Summary #3

Well, it's week 3! How's your week been going everyone?

Sarah - I've had a really tough week.  I have been working almost 20 hour days organising a conference and everything that goes with that.  I tried to be good but when the only choice is unhealthy or unhealthy it's really hard.  I tried eating less to compensate but that left me feeling totally zapped so in the end I gave in and indulged.   I feel utterly crap right now and knowing the same is coming this week I have very little motivation.  After Wednesday however I will be able to get back on track and hopefully I will still have time to lose that inch round my waist before the month is over.  Dresses are already fitting better so that helps me want to continue.  I am thinking of maybe trying Slimming World as I have been so impressed with everyones results but I have no idea where to start with it.  Anyone want to help me out?  I am not the kind of person that can go to a class, they actually demotivate me and I find them very americanised and annoying.  I bought some books from eBay last year but I couldn't get my head round it so didn't give it a fair go.  I would appreciate any help you can give, please email me if you want to offer some advice.

Gemma- I've been going to Weight Watchers since the 25th of January and I'm getting a little lazy and bored. The past two weeks I've not tracked what I'm eating properly and I've not really eaten enough fruit and veg. I've been a little lazy and I'm worried I wont lose anything at the weigh in on Tuesday. I only lost 1lb this week which is a little disappointing but it wasn't a gain so I should be happy. I've only been able to weigh in at meetings and not attend the session after because I've had to dash off to work. I have really missed the support and inspiration that the meetings give me so I'm looking forward to my week off for Easter so I can attend the meeting and chat with the other WW members. I have been playing lots of Just Dance 2 this week and I'm going to try out the 'Just Sweat' mode this weekend. Hopefully I will be pleased at the scales this week.

Charlene - I lost another 1lb this week, which I'm quite happy about as I feel as though I've been slacking a bit and allowing myself a few more treats than I should be. I did start couch to 5k and felt amazing afterwards but the combination of a cut on the back of my ankle (should have broke my new shoes in before running...) and torrential rain meant I went to the gym throughout the rest of the week instead of continuing with couch to 5k. Looking at myself I don't look like I've lost any weight but I'm already feeling a lot healthier and fitter which is a big part my goal. This week I'm going to aim to work out at least 4 times and hopefully move onto level 2 of the couch to 5k program.

Sarah V - I've been sickly with something else this week, so missed my Rosemary Conley class. This means I haven't had my official weigh-in so have no clue how I've done! However, I've walked loads - managed to walk to work every day, except Tuesday as I was off - but I spent the day walking miles around London instead! I also did a five mile walk yesterday. I've also felt really in control of what I'm eating - I'm in good habits now, so am finding myself more inclined to eat some fruit instead of go at the chocolate, and it's getting easier and easier to resist the cakes table at work! Overall, I'm feeling quite positive.

Next week, I want to continue doing what I'm doing - make it back to my class as I haven't done the exercise in 2 weeks, keep walking in to work, and attempt to fit in at least one workout DVD. I'm really hoping to have lost at least 1.5lbs since my last weigh in, which will take me up to half a stone - fingers crossed!

Lucy - I didn't lose any weight last week which is a bit disappointing although I hadn't gained anything so I didn't feel as bad. I put in my little food diary 'must try harder' and this week I have. I've been eating a lot more fruit and factoring in more walking into my daily routine. I haven't been running though, I'm going to get into it properly in the next few weeks - promise! I've just had so much to do uni-wise what with various deadlines, presentations, essays and my dissertation to think about. I also really need to get out of the habit of weighing myself as much as I am doing, I need to be patient and just do it once a week! I'm starting to feel a lot healthier in myself which is a definite good sign though and so that's spurring me on a little bit! I also made Charlene's Crispy Greek Pie earlier in the week and that was AMAZING, it is so good and so easy to do - definite recommendation!

How has your week been girls?  Please help motivate us by telling us how well you're doing!

Guest Post - Lauren from LaurenFrench

Today's guest blog was written by Lauren from LaurenFrench



I'll be straight up and say I've been big my whole life, I wasn't really that bothered about my size. I was popular, had confidence, lots of friends and lived a pretty care free and fun existence. The following novel (sorry, it's long!) is what changed me.

One day, just for a laugh and after a few glasses of wine, I applied for a BBC3 documentary about obesity. Then, I got an interview. Next thing I know I'm on a plane to Argentina with a camera shoved in my face living with a random family who spoke broken English in a slum. They also had weight problems, but the weight problem was not their fault.

I went into this experience without knowing if this would change my perspective on my weight, or if I was lying to myself about being happy with my appearance, and the producers knew this too. I wasn't your stereotypical obese person who comfort ate (although I did occasionally, but it was more boredom binging) and cried into my ice cream. I had a life and was genuinely content with everything. The doctors would say my weight was damaging my health and I'd just ignore them and head straight down the pub afterwards. It just wasn't an issue for me, I could walk, dance, run (hesitantly) and if anyone called me fat I'd just laugh, thank you captain obvious. Simple right?

When I was in Argentina, I had a Harajuku moment, a moment which tipped me over the metaphorical edge. I was talking to a woman who was obese, and her obese son. Her son was really overweight, but where the slums were filled with gangs, crime and violence, he couldn't go out and play. The house was around the size of my kitchen so he couldn't exactly run laps around the room. They couldn't afford healthy food, and the cheapest food to eat was fried, starchy and sugary foods. They had nothing but love, which usually satiates everyone's needs but accompanying love, to live a fulfilling life, you need your health.

I was obese through choice. Drinking beer, eating too much crap and massive portions and this poor little boy would end up growing up with poor health and a premature death because of circumstances beyond his control and I'm not going to lie, I felt selfish and a complete failure as a human. It was that little boy that touched my soul, and I made a personal promise that I would honour everything I had learnt with these people and better my life. I lost 4 stone in 7 months following the Cambridge Diet followed by a low carb diet.

My doctor said to me that low carb diets are particularly good, because you need to think of your body like a bank. Carbs are your current account, and fat is your savings. If you have money in your current account, you'll spend that first before your savings, and once there is no money left in your account, you use your savings. That's the same with your body, once there are little or no carbs in your system, your body will work on the fat. I no longer do The Cambridge Diet anymore (£200 a month!) but my diet consists of a lot of white fish and meat, green vegetables and salad. I try to stick below 30g of carbs a day and it does work, in two weeks I lost 12lbs.

MY interim aim is to a size 16. I'm going to Ibiza with my two girlfriends and whilst I'm not too bothered about being the biggest girl out of the three, it gives me something to aim for. Another 10 inches to go...

My diet secrets for low carbing are the following tips, and eating around 1000 calories a day:

Shiritaki Noodles. You can see my blog post here on them, but these noodles have 6 calories per 150g and no other nutritional value. For this reason you must eat wholesome food with them otherwise your body will not like you! I tend to have them with tuna and a small amount of melted feta cheese, and some salad.

Cauliflour Rice. The whole website is brilliant to be honest! It tastes amazing with a little bit of garlic mixed with a teaspoon of oil, chicken and spinach.

Another thing to try and take on board is to avoid foods that are beige! Crisps, cake, bread, rice, pasta etc.

Also try and sneak some fibre in there somewhere. You can use oats mixed in with fat free yoghurt for this, otherwise you er, get a big bunged up whilst on the low carb ride. Lovely. Remember to count those carbohydrates!