yogurtI'll be the first to admit that I'm not a breakfast person. I have used the exact same excuses that everyone else does:

  1. I'm not hungry in the morning.
  2. I don't have time.
  3. It's too heavy on my stomach when I first wake up.
  4. I'm trying to lose weight.
  5. I don't like breakfast foods.

Studies show that 1 in 5 women skip breakfast because of one of these reasons ... not good! Without sounding like a PBS educational children's show, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

So breakfast haters, quit your whining. I have five solutions to combat each of your excuses.

Solution #1: You don't have to eat the minute you hop out of bed. Give your body time to wake up, and pack a light breakfast and take it with you to eat later. I usually don't get hunger pains until around 10am, so I've started keeping yogurt in the refrigerator at work. It ties me over until lunch, gives me a morning energy boost when my coffee caffeine has fizzled, and I'm listening to my mama and eating breakfast.

Solution #2: Yeah, yeah, none of us have time. We're all rushing around juggling kids, work, school, etc. If the thought of sitting down and pouring milk and cereal (much less eating it) makes you chuckle, remember that there are plenty of foods to eat on the go. Breakfast bars are quick but are rarely substantial. If I know I'm going to have a hectic morning, I will make a breakfast wrap the night before, usually with ingredients leftover from dinner, and pop in the microwave for a minute in the morning. Perfect for eating on the run.

Solution #3: Not all breakfast foods have to consist of eggs, bacon, and sausage. Lighten the load with smoothies, fruits, toasts (think beyond just butter and jelly), or yogurt.

Solution #4: If you're trying to lose weight, than you SHOULD be eating breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast actually helps you lose weight. It kickstarts your metabolism for the day, and the earlier your metabolism can wake up, the faster it can start burning calories.

Solution #5: Who says that breakfast has to consist of breakfast foods? We all have our weird preferences (mine's fried chicken!).

Do you eat breakfast? If not, what's your excuse?

 

Image via Average Jane/Flickr