As we transition into September, whether it’s back to school or simply a reset, it’s an ideal time to focus on nutrition, starting with breakfast. You’ve likely heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that’s because it breaks the overnight fast your body undergoes.
While you sleep, your pancreas is relatively inactive, producing minimal insulin since there’s no food intake to regulate. Your body relies on stored glycogen in the liver to maintain blood sugar levels, but these stores can become depleted by morning. This underscores the importance of eating in the morning, with a focus on a balanced breakfast.
In contrast, consuming a large, high-carb meal before bed forces your body to produce more insulin to manage the increased glucose levels in your bloodstream. Since your pancreas is less active while you sleep, this added demand can lead to elevated insulin levels overnight, disrupting your body’s natural fasting state and impacting blood sugar regulation. This can result in disrupted sleep and higher blood sugar levels by morning. This is another reason to put a focus on a balanced breakfast to level out blood sugar levels. As a side note it is best to choose balanced meals and or snacks in the evening and ideally a couple of hours before bedtime, to prevent overworking your pancreas and support better sleep.
A balanced breakfast that includes protein, healthy fats, and fibre not only helps manage blood sugar levels but also prevents spikes and crashes. This combination supports muscle protein synthesis, which is crucial for muscle repair, growth, and maintenance, and stabilizes blood sugar levels, providing steady energy and improving focus throughout the day. Additionally, this balanced approach positively affects hunger hormones, particularly peptide YY. Protein stimulates the release of peptide YY, which helps control cravings by promoting feelings of fullness. Combined with fats and fibre, this effect is enhanced, helping you stay satisfied longer and reducing the likelihood of overeating or making poor food choices later in the day. For example, a breakfast of eggs (protein), avocado (healthy fat), and whole-grain toast or vegetables ( fibre) is an excellent choice.
Conversely, starting your day with low protein, low fibre and a high sugar content, like a muffin and juice— or coffee with sugar can set you up for failure. These choices cause a blood sugar spike, leaving you hungry and craving more by lunchtime. Even if you try to compensate with a healthy lunch, you might end up overeating by dinner, much like a sumo wrestler that purposely does this to put on body fat.
By starting your day with a balanced breakfast, you set yourself up for better blood sugar control and energy levels, creating a strong foundation for healthier eating throughout the day.
Contact me if still unsure and let us at DEEM Health + Fitness help you on your journey to a healthier you!
Mikkie Nettles-Pollon, Certified Personal Trainer/Holistic & Sports Nutritionist
Not sure where to begin, contact me at info@deemhealth.ca
250-541 -0411.
www.deamhealth.ca
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