What to eat for breakfast if you want to lose weight, gain muscle… –

You must have heard a thousand times that the breakfast it is the main meal of the day, but there are those who leave home without it. What does science say about this? Wake up and know the real importance of breakfast for your goal!

to stay healthy

Nobody expected this one: breakfast is essential for heart health. People who often skip this meal have a 2.5 times greater risk of accumulating fatty plaque in the arteries, according to a Spanish study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Endocrinologist Amélio Godoy Matos, from Rio de Janeiro, attributes the side effect to the increase in insulin resistance that the lack of the first meal of the day causes.

The Spanish researchers also point out that those who skip breakfast tend to develop bad habits: smoking, drinking and opting for fatty foods – a bombshell combination for the heart and overall health.

Do you prefer to stay in bed longer or don’t feel like eating in the early hours of the day? Nutritionist Andrezza Botelho, from São Paulo, suggests practical and easy-to-accept foods.

What to eat

1 bowl of fruit salad sprinkled with linseed, chia or sunflower seeds or protein crisp.
OR 1 handful (middle hand) of chestnuts.
OR 1 cup (300 ml) of fruit juice diluted with water.
OR 1 boiled egg.

To lose weight

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Even when you wake up without much hunger, you stick to breakfast. After all, people have always talked about the importance of the morning meal to sustain the metabolism accelerated. But don’t see this as the solution to the fat stored in the waist. The effect is so subtle that you can’t associate the breakfast habit with weight loss.

However, a Japanese study proved: eating when waking up balances blood glucose, especially in the afternoon and at night, which avoids, in the future, the risk of diabetes. The researchers also point out that, without this meal, you tend to eat more at night and go to bed late – and this messes up your circadian rhythm, which ends up putting on weight. You don’t really have carte blanche to devour a bowl of sugary breakfast cereal, okay?

What to eat

1 bowl of Greek yogurt with berries sprinkled with grated dry coconut and oats (or quinoa flakes). Add flax or chia seeds if you want more fiber.

to gain muscle

Without energy available for exercise, the body resorts to glycogen stored in the muscles – then you don’t gain as much mass as you’d like. On the other hand, breakfast can be heavy on the stomach and interfere with training (who never talked to the yogurt in the abdominal class?).

But instead of going to the gym without it, adjust the menu: Replace protein-rich foods and hard-to-digest fruits, such as bananas and watermelon, for lighter options. And carry a dose of whey protein to help with muscle recovery right after exercise. But if you have time, make your breakfast slowly, including carbohydrates, protein, fat and a good portion of fiber.

what to eat before

bulletproof coffee: pure coffee blended with 2 col. (dessert) shallow coconut oil and 1 col. (dessert) rasa of ghee + 1 dried apricot (in case you feel weakness during the exercise).

what to eat after

1 dose of whey protein beaten with coconut water.
OR 1 scrambled (or boiled) egg with chopped tomato and 3 col. (soup) avocado.
OR 1 mashed banana with 1 col. (dessert) of peanut butter.

to wake up the body

When you start the day with a good amount of antioxidants (once a week, bet on a nice glass of green juice), you help stop the excess of free radicals, which accelerates aging. “Prepared with fruits and vegetables, the drink also offers nutrients that stimulate the cleaning process”, explains nutritionist Jessica Nóboa, from Rio de Janeiro. To complement breakfast detoxshe recommends two rice crackers with Guacamole and sprinkled with black sesame seeds.

What to eat

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To keep the good mood

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Do you foresee an intense day of work? Don’t even think about going without breakfast – it’s important to keep you in the mood, according to the Mindlab Innovation Center, which specializes in online research. “The stress that fasting causes in the body increases the production of cortisol – a hormone that, at high levels, makes it difficult to weight lossand still leaves us susceptible to mood swings ”, explains Jessica. That’s why a good meal first thing in the morning blinds us from low spirits. Andrezza adds: “The brain needs carbohydrate to manufacture serotonin – neurotransmitter of well-being and good mood”. So this is the time to eat the bun you love so much.

What to eat

1 slice of wholemeal bread with 1 drizzle of olive oil and half-cured cheese.
OR 1 oatmeal pancake with 1/2 banana slices and 1 drizzle of honey.
OR 1 cup (300 ml) fruit smoothie blended with semi-skimmed milk.

Intermittent fasting: yes or no?

If it usually works for you, yes! It just shouldn’t become a daily habit. In fact, it just works for that. “Repeated twice a week (three at the most), the intermittent fastingcauses the body to trigger mechanisms to adapt to variations in calorie consumption, which ends up stimulating the expression of CPT-1 – an enzyme that helps increase fat burning”, explains nutritionist Jessica. And you lose weight! Andrezza’s recommended fasting time is 16 hours, no more. On those days, slow down at the gym. The nutritionist makes another alert: avoid bread and pasta in the following hours.

what to eat after

Salad with lots of green leaves and 1 drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 1 dish (dessert) of boiled, sautéed or roasted vegetables. 1 grilled chicken (or fish) fillet (or lean red meat).