How to Make Eating Breakfast a Habit

It's considered to be the most important meal of the day, but do you really take the time to put together a healthy meal first thing in the morning? If you're watching your weight, skipping breakfast could be setting yourself up for diet sabotage. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., tells the Mayo Clinic that, "eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. If you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix such as candy from the vending machine."

Sounds logical enough, but eating breakfast can also boost your metabolism. Eating a meal rich in whole grains and lean protein can rev up your metabolism and keep it running in high gear all day long. Making breakfast a habit may not be easy -- especially if you're used to skipping that first meal and waiting until hunger strikes at lunch time -- but adopting the breakfast habit could put you in a better mood all day and make it easier to stick with your diet.

Use these tips to make eating breakfast a habit:

#1: Get up earlier. Get up ten to fifteen minutes before your regular wake-up time so that you have enough time to prepare a tasty meal before your day begins. Being rushed for time is a common excuse to skimp on breakfast. Make time to include breakfast in your daily schedule and be consistent with it so it becomes a habit.

#2: Plan your meals ahead of time. Create a meal plan for yourself just for a few weeks, and make sure you include a variety of healthy carbs and lean protein food choices for breakfast each morning. Whether it's an omelet stuffed with veggies or a hearty bowl of oatmeal with low-fat milk and fresh fruit, put together three or four different breakfast recipes that you know you will actually eat. A little planning can help you make eating breakfast a part of your regular routine in no time flat.

#3: Be selective. Stock up on a handful of ingredients to put together a healthy breakfast yourself, instead of relying on prepared breakfast foods and snacks like sugary cereal bars disguised as breakfast items. The fresher the food, the better. Think along the lines of fresh egg sandwiches, whole grain muffins you baked the night before, old-fashioned oats and other foods that aren't laced with preservatives, extra sugars and fats. Remember that eating sugary cereal first thing in the morning will make you crave more sugar and carbohydrate-rich foods within a few hours. Stick with complex carbohydrates whenever possible.

#4: Eat breakfast around your workout schedule. I like to work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, so breakfast for me is actually my post-workout meal. This means I need to eat a meal that's high in complex carbohydrates and lean protein. A bowl of old-fashioned oatmeal and a protein shake are easy to prepare and keep me full for hours. If you're working out in the morning, plan to eat within an hour after your workout so your body can recover. This counts as your "breakfast" for the day. Again, planning ahead will make eating this meal a part of your daily routine.

#5: Eat non-breakfast foods for breakfast. Don't like "traditional" breakfast foods? Eat what you like so that you're motivated to stick with the routine long enough to make it a habit. A fruit and yogurt parfait, a tuna sandwich on whole grain bread, steamed salmon with brown rice, or a cup of Greek yogurt with almonds can all serve as satisfying -- and healthy -- alternatives to conventional breakfast foods.

More content from this contributor:

6 diet and exercise tricks to boost your metabolism

5 summer picnic diet killers

7 tricks to get more out of cardio workouts