If you’re looking to get into shape in time for bikini season, it’s important to remember that factors like ample exercise, hydration, and proper nutrition are all essential to losing weight—and more importantly, staying healthy. That means that even if you’re trying to achieve the flattest stomach around, skipping meals is a no-go. Instead, incorporating filling, protein-packed foods into your meals will give you the energy you need to burn calories and blast fat. That’s why you should always start your day off with a nutritious breakfast.
To discover the best breakfast food to eat on your weight loss journey, we spoke to Dr. Virginia Blackwell, practicing doctor of medicine. She told us that eating eggs very morning is one of the best ways to shed some pounds.
Eggs
Dr. Virginia says that when it comes to burning fat—including in your belly—eggs are one of the best foods you can put on your plate every morning. "Eggs are well known for their good ability to provide many health benefits including fat burning," she says. Can we also add that they're delicious?!
The fat-burning power of eggs is largely in thanks to the fact that they can pack a punch in protein, which means they'll help you stay fuller longer and give you the power to burn calories throughout the day. "Eggs contain high protein content which is vital in suppressing appetite, therefore increasing a feeling of fullness and reducing craving for more carbs later in the day, resulting in reduced belly fat," Dr. Virginia explains. We like the sound of that!
Dietitian Katelin Maidment, RD from Eternal Wellness agrees that fitting enough protein into your diet is one key to weight loss. "Protein has the highest thermic effect, meaning the body has to expend more energy (calories) to break down protein than it does to digest carbs or fat," she explains. "Eating protein with each meal will keep you feeling full longer (so you eat less during the day), and keep your metabolism running efficiently, ultimately helping to lose weight and flatten the belly." Luckily, eggs offer the perfect way to get an ample serving of protein each morning.
Additionally, this tasty breakfast food can help boost your metabolism. "The high thermic effects and other factors caused by protein contained in eggs may also boost metabolism that will eventually help your body burn more calories," Dr Virginia notes.
So, now that you know eggs are one of the best breakfast foods for weight loss, what are some ways to work them into your meals? Dr. Virginia says pairing them with toast is always a good option—especially if you're looking to boost your metabolism. "A simple way to make a balanced breakfast is to eat eggs with whole-grain foods such as brown bread, which will simultaneously speed up metabolism resulting in reduced fat of the stomach," she suggests. Yum!
Dr. Virginia's final fat-blasting tip is to not shy away from the amount of eggs you're eating; 3 a day is perfect. "To experience a faster flat stomach, eating a breakfast containing up to 3 eggs a day is good for your health," she concludes.
