If you think a healthy breakfast of poached eggs or fruit is the best way to keep trim, then think again. Meat is the unlikely ingredient you should be tucking into in the morning, according to London-based personal trainerGreg Cornthwaite.
Though they sound more like typical dinner options, Greg has put together a list of five ideal breakfasts to eat if you want to stay in shape – and venison, steak, lamb and mince are all on the menu.
The breakfasts are about 500 calories each, high in protein and healthy fats, and low in carbs, which Greg says will prevent your body from creating fat.
Greg, of Embody Fitness, said: ‘These breakfasts should give your body the essential proteins and fats to kick start your metabolism and balance your blood sugar levels.
‘These options should keep you fuller for longer, preventing you from craving sugar until lunch time.’
The first option is beef mince with tenderstem broccoli and red onion, fried in coconut oil.
This high-fibre meal is rich in zinc, vitamins A, B1, B12, B6, iron, potassium and calcium.
But if you don’t fancy mince, why not try venison steak in the morning?
Serve it with collard greens and cherry tomatoes fried in coconut oil for a meal full of vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as fibre and potassium.
Greg also recommends starting the day with a hearty steak, kale and tomatoes fried in butter.
It might be a more traditional dinner option, but it’s a meal full of zinc, vitamins B6, B12 and iron that will keep you going until lunchtime.
Lamb mince with spinach and mixed peppers is another winner in Greg’s book.
The meal is packed with vitamins like magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and vitamins A, B2, B6, B12, C, and K.
The last option is the only fish dish on the list: fried mackerel, with green beans fried in butter and a squeeze of lime.
It’s packed with protein, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B1, B6, and E, as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Greg said: ‘All the above will give your body the essential proteins and fats to kick start your metabolism and balance your blood sugar levels.’
These meat and fish dishes are good options for those who find they put on weight easily when they eat carbs, he added.
He said: ‘It’s important to understand that our genetic make up and gut bacteria may differ from one person to the next.
‘This could be why your lean friend can eat carbs with each meal and not gain a pound, where as if you were to do the same, the scales would steadily increase week after week as you gained fat and weight.
‘This could be why nutrition is such a debatable topic as there is no one meal that suits everyone.
‘Without getting too scientific, we all have a different tolerance and sensitivity to carbs.
‘If you are really sensitive to them, your body will process them efficiently and convert them to energy and stored energy, therefore not gaining fat.
‘Or if you are less sensitive to them, you will most likely convert a high percentage of them to fat by a process called “de novo lipogenesis” (the creation of fat).
‘If you feel you can relate to the latter, then these five unlikely breakfasts will be a great choice for improving your body composition.’
