Guest Editor’s Letter: Eat Breakfast Even if You Are Intermittent Fasting

One of my most favourite meals of the day is Breakfast, and since I have a social media platform, I usually end up sharing my breakfast either on my Instagram feed or on my Instagram stories. Recently, one of my followers messaged me and advised that it was disheartening to see my breakfast pictures as she had not been able to eat breakfast-style meals for over a year since she had been intermittent fasting.

Eat Breakfast Even if You are Intermittent Fasting

Nadia Syed @nadiasfitnessjourney

That statement surprised me because intermittent fasting is not about the timing of when you eat the first meal of the day, but rather it is all about what you eat for the first meal of the day. Whether it’s 8 a.m. or 2 p.m., my first meal of the day is breakfast. Breakfast is often the most important meal of the day for me. Breakfast breaks the fasting period, and your body is ready to have some fuel to function. It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy levels and alertness while also providing other essential nutrients required for good health.

So whether you are fasting for 12, 14 or 16 hours, you should start your day with breakfast. Give your body a boost of energy with a balanced bowl of goodness. I usually like to start with a warm breakfast like cooked eggs, veggies, and cheese in the fall and winter months. I stick with a protein-rich yogurt fruit bowl or a refreshing smoothie for the spring and summer months.

Featured on the cover of this issue is one of my favourite breakfast bowls. The slightest effort will go into making your bowl, and you can never go wrong with your toppings. My typical bowl will have the following: plain dairy-free yogurt or Greek yogurt, two fruits (one of them always has to be some sort of berries for that antioxidant power), mint leaf for some freshness, a mini scoop of peanut butter with strawberry jam or honey drizzle, nuts, and a date rolled with nuts or a small piece of energy bar. I try not to snack much between meals, so this bowl is good to carry me over for the next 4 hours until I eat my next meal.

Breakfast Bowl

Nadia Syed @nadiasfitnessjourney

Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup yogurt (dairy-free or regular)

• ½ peach chopped

• ½ cup blueberries

• 1 tbsp almond slices

• 1 tbsp peanut butter

• 1 tsp organic sugarfree strawberry jam or honey

• 1 date ground into a paste and rolled in chopped nuts

• 1 mint leaf

Directions

1 Add your yogurt to the bowl

2 Top it with your ingredients and enjoy.

NADIA SYED is a Nutritional Coach that comes from the industry of Clinical Research. She equally believes in the power of modern science and holistic health. She has multiple social media platforms focused on her own journey of health and shares recipes, lifestyle, beauty, health and wellness tips.  NADIASFITNESSJOURNEY