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We’ve all heard it our whole lives, ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day.’ However, not all of us actually take the time to sit down and prepare the right kind of morning meal. The foods we eat in the morning set our energy levels for the day, guns up the metabolism, and powers muscle growth. Protein is the way to go. It will not only increase muscle recovery from the day before, but will additionally strengthen your body for the work out to come.

The Bowl

We are going to build your ideal breakfast bowl, feel free to make your own altercations; these are just educated recommendations. Now the base is going to be a bowl of non-fat Greek style yogurt. Beware of flavored yogurt, as tasty as they are, they are tasty for a reason, and that reason is the bomb of sugar they are loaded with. Yogurt is rich with probiotics, which will aid in digestion and boost your immune system. Moreover, Greek yogurt can have up to 20 grams of protein per serving, so be sure to check your labels young man.

So great, we’ve got the base, now comes the fun part, the decoration. Here comes the list of ideas, feel free to pull out a pen and paper, you may be writing out your next grocery list.

The Seeds

Chia: “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.” Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, soluble fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. By only adding two tablespoons of chia seeds to your yogurt bowl you’ll be doubling the fiber consumption of the average American.

Hempseed: Hempseed is often sold as a protein powder however, the seeds in original form are also readily accessible. These seeds are not only a hot source of protein, but also, like the chia seed is packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. A distinctive trait of hemp seeds is that they cover all essential amino acids, so if you’re a non-meat eater, and hempseed has not found its way into your diet, I think you may have just found a new friend.

Flaxseed: Flaxseed is a healthy source of fiber, fatty acids, and protein. Two tablespoons of ground flaxseed has four grams of fiber, 2.4 grams of the short-chain omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and 300 milligrams of lignans antioxidants. An important note: Grind your flaxseeds or else your body will not fully digest and absorb all its killer nutrients. And, just as a side note, now that we’re here, flaxseed has been proven to act as an anti-depressant. Not bad for a lil seed.

Nuts

Were giving you free range to choose which kind of nuts you want to add to your mixture. On the tasty side, I would personally recommend walnuts, almonds and macadamia. Nuts are the perfect combination of protein, fats, and fiber. They are loaded with all the calories your body needs without having unsexy side effects, like bloating your waste line.  Feel free to add a slab of almond butter to the mixture. Go light on the ‘spoonage’ however, because as you may know, almond butter can hit your sweet tooth purrrrty hard. Almond butter beats peanut butter in its protein to fat ratio and also contains Vitamins B2 and E, keeping your immune system fit and stout.

Oats

Last up rolled oats. I don’t know about you, but in the winter time, warm food is always more alluring than cold food, no matter what time of day. By adding some cooked rolled oats to your yogurt, you’re not only adding some steam, but some necessary carbs. As you may or may not know, carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. Your body needs the carbs to breakdown; otherwise it will turn to the protein, which is something you don’t want from a proper workout. Oatmeal is a complex, slow burning carb, making it a great additional scoop to your bowl.  It is also a good source of fiber, iron and vitamin B3.

Here comes another side note: If you don’t have the time for the sit down bowl, these are also impressive suggestions to add to your protein shake pre or post workout. Now we’re ready to start the day.

Tags: breakfast, chia seeds, flaxseed, hempseed, muscle development, nuts, oatmeal, oats, protein, rolled oats, yoghurt