FIRST MEAL

Recently my wife and I had a breakfast date and I tried something new, eggs benedict. Okay, new to me. It actually wasn’t bad nutritionally and tasted good, just need to watch that hollandaise sauce and hashbrowns. Whether it’s eggs benny or some other option, that first meal of the day is critical.

Notice I didn’t say the first thing when you wake up. While I’m all about getting a meal in sooner than later, I also realize that not everyone is a big breakfast eater right away. They might be getting a training session in first, or I’ve even had some clients that get sick if they eat too soon after waking.

However, the first meal of the day not only sets your body up for success from an energy standpoint but I also believe ‘primes the pump’ for digestion.

First, the foods you eat during the day are going to help fuel you for whatever lies ahead. Be it an intense morning session or later in the day, or if it’s just a normal day at work with lots of mental and physical work, your body needs nourishment. I am a fan of some form of nutrition before an early training session (even if as simple as a piece of fruit). I also like intra-training carbs (like PHAT Muscle Performance Fuel) for the same reason.

Secondly, when I say priming the pump for digestion, I think it helps get your metabolism ramped up. There is a thermic effect of food, meaning that your body actually burns calories when it digests. This in turn helps get your metabolism moving. Additionally, there are many other factors involved including blood sugar, insulin and other hormones that prove the food you eat first really impacts multiple systems.