Healthy quick breakfasts for athletes

Breakfast is an important meal for both athletes and people not involved in sports, but leading an active lifestyle.
There are hundreds of opinions and approaches regarding what the first meal of food should be.

It’s worth figuring out what exactly is the ideal menu for the morning before class. To do this, you need to understand what happens in the body after a morning meal, what is the connection between your body type and a certain food.

Should I have breakfast?

Eating breakfast before a morning workout is very important for people who exercise. Metabolic processes – synthesis and breakdown of substances – largely depend on its quality. A proper breakfast is:

• endurance and strength in training;
• replenishing protein supplies, since in sports the most important thing is to maintain muscles;
• acceleration of metabolism, which is important for a slim body.

The distribution of food throughout the day directly depends on rational eating in the morning. For athletes, the nutritional value of the morning meal should be a quarter or even a third of the norm for the whole day. So the question is not whether you should eat, but what and how to eat correctly in the morning.

Be sure to check out: Simple recommendations from famous trainers on what to eat before a workout to lose weight What to eat before a workout: recommendations from experts What is the best thing to eat after strength training and cardio to burn fat What and how long can you eat after a workout

Quick breakfasts to start the day

Hearty cheese croutons

Quick breakfasts save us from extra minutes of standing at the stove. This is especially convenient when you have a busy schedule. Try making cheese croutons. They are so filling that once you eat one, you will forget about hunger until lunchtime.

Ingredients:

• Egg – 5 pcs.
• Cow's milk – 4 tablespoons
• Dutch cheese – 150 gr.
• Loaf or loaf of bread – 1 pc.
• Cherry tomatoes – 5 pcs.
• Ham – 200 gr.
• Butter;
• Olive
• Fresh herbs

How to cook:

1. In a deep bowl, mix eggs and milk using a mixer or whisk;
2. Grate the cheese on a fine grater and add to the mixture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly;
3. Cut the bread into slices and dip each slice in the egg, milk and cheese mixture. It is necessary to blot the bread on both sides;
4. Fry the bread in butter until golden brown;
5. Cut the Cherry tomatoes in half, sprinkle with spices and drizzle with olive oil. Place the seasoned tomatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180°C until the skin of the tomatoes cracks;
6. Slice ham into thin slices;
7. Place croutons on a large serving plate, top with ham and tomatoes, and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs

Features of nutrition in the morning before exercise

The morning meal menu depends on what time the athlete wakes up when training begins.

But there are general rules:

• for your first breakfast, you can allow yourself easily digestible carbohydrates, which will give you energy for your morning run and exercise, and also support your muscles;
• whey protein will fill the morning “protein” hunger, and the second breakfast can consist of solid food;
• if training is in the morning, then you need to eat at least an hour and a half before the start of classes, allowing yourself porridge, cottage cheese, fish;
• when classes are scheduled for the afternoon, you can eat something that has a low glycemic index - an omelet with meat, cheese, cottage cheese.

It is believed that the best breakfast for an athlete is protein combined with carbohydrates. The general recommendation of all nutritionists and gastroenterologists is that breakfast should be light and not overload the stomach.

What to eat for weight loss

It is a mistake to think that those who are losing weight should deny themselves everything. On the contrary, nutritionists believe that the main percentage of obese people refuse to eat in the morning.

Lyudmila Denisenko, a nutritionist, says that breakfast should account for up to 35% of the total calories of the daily value. Those who eat breakfast have a 7% higher metabolism than average.

To maintain a slim figure for the morning meal, you can easily afford:

• porridge with fruit, buckwheat with butter;
• as a dessert - dates, yoghurts, fresh fruits;
• A light protein breakfast can be cottage cheese, to which you can add raisins; it is better to dilute dry cottage cheese with yogurt, sour cream, and add honey to sour cottage cheese, but not sugar.

If we are talking about people of the endomorphic type (they are the ones who are prone to excess weight), then the morning meal should be 60-70% protein. Skinless chicken fillet, zero-fat cottage cheese, seafood, low-fat kefir, and tofu are appropriate.

Interesting! The glycemic index of instant cereals is about 90, and whole grain cereals are 40-45. It is recommended to eat whole grain porridge for breakfast, adding honey or fruit to it instead of sugar.

What can't you eat for breakfast?

Nutritionists and common sense say that products from this list are not suitable for breakfast:

• sausage and cold cuts, bacon, fried meat. There are a lot of unnecessary things in store-bought meat products: preservatives, stabilizers, dyes, flavor enhancers. Fried and fatty meats are not suitable for the first meal because they contain too much fat. If you can’t imagine breakfast without meat, give preference to boiled or baked chicken (turkey) breast;
• quick ready-made breakfasts. This crap should not appear on your table at all, whether you are an athlete or not. Sugar, sugar, sugar again, dyes, carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, stabilizers, preservatives: this is what a quick breakfast is. Give preference to regular oatmeal. With the proper skill, they turn out no worse than chocolate balls;
• Store-bought yoghurts also don’t contain anything healthy. Those bifidobacteria that are supposed to heal the body are dead. But there are dyes and sugar. Alternatively, you can use a starter or make your own yogurt. But such a product cannot be a complete breakfast;
• cakes, pastries, all kinds of sweet pastries. And again it’s about sugar: it will quickly bring a boost of strength, but this charge will end just as quickly. A large amount of fat (butter or margarine) is also not good to eat;
• any citrus fruits and bananas. Once upon a time, the citrus diet was popular, which promised to get rid of extra pounds in a matter of days. Only the creators of this diet did not say that such an abundance of citrus fruits can cause gastritis and ulcers. Bananas, although considered a “sports” food, contain too much magnesium. On an empty stomach, such an amount of this element can cause an imbalance in the body;
• “naked” coffee is not breakfast at all. Coffee contains tannins and acids. If you regularly drink this wonderful drink, you can develop heart problems, hypocalcemia and ulcers.

This is a sample list of what is not recommended for breakfast. You don’t need to think that minus for minus will give a plus: unhealthy coffee and unhealthy cake will not make your breakfast healthy.

The products listed in this list do not take into account the characteristics of your body. If you have any contraindications or individual needs, be sure to follow them.

TOP 7 foods to eat before exercise

The world's nutritionists have identified the seven most effective breakfast foods. Experts recommend:

• chicken eggs, nutritious and rich in iron, vitamin A;
• poultry meat, the value of which is that there are few calories and a lot of protein, provides great energy;
• milk and cheese, they contain calcium, which strengthens the skeleton, and these products also normalize the gastrointestinal tract;
• porridges, they contain carbohydrates that provide energy and enhance brain function;
• citrus fruits help improve intestinal function, energize you, and lift your spirits;
• bread, cereals, flax, bran - what the stomach and intestines like so much;
• honey, it gives energy, allows you to do without sugar, kills germs, improves immunity.

Interesting! For athletes and everyone who works actively, the best morning diet is protein; it should be 30% or more. For knowledge workers, carbohydrates are better for breakfast because they stimulate brain activity.

Lionel Messi

Messi, unlike Ronaldo, tries to avoid fast carbohydrates, that is, sugar, which is found, among other things, in fruits and freshly squeezed juices (so beloved by Ronaldo).

Not so long ago, an athlete abused pizza, alcohol and did not count calories. But all this time he was regularly tormented by muscle injuries, as well as nausea during matches. Tormented to endure this, Lio turned for help to the famous Italian nutritionist, Giuliano Poser. He selected several products for the football player on the basis of which the diet should be based: water, olive oil, whole grains, nuts, high-quality protein.

Messi's breakfast looks like this:

• glass of water;
• whole grains in the form of flakes or porridge with the addition of vegetable oil, a handful of nuts;
• fresh fruits or vegetables.

How and when to have breakfast properly

The time from 7 to 9 o'clock is considered ideal for a morning meal. But you shouldn’t load yourself with solid food. Otherwise, after a hearty breakfast, a sleepy state will set in. It's better to start with a glass of warm water, to which you can add a spoonful of honey and a little lemon juice. After half an hour, start a full breakfast.

In the morning you can eat proteins and carbohydrates without harming your figure. For athletes, breakfast should be richer. For those losing weight - balanced and quite dense. This will reduce evening hunger.

You need to eat slowly. The body must be allowed to wake up. It’s better to drink coffee without sugar. Tea is as invigorating as coffee, so you have a choice. A cup of coffee before your morning workout won't hurt either.

If you plan to train in the morning, then you need a light diet - cottage cheese with raisins, oatmeal. In just half an hour you can start training. If the menu focuses on protein foods (eggs, meat, bacon), it is better to eat an hour and a half before class.

Neymar

The same nutritionist who had a hand in Messi’s diet is responsible for the diet of footballer Neymar. At one time, when Neymar was diagnosed with a lack of iron in the blood, which is a reason to prevent the athlete from playing, the club had to resort to the help of expensive nutritionists. As a result, a diet based on 5 products was built.

Neymar drinks 1.5 liters of water per day and refuses tea and coffee, which quickly remove moisture from the body. The footballer's breakfast includes:

• yogurt;
• cereal porridge.

Quite primitive and not the most filling breakfast. Although, it depends on what portion. If this is a standard (200 grams), then such a portion will be enough for 1.5-2.5 hours.

What famous athletes eat in the morning

The famous football player Cristiano Ronaldo eats cereals, fruits, and bread for breakfast. And from drinks he chooses water and juices, which he prepares from various fruits. He also loves fish, sometimes it’s on the menu for breakfast.

American football player Matt Kalil prefers eggs, fruit, toast, cottage cheese and sausages for breakfast. Lately he loves high-calorie protein drinks and pasta.

Andrey Shmidt , absolute champion of the Arnold Classic, prefers complex carbohydrates: buckwheat with butter, oatmeal with milk.

Marathon runner Maukl Arnstein is a fruitarian. He loves raw vegetables and fruits and adheres to a raw food diet. His morning diet consists of 80% carbohydrate foods and 10% proteins and fats.

LeBron James

The famous basketball player has been following the same diet for many years, even when he is not playing basketball. The athlete’s height is more than 2 meters, and his weight is constantly stable - 113 kg.

To always be in good shape, he eats according to a regimen. And it always brings results. So, an athlete’s breakfast includes the following products:

• a glass of water and 10 grams of the amino acid l-glutamine (40 minutes before breakfast);
• 1 bagel with a tablespoon of peanut butter;
• 70 grams of grain cottage cheese;
• 50-70 grams of strawberries;

• vitamin complex.

Considering his height and weight, an athlete’s breakfast can hardly be called satisfying. Therefore, in a couple of hours, LeBron has a second breakfast:

• 22 grams of protein;
• a glass of orange juice;
• 1 banana + 250 ml milk (1%).

Expert advice

Sergey Khalepo , absolute champion of the Arnold Classic and absolute champion of the North-West, believes that it makes sense to eat protein at night, because the peak level of growth hormone occurs from 0 to 2 am. And dedicate the morning to complex carbohydrates in order to stock up on energy for the whole day. Oatmeal, buckwheat, eggs, cheese are perfect for breakfast.

Famous fitness model Brittany Tacy suggests alternating a carbohydrate breakfast with proteins and proteins. You need to eat 6 times a day. With this system, active burning of calories occurs. Daily exercise will help strengthen your muscles.

Sports nutritionist Wendy Martinson believes that carbohydrate foods are the most important fuel for muscles, energy food for the brain and central nervous system. They help in the ability to think quickly, add dexterity and coordination of movements. And in sports this is very important. Carbohydrates in muscles are present in the form of glycogen, and this supply must be replenished. Low glycogen levels lead to a risk of injury.

Nutritionist Lyudmila Denisenko , answering the question of what to have for breakfast, notes that preference should be given to pasta (pasta), potatoes, and cereals. You can also have sandwiches, if quickly, but correctly: a piece of black bread with red fish, bread with boiled meat, lettuce and a slice of tomato. To eliminate stagnation of bile, black bread with a piece of lard is good. Carbohydrate breakfasts should be alternated with protein ones.

Vladimir Klichko

The world-famous boxer eats a lot. And this is without exaggeration. For more than 10 years, the athlete’s menu has been overseen by a chef from Los Angeles, who is not only an expert in cooking, but also knows sports (he trains regularly). Despite the fact that Vladimir is no longer competing, his diet is worth considering, given the number of victories in championship fights.

For breakfast Klitschko eats the following:

• chicken noodle soup;
• grilled salmon;
• walnuts;
• corn;
• cheese;
• avocado;
• mango sauce.

This, of course, is not oatmeal and yogurt, but here the need for calories is greater. By the way, in the days before the fight, Vladimir almost completely excluded proteins (maximum chicken for breakfast).

Protein-carbohydrate smoothie

The fastest way to come to your senses in the morning is to prepare a protein-carbohydrate smoothie.

Mix in a glass for an immersion blender:

• 100 g low-fat cottage cheese,
• 2 – 3 tbsp. regular oatmeal
• 1 glass of 2.5% kefir or yogurt,
• banana,
• peach or ½ apple,
• 2 – 3 dried dates.

Grind everything until smooth. A real cocktail for champions is ready!

* Cook's Tip If the dates are too dry, soak them so that the blender will grind the mass better.

Nuts are perfect for this smoothie recipe. If you want to focus on the protein content of a product, choose cashews - they contain up to 26 g of protein per 100 g, more than beef! Or almonds, they contain 18 g of protein.

For the volume indicated in the recipe, a small handful will be enough, that is, 20 - 30 g. Nuts will make any breakfast more satisfying, but not heavy, which is especially important for athletes.