I really worked on meeting my caloric goals during the second week of the #proteinchallenge, and I have definitely been feeling spryer. However, I found myself still falling short of my protein goals. Luckily, with the help of MyFitnessPal, I was able to narrow down the culprit… breakfast.
If I’m being honest, my breakfast eating habits have always been less than impressive, so it came as no surprise that breakfast would be my downfall in meeting my protein goals. Even as a kid I would often forego breakfast, which was silly because Dad almost always made us breakfast. And now as a mom, just because I fix breakfast for the kids doesn’t mean I always eat it. I do, however, ALWAYS have a cup of coffee, give or take a cup or two.
Despite the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” I thought I could get all the protein I needed without it. The fact is that it is all but impossible to get the minimum 71 grams of protein I need while breastfeeding if I do not eat three protein-packed meals a day. That is why I have started three of the last five days consuming greater than 25 grams of protein. We won’t talk about the other two days, but three out of five isn’t bad, right?
My efforts to modify my breakfast eating habits have included such deliciousness as three eggs over easy with whole wheat toast, Beefy Breakfast Burritos, and Steak Fajita Scramble made with leftovers from Steak Fajita Quesadillas. All three of these choices pair perfectly with my cup (or three) of coffee and are loaded with protein. There is a noticeable difference in my energy level when I start my day with one of these options versus my go-to breakfast of Life cereal.
I am starting to finally believe that breakfast *really* could be the most important meal of the day. I’m not sure I would have come to that conclusion if it weren’t for the #proteinchallenge. If you are interested in seeing what the culprits are and where you fall short of protein in your diet, it isn’t too late to take the challenge. Simply, click here for a 30-Day guided journey to optimizing your protein intake and better nutrition!
Hello! I’m Terryn – the wife, mother, food safety enthusiast, Stormy Kromer fanatic who has slightly (okay, a lot) random tendencies, dabbles in photography, and shares (maybe a little too much) here at FFB.