You eat breakfast, get set up for the day, and feel hungry after an hour. There's a long way to go until lunch, so you're stuck with a rumbling belly. Sound familiar? Then again, you’re stuck between two options: you deal with your hunger, or you eat a snack. Usually, you pick option number two, typically resulting in something unhealthy being eaten. When this happens daily, you might soon start putting on weight. Why? Because your snacks add empty calories to your diet that could as well easily be avoided. How to prevent this and keep that first meal boosting you with energy for longer? Let's look at some breakfast hacks that keep you full until the lunch hour.
By Team Savant
Image: Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis
Drink a Protein Shake with Breakfast
Protein-rich meals make you feel fuller for longer because of how the body digests them. With breakfast, it's harder to get a lot of protein in — especially when you're rushing around. Usually, you have a bowl of cereal, and that's it. Add a protein shake to this meal, and you instantly get a boost of protein to keep you full. Sites like steelsupplements.com sell loads of different shakes in a variety of flavors. Pick one that suits your tastes, and make it every morning. You could even take it to work with you and sip throughout the morning to keep the cravings at bay.
Eat a Couple of Portions of Fruit
Adding fruit to your breakfast is another smart way of feeling satiated. This is because fruit is an excellent source of fiber. Like protein, fiber stays in your digestive system for longer, making you feel full. The great thing about fruit is that most types are low in calories but high in fiber. So, you feel full without consuming too many extra calories. A couple of classic options to think about are bananas and apples. These two fruits tend to be the most effective at making you feel full up — particularly when you also have your main breakfast meal.
Make Porridge or Overnight Oats
Porridge is probably the best thing you can have for breakfast. It provides a hearty meal that's very balanced, offering protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. Also, you can add things to the porridge that makes it even better. A dollop of peanut butter provides more protein — but also some healthy fat. Fat is another nutrient that fills our stomach and keeps you satiated for longer. Fruit can be cut up and put in your porridge, or you could even add protein powder to it.
Admittedly, you might not have the time to do this every morning. Instead, you can make overnight oats before going to bed. There's a recipe above that you should try out, and it still provides similar benefits to porridge.
Make these adjustments to your diet, and you will definitely see a difference in your hunger cravings. You should make it to lunch without resorting to some unhealthy snacks between meals.