Jenn's Losing It

You know that eating breakfast is key for keeping your appetite under control throughout the day. But  what  you eat in the a.m. may be just as important as whether you eat at all:  Adding peanuts or peanut butter to your breakfast can help control cravings for up to 12 hours afterward , according to a study published recently in the  British Journal of Nutrition . For the study, researchers from Purdue University and the Federal University of Vicosa in Brazil put 15 obese women through three experiments: In the first, they ate 1.5 ounces of peanuts with orange juice and Cream of Wheat cereal. In the second, the same women swapped the peanuts out for 3 tablespoons of peanut butter. Finally, in the last experiment, they had only the juice and cereal (researchers adjusted the portion sizes so that calorie counts remained the same throughout all three phases). After each experiment, researchers took participants’ blood samples and asked them to rate their appetite level...

Swap your usual breakfast for one one of these tasty alternatives and you'll enjoy your a.m. meal more and stay energized until lunch! David Grotto R.D. author of 101 Optimal Life Foods has the following breakfast pick me ups: The usual oatmeal ..make it better...with about 4 grams of fiber per half cup oatmeal is a perfect filling breakfast to have.  Without the right toppings it can get boring quick!  Grotto recommends whipping up an "oatmeal au lait" Stir together 1 cup steel-cut oatmeal 2 teaspoons instant coffee 1 tablespoon agave syrup 1/4 cup nonfat milk 1/2 cup water Microwave for 1 min 45 sec (each bowl contains 363 calories and 5 grams fat) The usual toast & jam ...make it better...there are some people that don't care for traditional breakfast so they opt for something small, like toast says Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D, author of The Big Breakfast Diet, but carbs alone won't hold you over all morning.  She advises having typical lunchtime ...

Here are some tips on how to slim down your meal without missing a bite! When you go out for breakfast ask for your eggs to be cooked dry, this will cut back on the oil or butter used to cook your eggs. (Save 250 calories) Having a bagel for breakfast? Slice your bagel lengthwise in thirds, keep the ends and toss the middle, it gives you the illusion that you're eating the whole bagel. (Save 120 calories) Order Canadian bacon instead of sausage on your breakfast sandwich. (Save 100-200 calories) At your next trip to Dunkin Donuts instead of getting a medium Coffee Coolatta with cream, order a medium iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda. (Saves 560 calories) Eat half a grapefruit with breakfast.  The high water content helps to make you feel full and keep you from overeating at your main meal. (Save about 100 calories) Make your own parfait instead of buying one.  How to make one? Use a cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, a half cup of sliced strawberries or blueberries (or...