Why Student-Athletes Really Can’t Skip Breakfast

The following is a post by Kelly Springer, a registered dietitian/nutritionist and the founder of Kelly’s Choice LLC.

With late nights, early mornings, and a busy schedule it is so easy to bypass the first meal of the day when you are trying to sleep in a bit and take care of others. We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but what benefits does it truly hold for you. Below we discuss why breakfast for athletes is so important.

Why breakfast is so important to student-athletes

Breakfast literally means breaking a fast. You may not think of sleep as fasting but that is what your body is doing.

When you wake up it is ready to be replenished with nutrients that get you going.

Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day getting you into a calorie burning mode. It reduces the amount you eat later in the day, which makes you less likely to carry extra weight.

It can also help you become more alert and ready to take on the day.

The best part of all of this is you don’t need to make a grand breakfast buffet each morning to reap the benefits. Breakfast can be made easy so you always have a quick bite to eat whether you are at home or on your way to school.

Finding a way to make breakfast convenient varies from person to person. But here are some of my favorites.

Breakfast for athletes you can make ahead of time

1. Keeping hard boiled eggs on hand:
   When making dinner add one more pot to the stove top to boil a few eggs you can keep for the week. Try pairing it with some cherry tomatoes and mini bell peppers and cheese for a great quick meal.
2. Overnight oats/ refrigerator oatmeal:
   If you have a few minutes in the evening you can easily put together a quick ready to eat breakfast. Whether you are putting your oatmeal or other breakfast grain in a crockpot to cook and combine with great ingredients while you sleep or you just add oats with some milk and yogurt into an individual jar to sit in the fridge for the night and grab in the morning this is a great way to eat and run.
3. Freezer breakfast burritos:
   Create a breakfast burrito with all your favorite ingredients, including vegetables, and assemble them within plastic wrap. These can be kept in your freezer to heat up whenever you need!

Convenient grab and go breakfast for athletes options

Often our time is really short. So think about some of the following grocery items that can satisfy your breakfast needs but still give you the healthy benefits you need:

1. Greek yogurt and granola
2. KIND breakfast bars: These new gluten free bars from KIND Snacks are soft-baked with a crispy outside. Each two-bar pack of KIND breakfast bars provides more than one full serving of whole grains and is an excellent source of fiber. They offer sustained energy from a variety of whole grains including five super grains: gluten free oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat.
3. Heat and eat oatmeal cups: Also, become familiar with some healthy options at fast food stops along your commute for the days when things are really hectic.

By fitting in the most important meal of the day you are setting yourself up for long term success and better overall health.

For more information, contact us today at KellysChoice.org and follow us on Twitter@KellysChoiceLLC; Facebook KChoiceLLC; Instagram @kellyspringer_rd; or on YouTube — subscribe at Kelly’s Choice.

Want more tips about how to eat well and perform your best? Learn all our tips and strategies in the NCSA Athletic Recruiting network. The best way to get started is with a recruiting profile.