Fit + Fab Challenge: Healthy Breakfast Suggestion

Ever wonder what a good way to start the day would be? Besides one of my Wake-Up Workouts of course!! We are talking fuel to get your body and mind working at it's peak until your mid-day meal.... And what I suggest is a little bit of old school and new school when it comes to a healthy breakfast suggestion: Oatmeal! Hot or cold, plain or topped with fruit and cinnamon, a hearty bowl of oatmeal is so good for you! Steel-cut or Irish oatmeal can help lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent! This wholesome grain also sticks to your ribs, so you’ll have energy for exercise and won’t find yourself nibbling an hour after you eat.

So now that you have the basis for a healthy breakfast suggestion, how can you give it even MORE benefits?? Try these add-ons:

Flaxseed. Flaxseed contains high amounts of phytoestrogens as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease while keeping your eyes, your brain and your reproductive system healthy. Some studies show flaxseed may even help prevent breast cancer. It also supplies iron, niacin, phosphorus and vitamin E. Like spinach, flaxseed also packs a lot of fiber (about 6 grams per ounce). To unleash the health benefits of flaxseed, the hard outer coating must be broken down. This can be accomplished by grinding the seeds with a mortar and pestle or popping them in a food processor, pepper mill or coffee grinder (used just for this purpose!). Try sprinkling flaxseed on oatmeal or yogurt, baking it into breads and muffins, or adding it to whole-grain rice or rice pilaf. To make sure flaxseed stays fresh, store in the refrigerator. And as an oatmeal topping, simply sprinkle on a teaspoon of freshly ground flaxseed and enjoy the taste AND benefits!

Blueberries. Filled with antioxidants and unique bacteria-fighting properties, blueberries are an amazing (and delicious) disease fighting tool. Like cranberries, blueberries may prevent and relieve bladder infections. They contain compounds called anthocyanosides that have been shown to slow down vision loss. And a study conducted at the Agriculture Department’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggests that eating at least a half cup of the blue fruit a day can help improve balance, coordination and short-term memory. Add a handful of blueberries to your oatmeal for all their healthy aging benefits.

Cinnamon. This sweet and earthy spice is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal: Its health benefits are numerous - it can help with blood sugar control, making it a good choice for diabetics, and it may even boost brain activity! Plus it's an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agent, so sprinkle on some cinnamon to make your healthy breakfast an even better way to start the day!

And to amp up your AM meal even more, add a cup of green tea. Filled with antioxidants that combat free radicals, this soothing brew is believed to stave off various cancers. Research shows it may also help prevent strokes and heart attacks. And it may even help you drop a pound or two - the antioxidants in green tea actually stimulate the body to help burn calories. It’s a great replacement for coffee!

You can get more amazing nutrition tips like this in my Stop The Clock Nutrition Plan! It includes a 28-Day Food Challenge, a 7-Day Meal Plan, dozens of recipes and more! Check it out today!