15 Breakfasts For Serious Exercisers - Page 16

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If you’re serious about working out, or you’re a semi-professional athlete, you can’t get away with skipping breakfast. When you perform high-intensity activities, a lot happens in your body. Chemicals and hormones alternate around all of your organs and muscles, and you need to balance those changes out with nutrients from foods. Failing to eat breakfast—and a good one at that—can put you at risk for fainting, injury, and soreness. Of course, you don’t want super heavy meals before your workout since those can leave you feeling sluggish, and even cause you to vomit during exercise. So, if you’re a serious exerciser, you need highly nutritious but low-calorie breakfasts. Here are 15 breakfasts for serious exercises that will help you work out longer, sustain energy and prevent feelings of nausea or weakness.

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Pumped up oatmeal

Oatmeal is a slow-digesting carb so it can regulate your blood sugar during intense workouts. Add in protein-heavy peanut butter, which also has healthy fats that help your brain stay alert, and bananas that can prevent cramps.

Dressed up grapefruit

Grapefruit contains vitamin C, which can help with blood circulation, and it is intensely hydrating. Top it off with cottage cheese for a protein that is packed with bone-healthy calcium, and sprinkle flax seeds on top for brain and heart-healthy Omega 3s.

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Chia seed yogurt

Chia seeds are bursting with magnesium, which you need for proper muscle function, and fiber that regulates your appetite and digestive system. Put them over protein-heavy yogurt, which also has bone-healthy calcium. Add berries or apple slices for vitamin C.

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Protein chocolate cookies

Yup, cookies for breakfast! If you don’t like mushy, warm oatmeal, then take your oats and turn them into a treat. Add chocolate-flavored protein powder to your oatmeal cookies for a filling, blood-sugar-regulating breakfast on the go.

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Feta spinach omelet

The eggs will deliver some low-calorie protein. The spinach offers vitamin A, which is important for healthy bones. The feta offers a little more protein, plus calcium.

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Spicy avocado egg

Cut an avocado in half, bake two eggs and put them in the center of the avocado halves. Drizzle cayenne on top. The avocados give you filling fiber and healthy fats that keep your brain alert; the eggs give you protein, and the cayenne helps with circulation.

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Turkey bacon, egg yolks, and strawberries

It’s a complete little breakfast that’s easy to make. Turkey bacon offers lean, efficient protein. Egg yolks contain good cholesterol and omega 3’s which benefit your brain and heart. The strawberries are hydrating and boast vitamin C.

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A mushroom and cheese frittata

Mushrooms are loaded with iron, which you need to get your blood pumping. Put them in a frittata, with protein-heavy eggs, and add your favorite cheese for calcium.

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Quinoa pancakes with banana slices and ricotta

This is so tasty it’s hard to believe it’s healthy. Quinoa flour is loaded with fiber and protein. Banana has that potassium that’s good for your bones, and the ricotta delivers calcium and more protein.

Spinach and Chickpea Fritters. (David Loftus/Kyle Books)

Spinach potato pancakes with fried eggs

You can make delicious spinach potato pancakes held together with a little flour and egg yolk. You get slow-digesting starch from the potatoes, iron and vitamins from the spinach and protein from the eggs on top.

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A whey pancake

If you want real pancakes but know you can’t eat that white flour mixture, try this: make pancakes with a healthy gluten-free flour (like fiber-full millet) and whey protein. Smother almond butter and agave on top for protein and healthy fats.

Almond vanilla smoothie

Combine almond milk, vanilla protein powder, berries and bananas with some ice in a blender for a smoothie that has protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

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Kale and egg white scramble

If you need something easy and highly nutritious, scramble some egg whites and kale together. Both boast protein and the kale has fiber and immense amounts of vitamins to keep you feeling energized. You can toss on some hot sauce for circulation benefits.

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A green smoothie

If you don’t love sweet smoothies, try combining Greek yogurt with wheat grass, whey protein, and a little apple juice. You’ll get tons of protein and calcium from the yogurt, and hydration and vitamins from the apple juice.