A few months ago, I published two articles on healthy low calorie breakfasts. In the first article I shared tips on what to include with a low calorie breakfast to improve your chances for weight loss success. Low calorie yet high protein meals with natural foods, plenty of fiber, and overall nutritional balance work best. In the second article I included several sample menus.

Best Healthy Breakfasts for Weight Loss: Part 1

Best Healthy Breakfasts for Weight Loss: Part 2

Today I have more sample breakfast menus to share with you. With respect to nutrition, these menus are fairly well balanced. If you need a simple plan for achieving daily nutritional balance on a low calorie diet, I would suggest reviewing the 1500 and 1200 calorie diet plans I have on this site.

One of the sample breakfast menus I have here includes a muffin-like product called fiber cake available from a company by the name of Zen Bakery. It is actually a high fiber low calorie food made with all natural ingredients. Although I have not had an opportunity to try one, I have heard very good reports from others. Evidently these fiber cakes can be purchased from Whole Foods or Trader Joes (neither one of which is located anywhere near me.) I’m working on developing my own recipe but it would help if I could try the real thing first!

Healthy Low Calorie Breakfasts:

Image via Wikipedia Breakfast 1

Enjoy a blueberry fiber cake along with a hard-boiled egg, a raspberry yogurt, and 4 ounces of orange juice.

1 Blueberry Fiber Cake (80 calories, Zen Bakery)

1 Light n’ Fit Creamy Raspberry Yogurt (100 calories, Dannon)

1 hard-boiled egg

1/2 cup orange juice

calories: 313
protein: 20.2 grams
dietary fiber: 13.2 grams
calcium: 309 mg
Vitamin C: 62 mg

Breakfast 2

Make a simple egg frittata with lots of veggies served with an oat bran muffin.

Egg frittata (How to prepare a frittata. Hopefully the article is still available when you read this!)

1/2 cup egg substitute (99% egg white, 104 calories or less)

1 tsp. olive oil (for the skillet when preparing the frittata)

1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato

1/2 cup chopped fresh zucchini

1 Oat bran muffin (178 calories)

calories: 347
protein: 21.2 grams
dietary fiber: 4.8 grams
calcium: 127 mg
Vitamin C: 21.9 mg

Note: You may want to lightly cook the zucchini and tomato first before adding it to the fritatta.

Breakfast 3

Quickly prepare and heat two healthy mini pizzas in a toaster oven that can be ready to eat in minutes (if the turkey bacon has been cooked ahead of time).

1 Whole Wheat English Muffin (133 calories, Thomas)

2 slices Turkey Bacon (one for each muffin half, 60 calories)

2 slices Tomato (one for each muffin half)

1/4 cup Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican Cheese, sprinkle on top of each mini pizza (80 calories, Sargento)

calories: 299
protein: 25.8 grams
dietary fiber: 6.4 grams
calcium: 425 mg
Vitamin C: 22.8 mg

Breakfast 4

Easily prepare scrambled eggs with egg substitute and a little cooking spray (such as Pam). Serve along with 1/2 cup raspberries, and two slices of buttered whole wheat toast.

4 Tbsp. Egg Substitute (99% egg white, 52 calories or less)

2 Slices whole wheat toast (180 calories total)

2 tsp. Light Butter by Land O’Lakes (with part canola oil)

1/2 cup fresh Raspberries

calories: 297
protein: 16.2 grams
dietary fiber: 10.0 grams
calcium: 128 mg
Vitamin C: 16.1 mg

This last sample menu comes up short for calcium and vitamin C. Plan on having a good source of vitamin C later in the day such as orange juice, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and more. Choose dairy or non-dairy fortified foods for calcium (Also see Low Calorie Dairy Snacks)

Note:

To keep your calorie count down with 1200 calorie diets include water or unsweetened tea or coffee with these meals. If you are following a diet plan with more total calories you have more calories for beverages. Even so do be careful. Beverage calories can add up quickly! (See: The Beverages You Drink May be Making You Fat!).

Getting plenty of fiber and protein and some level of balance for a meal with only 350 calories or less is difficult. I hope the menu ideas I’ve shared in this article and a previous article will be of help (see: Healthy Breakfasts).

Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy!

calories Health Maintenance weight loss

What could be better than an ice cold drink in the hot summer months? Or how about a steaming cup of coffee or tea when the north winds bring us snow and ice? We live in a culture with an endless number of appealing beverage choices. Are you paying attention to the calories? They can quickly add up! Having a sense of what choices to make will help you manage your calorie intake.

You may want to take a moment and read an article I posted earlier on how beverages are quite literally making people fat. (The Calories You Drink May Be Making You Fat!) Beverages may account for more hidden calories than anything we eat.

Fortunately there is a place for healthy beverages in a low calorie diet. What is important to keep in mind is the need to choose low fat and unsweetened or at least minimally sweetened whenever possible.

Coffee and tea offer many benefits in the way of antioxidants. But you’ll want to watch the sugar. Whether or not to use low calorie or calorie-free sweeteners is a personal choice. I prefer not to use any because I have doubts about their long-term safety but many health professionals would disagree with my position. I also don’t like the flavor some sweeteners impart. The ultimate decision is yours. Something else to keep in mind is whether or not caffeine is a good choice for you. (To learn more about the health benefits and drawbacks to caffeine read: “Caffeine: the good, the bad, and the maybe“.

Low fat milk can be a good source of much needed calcium, protein, and other vitamins and minerals but it is not the only choice. Consider soy milk, nut-based milk (such as almond), rice or other grain-based milk. However, the nutrient content of non-dairy milks will not be as good as cow’s milk unless you pick brands that are fortified with calcium and other nutrients. Soy milk has about the same or slightly less protein than cow’s milk. Rice and other grain-based milks typically have little protein.

If you would like to read more about the health benefits, nutrition, and availability of non-dairy milk, I recommend a detailed and informative article written by dietitian and vegan, Stephanie Gall. (Vegetarian Journal, Jan-March, 2008)

Although fruit juice offers nutritional benefits, I recommend limiting the amount of fruit juice you drink. You’ll get more fiber and other nutrients by eating fresh fruit. (You still need to watch the calories. Read Low Calorie Fruits: 100 Calories or Less)
In addition, fruit may give you more of a sense of fullness and satisfaction then fruit juice. This relates to the difference in the way our bodies have evolved to perceive the calories in food versus the calories in beverages

Image via Wikipedia

My list of beverage choices for 100 calories or less is by no means exhaustive or necessarily accurate for the beverages you purchase. Make it a habit to check the nutrition labels for the products you buy from the store. Ask for the nutrition information on menu choices when you visit a coffee shop. I believe most chain restaurants are required by law to have that information available for customers. However, you won’t find it to be on the menu boards unless you’re at a chain restaurant and happen to be in New York City (Calorie, Weight, and Restaurants, summer 2008).

In general, when you are watching your calorie intake, you will want to avoid frapuccinos, mocha lattes, and steamers. Ask for the lists and take a look yourself. I think you will be just as shocked as I am each time I look at the actual calorie counts.

Keeping track of beverage calories will go a long way with your efforts to lose weight or maintain weight loss.

Beverages: 100 calories or less*

WATER 0 calories

Reduced-fat milk (2%) 1/2 cup 60 calories
Low-fat milk (1%) 1/2 cup 50
Fat-free milk (skim) 1 cup 90 calories (80-90 calories)
Rice milk (fat-free) 1 cup 80
Almond milk (regular, plain) 1 cup 70
Soy milk 1 cup 100 (Soy Dream soy milk)
Buttermilk, cultured lowfat 1 cup 98

Cafe latte (with skim milk, unsweetened) 1 cup 80
Coffee, brewed and unsweetened 1 cup 5
Tea, brewed and unsweetened 1 cup 5
Rice milk iced latte 12 oz. 80
Rice milk latte 6 oz. 60
Soy milk chai latte 12 oz. 100 (Dunn Brothers Coffee)
Soy milk iced latte 12 oz. 70
Iced Green Tea Latte (with soy milk) 12 oz 90

Grape Juice 1/2 cup 75
Orange Juice 1/2 cup 55
Pineapple Juice 1/2 cup 70
Tomato Juice 1 cup 50
Vegetable Juice (V8) 1 cup 50

*The calorie counts will vary for some of these beverages (each brand will differ slightly in calorie counts and nutrients based on ingredients and fortification levels)

calories Health Maintenance weight loss