5 Ways to Prevent an Afternoon Binge
Hand glued to your snack stash? It might be time to make over your morning meal, finds a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers from the University of Missouri tested the breakfast habits of 20 overweight teenage girls, having them consume either a normal amount of protein through cereal (13 grams of protein), a high-protein breakfast of eggs and beef (35 g), or no breakfast at all for six days. On day seven, the girls took part in a 10-hour testing day, that included an all-you-can-eat dinner of microwaveable pizza pockets, as well as an unlimited evening snack of foods such as cookies, cakes, apple slices, and yogurt.
RELATED: 6 Easy Ways to Change the Way You Eat
The results? After the breakfast skippers, the high-protein breakfast group consumed fewer calories per day than the normal-protein group. What's more is that when it came to snacking, the high-protein group indulged a bit less than their normal-protein counterparts. (And before you think, "Aha! Skipping breakfast leads to fewer calories," keep in mind that a slew of studies show that not having breakfast leads to overeating later in the day--plus, the girls in this study snacked more than high-protein eaters on the last day of the study. Learn the secret to a well-balanced morning meal in The Anatomy of a Perfect Breakfast.)
So does this mean you should start more of your mornings with a steak and some eggs? Not exactly. "Splitting up the protein throughout the day allows us to mix in protein with our other meals and snacks, which helps to keep us full-it's the combination of protein, fiber, fat, and water that keeps us satiated," says Michelle Davenport, PhD, a nutritionist in San Francisco. For women ages 19 to 70, the daily recommended amount of protein is 45 g. "If you were to have equal amounts of protein for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then this is about 15 g of protein for breakfast," she says. That's about half a cup of Greek yogurt, topped with berries or nuts; a veggie-filled omelet; a kale smoothie; and cooked quinoa. (Should your Greek yogurt have 0% or 2% fat? The answer, here.)
Davenport's favorite high-protein breakfast? Vanilla oatmeal crème. "This breakfast is one that all my clients love," she says. To make: Whisk together 1/2 a cup of milk (4 g protein), 1/2 cup rolled oats (5 g protein), and 1 whole egg (6 g protein) with a splash of vanilla extract or some real vanilla beans and cook over medium heat. Top with berries, fruit, or some chopped nuts for added protein. (Remember this on your next trip to the supermarket: the packaging may indicate something is high-protein, but it may not be what you're getting. Learn to Decode Your Food's Nutrition Claims.)
Starting with a high-protein breakfast is a start; here are four more steps to help you prevent a late-day binge:
1. Drink up. Shoot for 8 to 9 glasses of water per day, or more if you're active, suggests Davenport. Bored by plain H20? Give your taste buds some zing with these healthy flavored ideas.
2. Fill up on fiber. This is another important component to feeling full, says Davenport. Plus, researchers at the University of Leeds recently found that upping your fiber intake can lower your risk for stroke. Get it from fruits, veggies, beans, and pistachios.
RELATED: 8 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
3. Don't avoid fat. Healthy fats, like those found in avocados and salmon, slow digestion to help you feel fuller longer, says Davenport.
4. Have healthy snacks on hand. Always carry some healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, or high-protein yogurt so that you don't end up waiting to eat until you're starving-and noshing on everything in sight, Davenport says.
--By Stephanie Castillo, Prevention
