The Breakfast of Champions

You don't need us to remind you that eating a healthy breakfast is a good idea. But since the same bowl of oatmeal every day can get boring, you might need a few new ideas for what to eat in the morning.

"Whether you are headed to the gym or on your way out the door to work, make sure your breakfast is going to keep you going for the next few hours," says Ed Olko, personal trainer at Equinox in Palos Verdes, CA. "Your breakfast is the beginning of your day, so make it count."

Olko's top picks: A fruit smoothie and a Bagel Thin with a light smear of peanut butter; an English muffin with egg white, a slice of turkey bacon, and half a piece of cheese; an egg white omelet with mushrooms, spinach, and cheese on a bagel; or plain Greek yogurt with whole grain cereal and/or fresh fruit mixed in.

Read on for more great breakfast ideas from health and fitness fanatics.

Farm fresh eggs and veggies
Farm fresh eggs and veggies

1. Jennifer Purdie, 34, Ironman athlete and marathon runner:

My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is an egg white scrambled with chopped veggies, kale, and avocados. I live in California so can get everything fresh at the farmer's market.














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Oatmeal
Oatmeal

2. Elizabeth Robinson, athlete, personal trainer, and creator of

VitFit: Breakfast is without question my absolute favorite part of the day. I love the meal, I love the opportunity to make my first nutritional choice of the day a good one, and I love the promise of the day ahead.

My chilly-weather breakfast is a formula that can be mixed and matched according to taste. The basic components include a grain, a fruit, and a nut. Most often, I choose oatmeal as my grain, banana as my fruit, and walnuts as my nut. However, this basic structure can be adjusted by substituting farina (ground wheat) or grits (ground cornmeal) in place of the oatmeal, apples or pears in place of bananas, and almonds or pecans for the nut. Any combination works well and does the trick.

My favorite warm-weather breakfast is plain yogurt, sliced fruit, a splash of agave or maple syrup, and a slice of whole grain bread. Again, the combination of yogurt, fruit, and bread provides the protein, complex carbohydrates, and fat needed to jumpstart the day and stay fueled through the morning.



Power smoothie
Power smoothie

3. Stephen Cooper, founder of Boot Camp Pasadena:

My favorite breakfast option is a high-energy protein shake. I wake up so early that I don't really feel like a heavy meal, so this shake packs a lot of nutrition into my morning.

Ingredients for Stephen's power smoothie: 1 cup water
1 cup green tea
1 frozen Samabazon Acai packet (anti-oxidants, plus, I like the berry taste)
1/4 cup whole fat coconut milk (adds fat and makes the shake more filling)
1 to 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (25 to 40 grams)
1/3 cup whole oats.


The balance of fruit, fat, and oats makes it filling and energy-packed.



Breakfast burrito
Breakfast burrito

4. Rachel Dubin, fitness fiend:

I am a fitness fiend. I work out every morning, and the delicious PJ's Organics' Breakfast Burrito is the perfect breakfast after exercising since it offers sustenance and fills you up for hours. As the perfect healthy authentic Mexican breakfast at home, this item contains no pesticides, preservatives, or GMO's, and is one of the only nourishing organic frozen burritos on the market.










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grapefruit
grapefruit

5. Len Saunders, author of Keeping Kids Fit:

I keep my breakfast quite simple but make sure not to miss it. Usually I include grapefruit chunks, which are rich in vitamins and minerals and also help suppress the appetite. Also, including whole grain oatmeal is an excellent choice, as it is full of complex carbs (long-lasting energy), antioxidants, and dietary fiber, as well as rich in many nutrients.












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