The thought of an extra ten minutes in bed always seems like a good idea, but the short-lived reward of hitting the alarm is minuscule in comparison to having a solid morning routine.
A key thing this allows time for is a nutritious and balanced breakfast: gone are the days when it was fashionable to skip the first meal of the day, as it is now recognised missing it can slow down your metabolism and cause hormonal imbalances.
Research shows as your blood sugar levels drop when you are asleep, if you don’t restore them first thing, you will likely feel low and unable to concentrate.
In particular, eating a high protein breakfast helps regulate your blood sugar and how your body responds to carbohydrate-rich foods up to 4 hours post-breakfast. It will also help keep you satiated, keeping hunger at bay and maintaining concentration levels.*
Eating breakfast at a similar time each day also keeps your circadian rhythm (the human body’s internal clock that controls your sleep-wake cycle) regulated. In addition, eating later as well as inconsistent meal times have shown to increase the chances of weight gain.**
So, what is a morning routine and how can it improve your breakfast habits?
Simply put, a morning routine is something you do every day for yourself that allows you to be prepared for the day ahead. It can be 10 minutes or an hour long: the beauty of it is it’s completely up to you to find your perfect start to the day. It can consist of:
· Making time for a nutritious breakfast
· Meditation with an app or timer
· Movement in the form of yoga or stretching
· Going for a walk or jog
· Journalling
· Reading or listening to an audiobook
Functional nutrition brand foodspring recommends turning your phone off and enjoying a mindful breakfast with their protein-packed range, including the colourful Breakfast Bowls, Protein Muesli and Porridge.
Breakfast Bowl
The Breakfast Bowl is packed with fibre and nutrient-rich ingredients to provide you with a quick, energy boost to start the day.
Available in three delicious flavours (Mango and Tumeric, Raspberry Acai and Spirulina Coconut) the bowls are made from superfoods, oats, grains and fruit and are 100% organic and plant-based.
Protein Muesli
Foodspring’s Protein Muesli boasts 16.9g of protein per serving as well as all the nutrients you need to have a great morning.
Delicious fine soy flakes, crunchy nuts, seeds and delicately sweet berries make this breakfast a smash hit. To top it off, it is vegan and contains zero added sugar.
Protein Porridge
Packed full of flavour, available in Apple-Cinnamon, Wild Berries, Vanilla or Chocolate, foodspring’s Protein Porridge is ready in just 3 minutes!
No need for a microwave or stovetop, simply add hot water and you have your breakfast with 2.5x more protein than regular porridge.
Other benefits of morning routines
· Allowing more time in the morning for yourself is important so you feel less overwhelmed by what the day has in store for you
· You will feel less stressed if you don’t have to rush in the morning to get ready and have your coffee to go
· You will be more productive and focused as we are more alert in the mornings and will be more present in the moment
All products available at foodspring.co.uk