Looking To Lose Weight? 6 foods You Must Avoid For Breakfast

Most health experts and nutritionists consider breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Breakfast literally means breaking the fast. Since our body doesn't consume anything after dinner till we wake up the next morning after a haul of about 7 to 8 hours, it needs the necessary fuel to get started. If you start your day hungry, you'll get tired fast. Since your blood glucose levels haven't been restored to the normal levels after the sleep break, you are obviously low on energy, irritable, and just can't focus. Therefore, your first meal of the day should be both wholesome and nutritious. And if you thought that skipping the idea breakfast is a good idea to shed some extra pounds, you couldn't have been farther from the truth. Skipping your breakfast would mean binging and overeating later due to hunger and totally ruining your weight loss plans. When you get hungry, you grab anything that is available, sugary or fat laden. Also, skipping breakfast has been linked to decreased metabolism through the day hampering your weight loss goals.

Therefore, skipping breakfast and staying hungry doesn't make you shed the excess kilos, but giving your day a good and healthy start can definitely help. Bangalore based nutritionist Dr. Anju Sood tells us, "In my view, breakfast should be the heaviest meal of the day. It should ideally comprise of protein and carbohydrates. Avoid simple carbs and fried foods like kachori and channa bhaturas. I would recommend dal parantha with curd or egg whites with whole wheat bread as the perfect breakfast meal for weight loss."

While you know what to eat, there are some foods that you must definitely avoid for breakfast if you want to lose weight. We asked another Health Practitioner and Macrobiotic Nutritionist Shilpa Arora from New Delhi to share a list of the worst breakfast foods that you must rule out if you are looking to shed some weight.

1.Packaged Juices Fruit juices, especially the packaged ones, could prove to be deal breakers if you are looking to lose weight. According to Shilpa, packaged juices are laden with hidden sugar, which makes it one of the worst options for breakfast. Full of concentrated sugar and barely any protein, or good quality fibre(since the pulp is removed in most cases), these juices tend to increase your hunger even before you're ready for lunch, and also add unwanted calories to your day.(Also Read: 6 Scrumptious Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings)

2.Typical English Breakfast

According to Shilpa, the English breakfast containing processed meat like fatty bacon and salty and fried sausages, may not be the ideal way to start your day if you are on a weight loss trail. The hidden sugars in the sauce used to prepare baked beans may be another factor that should make you consider before deciding to serve the English breakfast.(Also Read: Health Benefits of Breakfast: Why is it the Most Important Meal of the Day?)

3.Low Quality Cornflakes and Muesli According to Shilpa, you must always check the pack of cornflakes and muesli before you buy. Go for whole grain cornflakes, and not for the ones made with low quality carbohydrates. Another big mistake you could be doing is starting your day with sugary cereals, the hidden sugar in them may just add more calories than necessary to your breakfast meal and thereby, hampering your weight loss goals.
 

4.Cookies and CakesCookies and cakes made of refined flour or processed flour are full of bad carbohydrates, contain negligible fiber content and minimal nutrients. The excessive sugar content is another reason why you should stay away from refined flour cookies and cakes for breakfast.
 

5.White Breads Choose whole grain or multi grain breads instead. Ragi or rye bread is also a good option but definitely not white bread. White breads are made of refined and are full of simple carbohydrates that are digested quickly and lead to sudden blood sugar spikes that may hamper your metabolism and make you feel hungry soon. Whole grain variety, on the other end, helps to curb cravings because of its rich fiber content and keeps you well-satiated till you break for lunch. Shilpa also suggests, stuffed whole wheat rotis as a better alternative to white break for breakfast.
 

6.Flavoured Yogurt Good quality, homemade yogurt is loaded with calcium, protein and gut-healthy probiotics, which are not only good for weight loss but for overall health too. But when it is mixed with artificial flavours and sweeteners, it may do more harm than good. The added sugar makes you pile on unnecessary calories. Instead of opting for packaged flavoured yogurt, use plain yogurt and add fresh and seasonal fruits to it to impart sweetness and even a few nuts and seeds that provide healthy fats.
 

Choosing the right kind of foods to start your day can work wonders for your weight loss routine. And so does eliminating certain foods that could be coming in the way of your weight loss goals.