Studies over the years have shown that people who skip breakfast tend to be more overweight and less healthy than those who regularly eat breakfast. A longitudinal health study in California has followed a group of individuals since 1965, and the study reports seven lifestyle habits linked to health and longevity.

The first six are obvious: exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, drink moderately, sleep regularly, practice a cigarette free lifestyle and healthy eating. The seventh is the surprise: the healthiest, longest living people in the study eat breakfast. The goal is to start your day with a healthy combination of carbohydrates, proteins and yes, fats. Following Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating, a well balanced breakfast would provide approximately 65% of calories from carbohydrates, 15% from protein and 20% from fat. For example, a typical 600 calorie breakfast (two pieces of toast with a light topping of margarine or butter and a teaspoon or so of peanut butter, a banana, a small glass of orange juice and a glass of low fat milk) is made up of about 390 calories from carbohydrates (97.5 grams), 90 calories from protein (22.5 grams) and 120 calories from fat (13 grams). (Remember that consuming 1 gm of either protein or carbohydrate supplies 4 calories of energy while each gram of fat supplies 9 calories.) This relatively healthy breakfast will provide you with a great start to your day. It’s quick, easy and can be prepared and eaten in a hurry.

It’s your body, so do yourself a favour and supplement your hard workouts with sensible eating - starting with a well balanced, energy providing breakfast. Why do you think breakfast is called breakfast? (Hint: break the fast, the fast being the 8 to 12 hours since your last meal!)