Let's do breakfast

Let's face it, Kenya is not a big breakfast country. Most of us grew up drinking a cup of drinking chocolate or tea with a few slices of bread spread with Blueband margarine. My mistake, these were the ones in towns, back home in the rural areas, breakfasts are a bit better, last night's food is mainly it (much healthier) or boiled maize, sweet potato, arrow root, cassava or pumpkin.

Yes, that sounds like a lot of carbohydrates, but you have to remember, carbohydrates are not the devil that they have been painted to be. They become "evil" when consumed in quantities that the body does not need. Our traditional diets did not make us fat because we worked hard. For those of us who do not have to, we do not have shambas (gardens/farms) to till, we do not herd sheep or cattle, we do not have to walk kilometers to find water and then walk the same kilometers carrying the water back home. We cook with gas or electricity, finding and carrying firewood would take more energy. The sweet potato, cassava, boiled maize would all be used up in these activities....however, it settles on our hips, thighs, arms...when all we do is walk to the car and back into the house.

We were talking breakfast.

We all know that skipping meals doesn't help in weight loss in the long run. The same goes for breakfast. "Breakfast" actually breaks into two words, Break and Fast....breaking your fast. The body has been without food for 8 -12 hours depending on when one eats their dinner. It has been fasting and needs fuel in order to function properly.

The trick is to have enough protein in your breakfast. It makes you feel more satisfied for longer thereby cutting what you would eat later on in the day.

1. Excuse no. 1 - No time for breakfast
This is no excuse. You can have breakfast that doesn't need prior preparation. Natural yoghurt, maziwa mala (fermented milk) with fruit is a good choice. Wheetabix, muesli (granola) accompaniments are also good. We now have greek yoghurt readily available in the market. Because of its higher protein content, it is also a good choice.

2. Excuse no. 2 - I don't like those choices
Then make preparations the previous night! My mom used to make us lay out the breakfast table the night before (crockery and cutlery) so that everything went smooth the next morning. This includes ironing your work clothes the night before, cleansing your face the night before, arranging your papers...all to make sure you have enough time for breakfast. And don't worry about eating on the go, the most important thing is that you're eating. Oh, and don't forget, left overs from last night's dinner can make an excellent breakfast as well!

3. Excuse no. 3 - I am not hungry in the morning
What time did you eat your last meal at night? Did you eat too much of it? I cannot remember where I read it, but it makes sense that you should eat like an emperor in the morning, a king at lunch and a pauper at dinner. Try not to eat too much at night and if you get the munchies, a small snack like pieces of fruit in yoghurt should do. Keeping alert and happy the next day is worth not eating too much at night.

If you have a family, it is also good to set an example to the young ones. This foundation I believe is very important. Breakfast was always a big deal growing up, we had to eat it, we had variety, and it was always a balanced meal. As an adult, I have always believed in this as well.

Have a healthy day will you? Remember, making time to get fit and healthy is not a choice anymore, it's a necessity.