The Best Breakfast for Sustained Energy

What’s your ideal breakfast – black coffee, biscuits and gravy (I heard recently that’s Portland’s signature breakfast), a granola bar on the way out the door? Breakfasts range from zilch to 1000-calorie sugar-and-fat bombs, and everything in between. My “historical” breakfasts have been high-carb, medium protein, and low fat. Think pancakes with strawberry jam (made with love by my mom), Frosted Mini Wheats with skim milk (a 90s favorite), and many derivations of oatmeal … 

As I’ve gotten wiser (ahem, older) and more aware of how breakfast impacts my energy levels, I’ve observed that these common and carb-forward breakfasts, although delicious, left me feeling super lethargic – and starving – by mid-morning. 

Not only that, but like many of you, I work out in the morning, so I want a breakfast that 1) will not give me indigestion halfway through a run, and 2) provides some quick energy followed by enough protein and fat to fuel my workout and recovery. After much trial-and-error, I’ve come up with an infinitely modifiable breakfast bowl that is delicious, satisfying, and makes me feel energized and strong. Without further adieu, I give you my Diligent Daystarter Breakfast Bowl:

Base Breakfast:

~1/2 cup whole milk plain Greek or traditional yogurt (My favorite is Fage 5% Greek)

1 sliced banana or cup of berries

1/2 cup milk (Costco’s Kirkland Organic Unsweetened Almond)

liberal cinnamon

Optional Add-ins:

1 tsp of chia seeds or ground flaxseed

1/2 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder (optional, especially if using protein-packed Greek yogurt) (Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey protein – Vanilla Ice Cream flavor)

About a tablespoonful of peanut butter (I like Costco’s Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter), chopped nuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds

About a tablespoon of raisins 

Directions: Put it all in a bowl and stir it up.

Essential nutrition information: 

Base ingredients only:

With “the works” (all optional add-ins):

Note that the nutrition information will vary depending on the type/brand of yogurt, size of the banana, etc. These numbers are from the brands/amounts as described above.

Did you try it? Did you like it? Let me know!