Think clear, play hard, dream big! What do these three verbs have in common? a strong start to the day… Yep! Breakfast

Breakfast, the most important meal because it is (or can be) the first good decision you make. And, when you make a good decision at breakfast research shows that you are much MORE likely to continue to make good decisions throughout the day.

Manuscript

Ah…back to school. Your family has been on the run for the past week picking up the essentials; backpack, pens & folders, new kicks, some sweet new outfits, and strategizing your perfect nutrition plan! Wait, what was that last one? With all the to-do’s we often forget the most important part of keeping our bodies healthy and prepared for the day, week, month, and school year… NUTRITION! We begin the school year with hopes and dreams for what is to come. We hope we like our teachers and classes, we look forward to our sports season, and cannot wait for fun with friends. This is all possible, and will be everything you want and more, if your body is healthy and full of the energy needed to accomplish your list of fun filled activities. So what to do? start at the beginning, with these 3 MUST DO nutrition tips for a GREAT breakfast.

Start the day Strong! 3 MUST DO nutrition tips…

#1 Something to satisfy… Protein! Good quality protein comes from both plants and animals. Human research has proven that protein at breakfast helps to achieve a good balance of sugar in our blood, keeps us satisfied between meals, and promotes muscle maintenance and growth. So how much protein you ask… about 20-30g (kids on the 20g side). Some examples of quality protein: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, and seeds (just to name a few)

#2 Colorful Plants! This may sound a bit familiar from my last post … “The color and beauty of food is directly related to the amount of nutrition it contains. Humans have evolved to identify nutrition and health with what we now call "Beauty" and all colorful foods have unique benefits; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, & white all have something special to offer”. Although muscle tissue is made from the protein we eat, building muscle is ONLY possible with the help of nutrients coming from plants. Eating colorful plants is easy at breakfast… fruit! all varieties and all colors. I am talking the whole fruit here (fruit juice does not count, at all, in no way). I cannot leave out the opportunity for veggies at breakfast as well. Throw spinach in a smoothie or a veggie scramble with bell pepper, squash, & yum!

#3 Something Extra! There is ALWAYS a delicious and nutritious topper out there that can be enjoyed. The perfect topper will add nutrition to your breakfast; think: color, fiber, & healthy fats. These small additions make a HUGE impact over time. Great toppers include: chia seeds, avocado, nuts, seeds, cottage cheese, salsa, hot sauce, berries, chopped crunchy veggies.

Two of my go-to easy breakfasts for TONS of energy and nutrition…

Grains of Bounty 1/2 cup cooked oats (or any whole grain like barley, millet, teff, or buckwheat) Topped with: 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt, 1/2 cup mixed berries, 1 Tbs ground flax seed, 1 Tbs chia seeds, 1 Tbs hemp seeds, 1 Tbs chopped walnuts. Serve hot or for a twist add all ingredients + unsweetened milk in a jar leave overnight in fridge grab and go for an awesome jar of cold “overnight oats”.

Scrambled with love 2 eggs, 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup veggies from last nights dinner. Scramble & cook. Top with: salsa, avocado, and chia seeds. For a quick version cook egg mixture in a cup in the microwave top as above. OR quadruple the recipe and bake (350 for 20-30 min) in a casserole dish. Cut up into individual servings and freeze. Toss frozen scramble in microwave for a minute, top as usual.

Friends and family of Silver State… think clear, play hard, dream big! Wishing you a year of amazing days all beginning with an awesome breakfast packed with protein, colorful plants, & topped with a little something extra :)

Shavawn M. Forester PhD, RDN (aka The Nutrient Dense RDN)

Nutrition Instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno

Founder of Nutrition Answered, LLC

& the Eat Well & WIN! Program for mom’s of growing athletes

Learn More - Contact Shavawn

Related posts and articles you may like

Nutrition

Let’s speed up our recovery. Consuming protein rich foods will aid healing and are essential in coming back from a sports injury. The body makes millions of new proteins daily to replace worn-out proteins who make connective tissue, red blood cells, and muscles. There are two types of proteins...

Nutrition

Nutrition

Vitamin A is the name of a whole group of fat soluble vitamins called retinoids (retinol, retinal and retinyl esters to be exact). Vitamin A has been shown to be a valuable piece in the injury healing puzzle. When your body starts to heal, it needs to grow new tissue to fix the damaged pieces. Cells are used to reproduce and create this new tissue.

Nutrition

Nutrition

Healing foods aid with muscle recovery, tendon injuries and help decrease time to get back into rotation. Your body is built to heal from the inside out. Eating foods to support recovery is extremely important in the healing process.Omega-3 fatty acids are important to normal metabolism, the breakdown of food and use of nutrients in our bodies. This helps our bodies utilize nutrients needed for the body to repair an injury.

Nutrition

Nutrition

As a volleyball player, getting hurt happens. Injuries can be a super downer to your momentum and psyche. It can be disheartening and frustrating when you can’t train to your full capacity. Thankfully, food is another component. Your body is built to heal from the inside out. Eating foods to support recovery is extremely important in the healing process. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is required to synthesize collagen. Collagen is a protein your body uses to make connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments and skin.

Nutrition

Keeping with the topic of fluids and performance, let’s talk caffeine. Many athletes enjoy a little caffeine lift in the morning, during lunch breaks, before training and during competition. However, the question comes up regarding caffeine and performance. To caffeinate, or not to caffeinate. We can talk about caffeine as a part of a sports diet and try to help you determine if you want to take it, or leave it in regards to your performance. Science does have proof that caffeine can be beneficial for athletic performance. Caffeine has been tested in many studies as an ergogenic aid (ability to enhance physical performance) for endurance and short term-high intensity exercise.

Nutrition

It is no secret, many factors go into making us a star. We’ve talked a lot about the food part of fueling, but, one of the most important aspects to nutrition is actually not food. It’s liquid! Unfortunately, athletes often forget to properly hydrate. A lot of us only think about drinking water when they are thirsty, and by then, it may already be too late. Thirst sensation doesn’t appear until we are around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated. Dehydration can affect athletic performance in a negative way. Mild dehydration can alter one’s mood, energy level and ability to think clearly.

Nutrition

We’ve talked a bit about the importance of not going on empty to practices and games, as well as how to recover with food afterward. So, what about the “other foods” that we are craving (sweets, candy, chips..etc). Would these hinder our performance? The answer. Most likely. Especially if you have them before your matches or practice. The type of fuel you put into your body is definitely important. Let’s talk about caving for sugary and salty foods could set your vehicle on the curb.

First offender, sugars and sweets...

Nutrition

Stay Fueled Up

Now that we have been practicing having snacks and fuel before practices and games, here comes the next step. Topping off your fuel during long practices/games and then re-fueling. I’ll talk to you a bit about why each is important, and provide you with some tips so, hopefully, we’ll have a full tank all of the time!

During: Make a Pit Stop

During competition, we want to keep your energy up the whole game. Gas tanks need a re-fuel after a long drive, your body works the same way...

Nutrition

Feel like you’re hearing all kinds of nutrition information everywhere? I sure do! It’s on the news, all over Facebook feeds, in magazines, on Instagram… It can be hard to decipher what is real, and what is not! So, I am here to give you science based professional advice that IS real! Nutrition is a tool for you to use. Food can affect your performance positively, or negatively. Let’s work on putting food in to fuel us the right way. Running to practices or games on empty? Think about what happens to a car when it runs out of gas. The same thing happens to your body when you work out without food. Your body is your vehicle. You need to keep your engine running by providing it with fuel when you have practices and games...

Nutrition

Secret Food Series - Chia Seeds (10 of 10)

Nutrition

Does ͞being healthy͟ feel like a daunting task? Like everything ͞good͟ is off limits and a really good diet is pretty boring? I thought like this for a long time too… but I'm happy to say it's not the case ;-) Besides being the green fur for those ͞ch-ch-ch-chia͟ pets, chia seeds have numerous health benefits. Chia seeds are a quick and easy-to-use source of protein that provides healthy fats, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. So much goodness all rolled into one little package. They are an easy, filling way to boost your nutrition to that extra mile...

Nutrition

Nutrition

Does “being healthy” feel like a daunting task? Like everything “good” is off limits and a really good diet is pretty boring? I thought like this for a long time too… but I'm happy to say it's not the case ;-) Is an avocado a fruit, or a vegetable? Great question! You may be inclined to call it a vegetable, thanks to its green color and savory taste, but an avocado is actually a fruit. More specifically, it is a single seeded berry. Avocados are a super nutrient-dense food choice, meaning they provide vitamins, minerals and other nutrients with relatively few calories...

Nutrition

Nutrition

I can imagine you have enjoyed, or tried, a banana once in your life. They are the most popular fruit in the world! According to horticulturist, bananas were actually the first fruit on the earth. Bananas are one of the best natural foods for athletic performance. I hope you are enjoying the secret foods! Eat power food, be powerful. Side note! I am officially a Board Certified Sports Dietitian! I passed an extra tough exam this past Monday, and can happily say I am an expert in sports nutrition. Very excited to be able to utilize this certification with you all! If you need any questions answered, shoot me an email at elevatemynutrition@gmail.com

Nutrition

Secret Food Series - Sweet Potato (7 of 10)

Nutrition

Does “being healthy” feel like a daunting task? Like everything “good” is off limits and a really good diet is pretty boring? I thought like this for a long time too…but I'm happy to say it's not the case ;-) Not only are sweet potatoes delicious, they are extra nutritious. Sweet potatoes are an excellent carbohydrate source pre, or post exercise. They are also a super source of vitamin A, provide good amounts of vitamin C and can help fight inflammation...

Nutrition

Nutrition

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has been a long time staple ingredient dating back to pre-Columbian civilizations in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Once referred to as the “mother of all grains”, and believed to be sacred. Quinoa has been named one of the world’s healthiest foods by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and for a good reason!

Top 5 Health Benefits

1. Very high in protein (8 grams in 1 cup). Quinoa has double the protein of most other grains. Adding this lean protein to your diet is a great way to build lean muscle and recover from tough workouts...

Nutrition

Nutrition

Spinach plants can grow about 1 foot high! Spinach can be grown year grown year around, it’s most popular through end of winter seasons. Spinach is a good source of vitamins A, B2, C, E and K, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, copper, folate, protein and dietary fiber. Boosts Muscle Strength. Popeye the Sailor Man was right about eating spinach to produce stronger muscles. Spinach can reduce the amount of oxygen required to power muscles during exercise, making your muscles more efficient. Nitrates in spinach are also believed to help muscles run more smoothly and efficiently.

Nutrition

Nutrition

You have probably enjoyed apples your whole life, but never realized the “Eat an Apple a Day to Keep the Doctor Away” expression was for real! Apples are a rich source of various nutrients that are found in the skin, core, and meat of the apple.. all of these chemicals provide amazing health benefits & here are just a few: Vitamin C - a powerful natural antioxidant, B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6)...

Nutrition

Nutrition

You have probably enjoyed cinnamon your whole life, but never realized its historical importance or the health benefits of this tasty spice!

Cinnamon is the brownish-reddish inner bark of the cinnamon tree. Cinnamon farmers first shave the outer bark off the trees, and then shave the inner bark, the cinnamon layer. When the cinnamon is dried it naturally curls up into “quills”

Nutrition

Nutrition

Pumpkin is a winter squash, and comes in hundreds of varieties. While each type varies in shape, color, size and flavor, they all share some common characteristics. Their shells are hard and difficult to pierce, the inside is mildly sweet and a fine grained texture.… AND, they all have super healthy seeds inside their hollow cavities...

Nutrition

Secret Foods Series - Buckwheat (1 of 10)

Nutrition

Eating healthy is fun! I'm being serious here… there are hundreds of different healthy foods that taste amazing and give you tons of energy… I cannot wait to share them with you! That's why the next 10 blog posts will be dedicated to the most amazing foods on the planet (in no particular order), What they are, Why they are important, and How to enjoy them… Here goes…

Nutrition

Eating & Hydration Tips for Club Volleyball Tryouts

Nutrition

No matter your team level or age group creating a strong eating well & hydration plan is going to help you perform your best… sounds good!? Right! ;-)

Although your every day nutrition plan is going to impact your performance most… there are specific day before and day of strategies that will prepare you for a strong tryout performance… interested!? Here goes…

Nutrition

Are you ready to learn the simple secrets to better sports performance? These two rules make so much sense and yet are overlooked so often… #1 Eat when you're hungry#2 stop before your full… so simple… so effective… & here’s why. ..

Nutrition

Want to know the great news about snacking? You already have all you need to make great choices. So congratulations! and here are the 3 Top Notch ways to snack well using what you already know about nutrition.

Snacking, its a part of life...

Nutrition

When you imagine a healthy diet… does it seem complicated? Too many bits and pieces to remember and plan for? And to be truly healthy you have to eat perfectly? If these thoughts cross your mind you can breathe a sigh of relief, because EVERY healthy bite counts!

Nutrition

Think clear, play hard, dream big! What do these three verbs have in common? a strong start to the day… Yep! Breakfast

Nutrition

Manuscript

What is the #1 goal of a great nutrition plan?…

Eating and drinking all of the nutrients your body is dependent on to survive and most importantly to THRIVE.
We hear a lot about calories. Calories come from only three places; #1 carbohydrate, #2 protein, & #3 fat.

Nutrition

Is My Young Athlete Getting Enough Protein?

Nutrition

Protein Protein Protein …

It’s found in just about all foods- plants and animals. All protein is made from amino acids (AA), which are linked together to form long chains; some proteins are 20 AA long and some can be a thousand AA long. We can make amino acids (and therefore proteins) from the amino acids in our diet….. however, there is one catch….

Nutrition