Latest / Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40 / 25. Why Your Breakfast Might Be Working Against You in Midlife

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25. Why Your Breakfast Might Be Working Against You in Midlife · Midlife Glow Up: Simplifying Fitness, Nutrition and Healthy Habits for Women over 40

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: I want to start today's episode by painting a picture of three different women.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to listen in and see which one of them resonates most with you.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: So the first woman has been skipping breakfast on purpose for years, maybe decades.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: She started doing it in her 30s because she thought it was the right thing to do to lose weight.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: And for a while it seemed to work, but somewhere in her 40s, her body really just stopped cooperating.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: She's eating the same as always, maybe even less, but the weight is still creeping up.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: And she's exhausted in a way that sleep doesn't fix.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: And she's got brain fog and belly fat that was not there before, and it won't go away no matter what she does.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: She thinks it must be something wrong with her.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Her body is actually doing exactly what it was designed to do when it is chronically underfueled.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: It has adapted.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: And we're going to talk about that today.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: The second woman isn't skipping breakfast on purpose, but she is busy.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: She's got kids to get out the door, she's got a job to get to, she has a household to run, and about 50 things on her mental load before 8 a.m.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: And breakfast for her is an afterthought.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: So she just grabs whatever is fast or easy.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's just a coffee, maybe it's a yogurt cup in the fridge if she remembers.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then she moves on.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: She's not trying to restrict, but she's just putting herself at the bottom of the list like she has done forever.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's now a habit.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: So her needs come last and her fuel is an afterthought.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that therefore her energy and her mood and her body are paying the price for that.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: And the third woman is eating breakfast.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: She's doing the thing, but it's an egg and a piece of toast, and she thinks she's covered.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: And in some ways, she is.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: She's definitely ahead of the first two.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: But one egg gives you six grams of protein.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: And a slice of toast maybe gives you none.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: And the target that we're aiming for is 25 to 30 grams.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: So she's not failing, but she is maybe unintentionally underfueling.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: But she's just a few intentional swaps away from a breakfast that actually moves the needle.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you heard yourself in any of those three, then this episode is for you.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: We're going to talk about what your breakfast is actually supposed to do for your body and why most women are falling short when it comes to breakfast and what the science really says about protein and your hormones and your metabolism, especially first thing in the morning.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are falling into any of these traps, then I'm going to share with you what to do instead.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm actually going to share with you personally what I eat, and I'm a busy woman as well.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: So this episode is going to be packed, so let's jump right in.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Midlife Will Up Podcast, where we simplify fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits for women over 40.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Joan Dandano, your midlife health and wellness coach.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're ready to feel strong, consistent, and confident in this season of life, you are in the right place, my friend.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: So before we jump in, I want to share the why.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because I don't want you to just listen to this episode and think, okay, I should just do what Joan says.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to really understand why it matters so that it actually sticks.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: After the age of 40, women, especially going through perimetopause and menopause, several things are happening inside the body simultaneously that make your morning meal more important than ever.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know the same.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Your mom was right.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Breakfast is the most important meal.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it's interesting because we probably have told that to our kids, but yeah, we're not really always doing the best for ourselves.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: But it matters more now than it ever has.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: If you have spent years undereating, especially in the morning, then your body has adapted by slowing down your metabolism in order to conserve energy.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: Your body has actually learned to run efficiently on less fuel.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: And that sounds like it might be a good thing, but it isn't.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: It means that you burn fewer calories at rest.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: It means that your energy is lower.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: And it means that eventually the same amount of food that used to maintain your weight starts to feel like too much.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: And you cannot restrict your way out of this.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: You have to fuel your way out of this.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: And breakfast is where it begins.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: I want to talk about cortisol next because you hear about that a lot.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: But I want to really just like break it down, define it, and help you understand how breakfast is related to cortisol.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: So cortisol is your primary stress hormone and it naturally peaks in the morning.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: That is what your body does naturally, that's a healthy thing.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: But when you don't eat in the morning, your cortisol spikes even higher because it's trying to release the stored glucose to keep you going.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: So over time, chronically elevated morning cortisol signals to your body to store fat.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: And guess where it wants it to store it?
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: In the midsection.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: So that belly fat that won't budge no matter what you do is probably linked to cortisol.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: And eating breakfast with protein will help to blunt that cortisol spike and shift your body out of your out of this stress state, out of this fight or flight.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you know if your cortisol might be high?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: If you are waking up between two and four in the morning and you have a racing mind and you feel wired, but you're also exhausted at the same time, if you are having major sugar cravings or even salt cravings in the evening, or you're really struggling with that belly fat that just won't budge no matter what you do, even if you're feeling like you're doing everything right.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, a lot of women who have cortisol too high feel anxious and on edge, but there's no reason for it.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's this feeling of anxiety, but without a cause, right?
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: So if several of these resonate with you, then the answer is more nourishment, more consistency with your fueling.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: And yes, eating breakfast is a huge part of that.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the next part of the why that I want to cover is being in a catabolic state versus an anabolic state.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: So stay with me.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: I know these are big words, but I'm gonna break it all down for you.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: So every morning when you wake up after you've been asleep for seven, eight, nine hours, you your body is in a fasted state.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: That is a catabolic state.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: It means it's breaking down tissue for energy.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: The longer that you go without eating, the longer that you stay in that catabolic state.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: But eating breakfast, especially breakfast with an adequate amount of protein, flips that switch to anabolic, which means that you're building and repairing rather than breaking down.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: So for women over 40 who are already working harder to maintain muscle, this matters way more.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the hopeful part.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: So muscle responds quickly, it can come back faster than you think.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Once you start fueling and training consistently, your body really wants to rebuild, but it's your job to give your body the raw material that it needs to rebuild.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, next up is ghrelin.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: This is our hunger hormone.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've been under-eating in the morning for years, ghrelin has got all messed up, it has gotten recalibrated.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: So your body stopped sending hunger signals at breakfast time because you stopped feeding it.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So it stopped expecting food.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: And our body is really smart.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Our body is adaptable.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: So when women tell me they're just not a breakfast person, I get it, I hear you.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: But not feeling hungry in the morning is not a sign that you don't need fuel.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's actually a sign that your metabolism has slowed down so much that it has stopped working for you.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so the fix is to eat consistently in the morning so that your hunger cues get back online, so that they rewire.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: And the cool thing is, this is also a pretty quick thing to change.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Usually within two to four weeks of consistently eating breakfast, you will start to notice that you're waking up feeling hungry.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that's actually a good thing.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of times we feel like, oh, we're so good, we're so in control, I'm not even hungry.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: But that actually is a red flag.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: That is a red flag that your metabolism is in the garbage and we need to wake it back up.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, serotonin.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: So serotonin is our happy hormone.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: And serotonin production peaks in the morning, and it requires carbohydrates to be synthesized properly.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: So this is why when I hear, I did so good, I didn't have any carbs all day, I'm like, no.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: This is why we want to include carbohydrates with our breakfast.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Because when we don't, you can feel anxious or irritable.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: I promise, complex carbs are a part of a healthy breakfast.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: They are not something to fear.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: So, including oatmeal and fruit and whole grain toast, these are not the enemy.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: They're actually part of the formula that is required to really set yourself up for success first thing in the morning.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, what do we need in our breakfast?
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: We need protein, carbs, fat, and fiber.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: All four of those every morning.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: And that protein target, again, is around 25 to 30 grams.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: I truly believe that in this phase of life, we are done with bringing a food scale to every meal, calculating every macro and calorie.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: But I do think if we don't have an awareness around where we are with some of these, especially protein, we are likely not fueling properly.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: So there is a difference between obsessing over our numbers and having to bring a calculator to the table every time you sit down and having a ballpark figure, which is why I created the four by four fist method.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are not familiar with that, please go back to episode five, I believe it is, and learn all about how you can really optimize your nutrition without having to obsess over the numbers.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: But before we talk about what really hits the mark of the protein, the complex carbs, the healthy fat, the fiber, I want to talk about what doesn't hit the mark first.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because these are the breakfasts that I hear about all the time from my clients.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: And they sound somewhat healthy, but they are definitely falling short.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: So first, I hear, oh, I did so good.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: I had two eggs and a cup of coffee.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna tell you right now that having anything for breakfast is better than having nothing, right?
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I love eggs, but this there's something that people don't necessarily realize.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: One egg only has six grams of protein.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So when you have two eggs, you're getting 12 grams of protein.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's a solid start, but it is not enough on its own to hit our target.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: We need to double that.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the next thing I hear is a bowl of oatmeal.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, yes, I'm doing so well.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so healthy, I'm eating oatmeal.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: And yes, oatmeal is so healthy.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's a great source of complex carbs and fibers, but there's almost no protein and there's very little fat.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: So what happens with this is if you have a bowl of oatmeal, especially if you put fruit on top, your blood sugar will spike and then crash within a couple of hours, and you'll be hunting for something to eat by 10 a.m.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: because you're starving again.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: We need to balance that out with a healthy fat and a source of protein in order to balance it.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the next one would be like a single-serve cup of yogurt from the grocery store.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: The problem with these is most of them have a bunch of sugar, and most of them only have about five to eight grams of protein.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're looking at Greek yogurt, that's the difference.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: Greek yogurt is packed with protein.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got to read the label, you've got to know the difference, and you just have to become aware.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: The next one I hear a lot is a protein bar.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I know the name is a protein bar, right?
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it sounds like it's probably got a lot of protein in there.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: If it has under 20 grams of protein and more than 20 grams of sugar, this is a dessert, not a breakfast.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got to read the label.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: It is really difficult to find a protein bar that hits the mark.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: I have a favorite from a flavor standpoint and from an ingredient standpoint, but it only has 14 grams of protein in it.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: And so I tend to add something to it.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: So if I was doing this for breakfast, I would have my Aloha bar and then I would add a hard-boiled egg.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: And that would get me closer to that 20 grams of protein.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: The next one is a green smoothie.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So this sounds so healthy, and it is.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's got a lot of great things in it colors, it's got some fiber, it's got some antioxidants, it's got some really good nutrients in there.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: We're talking maybe spinach and a banana, some almond milk, and maybe some nut butter.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: But without a source of protein like Greek yogurt or protein powder, you're really looking at only about five grams of protein total.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: So the smoothie itself isn't the problem, but what is missing from it, right?
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: So all the ingredients are healthy, but it's all definitely missing that protein source.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, is a piece of toast with peanut butter.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: So this is better, right?
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because you're getting a carb and a fat and a little bit of protein.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: But peanut butter, almond butter, those are sources of fat mainly.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: There's a little bit of protein in there, but it is definitely not a source of protein.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: So the pattern is the same across all of these examples.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: One or two of the four elements are present, but not all of them.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: And when breakfast is missing, protein especially, then you're starting a chain reaction that affects your energy, your hormones, your cravings, and your body composition for the rest of the day and then for your life if you're doing this consistently.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to share what a breakfast that actually hits the mark looks like.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna share with you my own go-to breakfast.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: And hopefully this will help you see what it looks like in a real person's morning.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: All right, my first one is my yogurt bowl.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I've been doing this for a couple of years now, and this is my most frequent breakfast.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: I just crave it.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I start with a full cup of plain Greek yogurt.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's the base, and that gives me about 18 grams of protein right there.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: Then I add to that fresh or frozen fruit, and I'm getting my carbs and my fiber.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Then I add a generous tablespoon of almond butter for my healthy fat.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then I add three tablespoons of hemp parts for that extra protein and omega-3s.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: So hemp parts alone add about 10 grams of protein.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm easily hitting probably 28 to 30 grams of protein in a bowl that takes me about three minutes to put together.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And it tastes amazing.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I love it so much.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: The next one is my protein pancakes.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've been in my world for even a little bit of time, I've probably shared this with you.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've not tried this recipe, I highly recommend it.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: I've been making these since I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, and she just turned 21.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I've got lots of years of experience on this one.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: But if I have a little more time and I want something warm and satisfying, or if I have taken some time ahead of time to prep, this is something I'm almost always have in my fridge ready to go.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I blend together half a cup of oats, half a banana, half a cup of egg whites, that's usually about four egg whites, and a half cup of cottage cheese.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: I blend those up and then I pour it in, I make it one giant pancake.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: And this breakfast gives you complex carbs from the oats, also fiber.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: The banana adds some natural sweetness and some potassium, and then the egg whites and the cottage cheese together get you about 25 to 28 grams of protein.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then I can top it with a little bit of nut butter or fresh fruit, and you have a breakfast that feels indulgent, but it's completely dialed in and it's filling and it's satisfying.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: This is what my girls brought in their lunchbox several days a week when I used to pack a lunch for them.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's a very versatile option.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things I love about it is I can eat it with my hands.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: Next up, um, I do this a couple times a week, and it's just a veggie omelette.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: But one of the things that I do that really sets me up for success is I usually take some time on Sunday or Monday, and I go ahead and I cook up my spinach, my peppers, my mushrooms, my onions, and I go ahead and cook those and then I put those in the fridge in a container.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: And then when I'm ready to make my omelet, it takes like two minutes, right?
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: I just mix together two whole eggs and then also egg whites to bump that back up.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm getting around 28 to 32 grams of protein because I'll usually add a little bit of feta cheese on top.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: But because my veggies are already cooked, all I have to do is make eggs, and eggs take hardly any time at all.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: This is a filling breakfast that is so delicious.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: If I want a little extra fat, I would top it with half an avocado.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: And then I've covered my protein, my carbs, my fat, my fiber, and it's delicious, satisfying, filling all the things.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, if I am in a rush, this I typically don't do personally for breakfast.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: I usually do my smoothie or my protein shake later in the day, but I want to mention it here because a lot of people just want something that is like quick, easy, grab and go.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I usually do two scoops of protein powder.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: My favorite brand is Arbon, and then I would do one cup of frozen mixed berries.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'll do a tablespoon of almond butter and then a handful of spinach, or maybe I'll use frozen riced cauliflower, and then a little splash of almond milk or coconut milk, something, uh, a different type of milk to blend with it.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: And that's getting me at least 20 grams of protein from the protein powder.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: And then sometimes I will also throw in a little bit of Greek yogurt to get that more up to the 25 to 30.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then you've got a grab and go option that is like so easy, especially on those chaotic mornings.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: So hopefully that helped to kind of paint the picture of what is possible in a small amount of time to hit all of those four things.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: So the protein, the fat, the carbs, the fiber.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: I am guessing that you are sitting here thinking, okay, Joan, this sounds great, but I've got questions.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm guessing one, at least one of these I'm about to share with you are things that you struggle with.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I hear this all the time.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just not hungry in the morning, or I'm just not a breakfast person, or I'm just not a morning person.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to understand that it, what that actually means is that your hunger hormone ghrelin has been recalibrated from years of not eating in the morning.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: So your body stopped asking you for food because you stopped feeding it.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: So the most important thing you can do is start small.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: Just have a few bites of Greek yogurt, maybe half a protein shake.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: And when you can do that consistently every morning for a couple weeks, and then start to gradually increase that until you get to a full meal, your hunger cues will start to shift and your body will start waking up feeling hungry.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: And what that means is that your metabolism is working, and that is what we want.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: We want a metabolism that is revved up.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: You want to feel hungry several times throughout the day.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: You want to eat a meal, and then within a couple hours, you should be hungry for that next meal.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: That is your body utilizing the fuel that you're giving it so that it can work efficiently and work properly.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: When you're not hungry, when your body is not sending you those hunger hormone signs, it just means that your metabolism is in the garbage and we need to bring it back to life.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so here is another question that I get a lot.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: Should I eat before I work out or after I work out?
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: And here is the truth.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: I have definitely debated this personally for a long time, but I've gotten into a really good rhythm personally.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I just want to share, I'll share what I do.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then I also want to leave you with some questions that will help you figure out for you what is the right answer.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: I will say if you are training for an endurance, like an extreme endurance event, like a marathon or a triathlon, or if you're gonna step up on a stage in a bikini, then the timing of your nutrients and the timing of your training and the relationship between the two of those really does matter.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: But if you are a normal run-of-the-mill person who is trying to move your body and fuel your body, it really doesn't matter in which order.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's more of a personal thing.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: So when I teach my 6 a.m.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: fit zone class, I train fasted.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll have my vitamin cocktail during my class.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: That is hydration.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting a little bit of B vitamins and chromium and ginseng.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting some mind health, I'm getting some gut health.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: It tastes delicious.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm drinking about 32 ounces of water while I'm teaching.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: But the moment that class is done, I fuel immediately.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: So I will either have protein coffee where I'll put two scoops of my chocolate protein powder into a cup of coffee and have like a mocha.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Or I will do a protein pudding with my vanilla protein and I'll mix in banana.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm getting some fruit, a little bit of carbs, a little bit of protein, and then I go back and I teach a second class after that.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so therefore I've got some fuel in my tank for that second one.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: On the days when I'm not teaching, first thing in the morning, I will eat breakfast before I train.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: So it really just matters to listen to your body.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Do what works for your schedule, do what works for your body.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: If you are feeling lightheaded, if you feel like you don't have energy to train, then maybe it's that's your body telling you I need some fuel.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: If you feel bloated or nauseous if you eat before a workout or like you feel like your food's not settled and you're trying to move your body.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: So listen to your body.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_00: Do what works right for you and your body, but do not let this question of timing be a reason to skip eating or exercising altogether.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because that is a trap I see people fall into.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the next question that I get this is pretty specific, but I hear this a lot from teachers, nurses, therapists, anyone who hits the ground running the moment they walk into work and they have to be like on.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I have a lot of clients who are just like quote unquote on.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: So they are drinking a protein shake on their way to the office, and they're like, this is working great because all I have to do is like drive and drink.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's perfect.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_00: But what happens is then they have this giant break between breakfast on the way into work and their lunch break.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: So like a five, six hour break with nothing because they can't be sitting there eating with a knife and a fork.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: So what I encourage them to do is have a breakfast made of whole real food.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: One of the options that I shared.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Earlier before leaving for work, or something that you can eat while you're driving and then bring your protein shake in a nice insulated cup to sip on mid-morning at work.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody knows that you're having a meal inside your water bottle.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: So you're spacing out your fuel better and you're not crashing before lunch, and you haven't disrupted your whole morning in order to make this work.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I know that was a really specific example, but I wanted to share because that tends to come up a lot in my coaching.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, I don't have time to cook.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: I promise you, you don't need a lot of time to make breakfast.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: My yogurt bowl takes about three minutes.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: The smoothie takes about two minutes, right?
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Hard-boiled eggs that you prepped on the weekend take no time at all.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_00: You open your fridge and they're ready for you to go.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: And then protein pancakes can be reheated and made ahead.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: So time actually is not the barrier here.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: But having the ingredients ready, spending 20 minutes on Sunday, setting yourself up for the week ahead will change everything.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the key.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: Pulling aside time when you're not busy in stress, prepping for your future self, you know it's going to be a crazy, chaotic week, you've got to have things ready to go.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: So here's what I want you to do.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to look at what you're currently eating for breakfast and count the protein.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: Be honest with yourself.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: If you are under 25 grams of protein for that meal, just pick one thing to add or swap this week to get closer to that 25 to 30 gram target.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: So we're not overhauling everything.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: We're just picking one thing.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: One of the easiest things you can do is add Greek yogurt to what you're already having, or toss those hemp parts into your smoothie or on your yogurt bowl.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: Try my protein pancakes on the weekend when you have a few extra minutes.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Or swap two eggs for two eggs plus two egg whites.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: We're looking for one change that you can make stacked consistently over time.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: That is how transformation happens.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: If you have spent years putting yourself last, running on coffee and whatever was fast and easy while you took care of everyone else, this is your moment.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: This is your chance to put yourself back on the front burner.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: You are worth fueling.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_00: You are worth the three minutes it takes to build a breakfast that actually works for your body.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to think about this and start tomorrow.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to make that first step even easier.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: I have created a free resource for you.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: It is my breakfast blueprint.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's a done for you guide that will give you high protein breakfast options specifically built for women over 40.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna hit that 25 to 30 gram protein target with simple nutrients that work for a real busy morning.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: So head over to the show notes and the link to download this resource will be right there for you.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: And if this resonated with you or you've got questions, or you just want to share your breakfast with me, I would absolutely love that.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Please head over to Instagram at JonesFitZone and send me a note.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, my friend.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, progress over perfection and consistency over intensity.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep growing, keep glowing, and bye for now.