Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Peak-and-Trough

Why Eat Breakfast?
Eating breakfast keeps you thin!

Eating breakfast is a great reason for waking up! hah!

But seriously folks..

Eating first thing in the morning helps to regulate blood glucose (helps control type II diabetes) and reduce cardiovascular disease. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like eggs (good source of protein and choline), mushrooms (contain anticancer properties, reduce migraine, some even have statin like activity i.e. lower blood cholesterol), brown toasted bread(fiber), an orange(vitamins), and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk.

Studies show that children who start off mornings with a good hearty breakfast stay out of trouble! Yup, that troublemaker kid is probably starving for food (as much as attention).. Also kids who eat breakfast perform better in exams too. Well, we don't have any kids yet, but considering how hyperactive I was as a tot, believe me.. I will feed my kids plenty!

Eating breakfast keeps you in a good mood, keeps you satiated for longer and improves the memory and mind power. (try playing the Memory Card Game or Scrabulous before breakfast vs. after.. see how well you score:P)

Some people skip breakfast hoping to lose weight but this has the reverse effect. As a matter of fact, skipping breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity.

You will end up eating more than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie/sweet/overly salty snacks in between. Several studies show that people stay trim when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals. So do the reverse of what you think and stay FIT and TRIM!


Bfast


Lunch.

For me having a high metabolism (as well as being a crazy runner), means I can eat most anything I want without gaining weight. However, this does not mean that pigging out on red meat, burger king and french fries is good for you. Most of the time, opting for a light, low fat lunch actually keeps you alert over the sleepy afternoon period plus keeps your arteries healthy and free from cholesterol deposits. Try noodles or porridge with the least amount of food processing if you can, and see what an energy booster this is, versus that Banana Leaf meal that you had the other day! (ahem,.. i am guilty as charged.. haha)

The peak (eating the banana leaf) feels great.. but then the trough, just means you crash out and feel lousy in the end.

Yup.. everything that goes up, unfortunately, must come down. A linear approach to eating is so much better and your body will thank you for it later :)

DSC04777 DSC04783

Then comes dinner.

BBQs.. good or bad? Well, obviously the answer to that is, it depends on what you place on the BBQ grill. Red meats would obviously contain higher cholesterol levels than white meat. Charring your meat beyond recognition is worse than a light BBQing of the meat. Drenching your meat in vegetable oils is obviously worse than just using the meat's natural oils to cook itself.
Try adding extra virgin olive oil (potent antioxidant and high in monounsaturated fats i.e. effectively reduces risk of coronary heart disease) later to the meat, rather than over processing the oil with heat on the grill.

BBQ


Whilst we are on the subject, Mayo Clinic (the guru of all health/medical issues if you ask moi) even has a BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe on their website (chicken breast meat and reduced fat mozarella of course !) So, there you go..

Finally, Its not just what you eat, its how you eat it. Eat as much raw foods/fruits, or food in its natural state as possible. No need to overcook or over-process everything. Everything in moderation with a generous amount of exercise thrown in and you won't go wrong. After all, God gave us life (in abundance) that we might enjoy all things.. He also have us legs and arms and a healthy heart which means to say we should be doing more than just sitting on our a** all day long! (God so clever.. he must be a woman :P ... kidding..!)

(Hmmm which reminds me of that song.. get up, get up, get busy, move it.. get up and shake your booty.. or something like that.. haha)

Well, that's my 2 cents/dua sen for the morning..
Enjoy the day.. eat well, eat right, keep fit!

BON MUNCH my friends!



*Footnote 1: shiny, happy, people of the BBQ plus the delicious BBQ meal itself shows photos courtesy of Nigel Skelchy of kampungkayell . Thank you Nigel!

**Footnote 2:
Just saw Craving Joe's post on breakfast.. it must be a sign to eat healthy ya'll .. hear? lol..





40 comments:

Champion said...

Now I know how I won all those swimming medals! Tks mom for making such a hearty breakfast for me.

J2Kfm said...

cant agree more.
thats why i eat DOUBLE breakfasts everyday.

wait, is that supposed to be healthy?!

thule a.k.a leo said...

This is my typical meal for the day:
1) Hearty breakfast
2) Normal lunch
3) No rice for dinner, only veggie & meats (sometimes a lil bit of rice)

So far been able to keep myself from getting fat... but I'm dying to have such a high metabolism like you :( so I can eat more without feeling guilty... sigh!!!

Selba said...

Wow!!! This is a really good and educational post to be read!!!

I don't eat b'fast except in the weekend and have low metabolism. Is there any possibility that my low metabolism is caused of not eating b'fast?

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

hahah omg..indeed alike minds!! had no idea u blogged abt this..

woke up in the morning groaning that i couldnt make a healthy breakfast except eggs..and coffee with low fat milk too..

kampungboycitygal said...

haha we can't afford to skip even 1 meal! stomach would growl like crazeeeee

Julian Si said...

Can recognise that Bonjuk porridge anywhere!!! Great post C&c ;-)

fatboybakes said...

HEY, are those my eggs? i recognise them!

fatboybakes said...

wahhhh, what bbq is this??? dont think WEEE were invited....

oh, that porridge looks soo healthy hor....

Bobo said...

Great blog - tks for leading me up the right path. Wake up tummy - hearty breakfast coming down tomorrow morning!!!!

Rebecca Saw said...

i concur!! breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper!
and l luvvv american breakfst...bread n eggs hhmmmmm..nasi lemak comes a close second!
and hit the track and gym every otr day.. perfect!

Ciki said...

champion:
looks like mums always know best.. good for you .. which swimming team was this? i also swam for a team, growing up in Penang !

j2kfm:
lol, don't think it works that way rite?! moderation friend ;D

thule:
not bad wat.. u sound like a healthy dude.. keep it up!

selba:
quite possibly - no harm trying bfast (cereal and eggs and toast?)

Ciki said...

joe:
yup yup! that's what i thought too:D

KBCG:
yea, same here

Jules:
TQ! hehe.. yup bonjuk porridge.. (trying to get myself to like it.. ahem.. haha)

Ciki said...

fbb:
yea, your lovely runny eggs.. i heard nigel invited you but u were just too busy .. innit:P

Champion said...

I swam for my school BBGS. Back then trainer never educate us on diet to follow. U r right - mom knows best!!

fbb said...

oh, it was that dinner ah. eh, so ah, breakfast must be the FIRST thing you do when you geddup, or can wait a couple of hours? how soon from wake up time? does my first awakening to go pee pee count as "waking up"?

Ciki said...

fbb ok smartie pants.. somebody wants a spanking.. of course NOT first things as in first moment you open your eyes.. first thing AS IN first thing after you've gotten ready and dressed la.. what la u.. (were you hyperactive as a child? were you starved? trouble maker you..:PP)

teckiee said...

I would eat breakfast everyday (and maybe also wake up in time for breakfast on weekends) if my breakfast was like yours ...

backStreetGluttons said...

We agree with your 2 sens on most counts as greedily highlighted but you have inadvertently left out this thing called love as in the night(s) before if , and only if pampered love has settled passionately well with the one ( as in da Chosen One{s} no less ), right ?

backStreetGluttons said...

We agree with your 2 sens on most counts as greedily highlighted but you have inadvertently left out this thing called love as in the night(s) before if , and only if pampered love has settled passionately well with the one ( as in da Chosen One{s} no less ), right ?

UnkaLeong said...

Hahaha...Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eh..but when you wake up early early morning to run how? I normally whack a banana and must have a cup of coffee wan :P

Ciki said...

teckie:
lol.. you can ! easy to whip up eggs and toast no? (or head on down to la bodega deli?)

bsg:
so make love b4 bfast izit..? got NRG ah? hahahaha

unkaleong:
or POWERGEL! ( i actually eat cake and coffee before my run.. crazy or not?! cumi stocks fridge with SUGI CAKE.. my fav.. :P) coz no time to fry up for sure..

anyway, can come bk after run for a real breakie rite?! :P

HairyBerry said...

yupe, a delicious breakfast will definitely brighten your day. especially if it's a plate of char kway teow or nasi lemak. ;D ok lar, it might not be that healthy but slot in some high fiber stuff in between la, i guess.

yes, ciki. the key is moderation. as for exercise, sigh...hafta la, hor? hehe...

choi yen said...

I'm definitely a breakfast person, reason such as:" too early can't eat much..." will never happen in my life!!

Life for Beginners said...

It's 10:11pm now and you're making me crave breakfast! Hmm.. scrambled eggs, baked beans, roti canai, bacon, more eggs, curry and dhall, nasi lemak, dim sum... :D

Oops, wrong message delivered? Hehe.

Anonymous said...

You talk about the healthy effects of breakfast then you put a picture of a sandwich oodling with cheese and fried mushrooms? Quick change it to fruit, yoghurt and plain toast!

Ciki said...

nic:
couldn't agree more! moderation and exercise r key:D

lfb:
10.11 eh.. so precise you must be really hungry!

mimi:
good to know..

genuiness:
that sandwic is salmon (no cheese) and the mushrooms are lightly sauteed :P ok ar? hehe (but very good .. you have sharp eyes !)

hmm.. actually one of my up coming articles will be on cereal.. akan datang !

Ciki said...

genuiness:
oh i c what u mean, the white bits are lowfat salad dressing ! not cheez..

Rarebeet said...

breakfast is my my favourite meal of the day. Whatever I eat dictates the mood for the rest of the day. Its also the healthiest meal for me. Then the rest of the meals just kinda disintegrates :-)

Ciki said...

helo paprika!
lol.. so bad meh? i thot u eat tonnes of veges, no?

sue said...

Cool breakdown of breakfast,lunch and dinner. What you say is really true. Having breakfast is the healthiest start of the day, and a light lunch keeps u from dozing off in front of your desk at work. Haha. I know cause I dozed off once after a heavy meal and almost smacked my head on the keyboard. Not fun..LoL

fatboybakes said...

u like sugi cake? you should take my yolks....sugi uses at least 10 yolks...

worldwindows said...

I hardly eat breakfast. That explains....

Ciki said...

sue:
same here.. ;D

fbb:
yes... and how am i gonna turn them yolks into sugi cake.. wiv a wave of my wand ar? :P

ww:
really.. explains... wot? ..:D

Big Boys Oven said...

Just love your breakfast, so healthy!:)

Allan Yap & Nigel A. Skelchy said...

hehehe My brekkies have been muesli, fruit juice, coffee of late (the last...ummm...4 to 5 months) periodically a french omelette with one yolk two whites...and I soooo need it now...I never used to eat brekkie and I was blimp-ier...now not so blimp-y di ;-) hehehe

Nice post :-)

fatboybakes said...

ooh, i must try out nigel's theory and see if i become less blimpy.
and yes, a wave of your wand, or a request to any of the two bakers preceding this comment would yield you sugi cake i'm sure...

Ciki said...

fbb:
you leh? :P u make me sugi ar ..:PP

Ciki said...

eh, fbb, nigel looks gr8.. so his theory is workin! makan makan makan! haha

Ciki said...

BBO:
awww, thx:D