Best Breakfast Foods when Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss

Breakfast after an 18h fast is one of my favorite things to look forward to in the morning. And not just any breakfast, but a savory one full of protein fiber and deliciousness. 

I've been intermittent fasting for over 6 years and in the last year I've been focusing on optimizing every aspect of the IF lifestyle to see better results: from quality and quantity of food I eat during each meal, to active minutes, what time of the day to fast and so on. 

You see, breakfast is the one meal I feel I can fully control because it's at home, in a controlled environment, during a controlled time of the day without precursors that might derail my breakfast time, unlike the rest of the meals of the day. It's happening at the same time every day. So for all of these reasons and more, breakfast has to be the absolute highest performing, cleanest meal of the day to fuel me for the day and nourish my body with everything it needs. 

Clean meal to me means no processed foods at all and eating everything as raw as possible. 

Here are my go to breakfast ideas. I alternate optimized for muscle mass, fullness and weight loss, to see overall results. 

1. Eggs: soft boiled, sunny side up, or egg whites with season, omelet with sauteed onions and tomatoes and spinach , omelet with yogurt or sour cream 
2. Smoked salmon
3. Turkey bacon is 30 cal per slice, pork bacon is 35 cal per slice, depends on your preference. I pick turkey here, less fat. 
4. Canadian Bacon is a great lean option. 
5. Yogurt or cottage cheese 
6. Whole grain super seed bread
7. Oatmeal
8. Fresh produce: green onions, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers
9. Fresh fruit 

And here are some additional combinations to try out, that I eat on repeat:

1. Avocado spread or cottage cheese on the super seed toast with egg on top
2. Banana or zucchini patties with a teaspoon of sour cream 
3. Peanut butter on toast with sugar free prune jam, or whole grain rice crisps 
4. Clafoutis with fresh berries ( mostly milk and eggs)
5. Toast with cream cheese and salmon 
6. Spinach sauce (homemade) with eggs or sausage or turkey bacon 

The secret in this highly protein infused breakfast is to eat 3 proteins each time. Then add fresh veggies and some fruit. 

It might seem a bit redundant to eat a similar breakfast each morning, and sometimes I eat the same breakfast combination for 3 to 4 days in a row because consistency of something that works, means one less thing you have to worry about. When we are on auto pilot of good habits, it’s an ideal state we can maintain and that shelters us from spontaneous choices such as cravings and distractions. Sure, sometimes it’s nice to try something new and indulge, but for best results, knowing what works for you and sticking to it is your best practice that will maintain your weight and you in control of it. 

Another good tip is to avoid sugar for breakfast at all cost. It will spike up the glucose levels and if you are trying to lose weight, this can make a big difference. 

Bonus: avoid bread and bread with sugar combinations in the form of pastries, or butter croissants, muffins, toast etc. the super seed bread is the only one I eat and not every day. Depending on the level of IF you are at or the level of weight loss, over time just by eating cleaner you will see results. For example if you stop eating out for breakfast and make your own, it is a good starting point. But if you've been eating clean for a year already let's say, without processed foods, you will eventually hit a plateau. I was losing weight while eating seed bread every day. But for more results I started eliminating bread altogether with great results. Moderation is key. 

Let me know what are some of your favorite breakfast foods you enjoy, or perhaps eat because you know it’s good for you and it works. Share below!