Many people find that breakfast is the easiest meal to turn into a weight-loss meal. Why? Because you're at home, you have a kitchen full of fresh foods, and you're not tempted by fast food options when you're out and about later in the day. In other words, the morning gives you the best control over what you eat. And the best part is, you don't need fancy ingredients for a healthy breakfast that promotes weight loss. In fact, you probably already have everything you need in your pantry and refrigerator!
We talked to experts who share some of the best (and easiest) breakfast ideas for rapid weight loss that you can easily incorporate into your regular meal rotation.
Incorporating These Foods into Your Breakfast Can Promote Weight Loss
When trying to lose weight, it's important to choose nutrient-dense foods for your breakfast. This means opting for foods that contain a small portion of wholesome carbohydrates for fuel, such as whole grains or fresh fruit, along with a combination of fiber and protein to keep you fuller for longer. According to The Nutrition Twins® - Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT - protein is particularly crucial in the morning to help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent hunger.
To make a healthy weight loss breakfast, try incorporating antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, along with a small amount of good-for-you fats such as nuts, seeds, or olive oil. By starting your day with a nutritious breakfast, you can kickstart your weight loss journey. To help you get started, we consulted with nutrition, fitness, and weight loss experts to gather their favorite healthy breakfast options.
1) Overnight Oats
One of the best things about this delicious breakfast recipe for quick weight loss is that it can be prepared ahead of time. This means that even if you're short on time in the morning, you can still enjoy a nutritious and filling breakfast to help you reach your weight loss goals.
With Greek yogurt and skim milk as the primary sources of protein, this breakfast is sure to help you stay full and satisfied until your next meal. According to The Nutrition Twins, protein is a key nutrient for weight loss as it helps to control appetite and increase metabolism. In addition, Greek yogurt provides probiotics that promote a healthy gut microbiome, which can lead to less body fat.
To try the Nutrition Twins' Orange Creamsicle Overnight Oats recipe, simply combine the following ingredients in a bowl or jar and let them sit in the fridge overnight:
- ½ cup oats
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- ¼ cup nonfat milk
By preparing this recipe ahead of time, you can start your day with a healthy and delicious meal that will help you reach your weight loss goals.
2) Avocado Toast with Scrambled Eggs
According to The Nutrition Twins, this breakfast is very satisfying due to the combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, which help maintain stable energy and blood sugar levels and prevent energy crashes that can trigger sugar cravings.
When it comes to making avocado toast, the twins recommend using Eggland's Best eggs for their nutritional value, as they only contain 60 calories per egg. These eggs contain more than double the amount of omega-3s compared to regular eggs, which can help fight inflammation and promote weight loss. Furthermore, Eggland's Best eggs contain six times more vitamin D, and research has shown that people with low levels of this vitamin are more likely to be overweight.
Adding just two tablespoons of avocado to your toast is enough to keep the calories in check while still providing the creamy texture and beneficial monounsaturated fats.
3) Blueberry Protein Weight Loss Breakfast Smoothie
If you're in a hurry, this blueberry protein breakfast smoothie is a great option for weight loss. Simply add some healthy ingredients to your blender, grab your smoothie, and head out the door.
According to The Nutrition Twins, "This delicious and satisfying smoothie has a high protein-to-calorie ratio, meaning it provides a lot of satiety with relatively few calories. This is due to the addition of vanilla protein powder and just the right amount of almond butter. Blueberries are also a key ingredient as their antioxidant C3G helps decrease hunger by increasing the hormone leptin, while also enhancing fat metabolism by increasing adiponectin. Lemons also play a role as they contain potent polyphenols that may help suppress body fat accumulation and prevent obesity."
To make this blueberry protein weight loss smoothie, gather the following ingredients:
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ tablespoon almond butter
- 1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Water to blend
4) Turkey Sausage and Salsa Burrito
According to The Nutrition Twins, a delicious, protein-packed, and waistline-friendly breakfast can be made within minutes by adding turkey sausage to a pan. The key to making this meal ideal for weight loss is to use a whole grain wrap that is less than 150 calories and to skip meatless sausage patties that are typically loaded with highly processed ingredients and additives. In addition, regular high-fat and antibiotic-treated sausage can negatively impact the gut microbiome and make weight loss harder.
For this breakfast recipe, The Nutrition Twins recommend Applegate Naturals® Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage, which is a great source of protein and doesn't contain as many calories as regular sausage. The brand also follows a strict "no antibiotics ever" policy.
To add flavor to the breakfast burrito, The Nutrition Twins suggest using salsa. They explain that salsa contains antioxidants that help protect against inflammation associated with obesity.
5) High-Protein Oatmeal with Cinnamon
According to The Nutrition Twins, a hot meal made of whole grain, nutrient-rich and fiber-rich oatmeal is the perfect way to start your day with satisfaction and long-lasting energy, as it can provide several health benefits. Oats have been shown to be effective in weight loss and blood sugar control. To make your breakfast even more effective for weight loss, you can add a protein source such as protein powder, cottage cheese, milk powder, Greek yogurt, or even egg whites, to enhance the energy-boosting effects of the oats and keep you full for longer periods of time. This will help you prevent energy peaks and crashes and avoid sugar cravings and overeating that can result from consuming only carbs.
Cinnamon can also be added to your oats to provide natural sweetness without excessive calories. Research has associated cinnamon with weight loss and reduced belly fat, making this breakfast a clear winner.
To make this cinnamon banana belly fat-burning oatmeal, you'll need:
- ½ cup oats
- ½ cup nonfat milk
- ½ small mashed banana
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup nonfat cottage cheese
- 1 egg white
Simply heat the oats and milk in the microwave, and then add the banana, cinnamon, cottage cheese, and egg white. Stir until everything is mixed well and microwave again for about one minute. Your delicious and nutritious oatmeal breakfast is ready to enjoy!
6) Yogurt Parfait
According to Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, a nutrition expert and best-selling author, a yogurt parfait is a great breakfast option for weight loss. Amidor specifically recommends her strawberry-kiwi yogurt parfait.
"Research has shown that yogurt can be a part of a healthy weight loss plan," Amidor says. "A recent study found that women who ate more yogurt had a lower risk of postpartum obesity, especially those with less healthy diets. They also found that women who were sedentary or had a low-quality diet had a lower risk of postpartum obesity if they ate more yogurt and cheese."
To make Amidor's strawberry-kiwi yogurt parfait, you'll need:
1 (32-ounce) container of nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt 1 cup (about 8 large) diced strawberries 2 peeled and diced kiwis ½ cup chopped almonds ¼ cup freshly squeezed or 100% orange juice
7) Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl
Consider making a delicious and satisfying Mediterranean breakfast bowl for a low-calorie breakfast option, according to Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND. She recommends hard-cooked eggs as a great source of protein to keep you feeling full, and pairing it with fiber-rich vegetables like cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Adding a spoonful of hummus provides healthy fats that also help with satiety. This breakfast bowl can be prepped in advance to save time in the morning.
To make the Mediterranean breakfast bowl, you'll need:
5 peeled hard-cooked eggs, divided 5 Kirby or mini cucumbers, divided 1 ¼ cups cherry tomatoes, divided 5 (3/4 ounces) slices of low-fat Swiss cheese, divided 2 ½ large (8-inch) 100% whole wheat pitas, divided 1 ¼ cups prepared hummus
8) Peanut Butter and Jelly Wonder Whip
Ilana Muhlstein, MS, RDN, a medical board member and author of "You Can Drop It: How I Dropped 100 Pounds Enjoying Carbs, Cocktails & Chocolate—And You Can Too!", shares her high-protein snack or breakfast recipe: peanut butter and jelly wonder whip.
To make this delicious treat, you'll need:
1 cup of reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons of peanut butter powder ½ cup of fresh or frozen red grapes, cut in half 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract Liquid stevia (optional) Ground cinnamon (optional)
To prepare, mix the yogurt, peanut butter powder, vanilla extract, and stevia (if using) and cinnamon (if using) in a serving bowl. Top the mixture with grapes and serve immediately. You can also store the wonder whip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. It's a high-protein breakfast or snack that will satisfy your cravings while helping you stay on track with your weight loss goals.
9) High-Fiber Green Smoothie
Personal trainer Karisa Karmali, who is also a National Association of Sports Medicine Certified Nutrition Coach and founder of Self-Live and Fitness, believes that gaining control over mindless eating is crucial for weight loss. To achieve this, she recommends consuming high-fiber and high-protein smoothies as they can help increase satiety and lower the chances of binge-eating due to not being satisfied with meals.
Karmali suggests trying her favorite recipe, a high-fiber green summer smoothie:
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ avocado
- 1 serving of vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (whole or ground)
Blend the ingredients with or without ice cubes to enjoy this tasty and nutritious smoothie.
10) High-Fiber Blueberry Waffles
According to Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of NY Nutrition Group, and a medical board member, you can transform blueberry waffles into a satisfying breakfast that will keep you full throughout the morning by adding high-fiber psyllium husk. Derived from the Plantago ovata plant's seeds, psyllium has prebiotic potential, which can increase probiotics, promote a healthier digestive system, and feed healthy gut bacteria. "Psyllium can also increase the production of short-chain fatty acids, which studies show may increase your metabolism and fat-burning," says Moskovitz.
To make these delicious blueberry waffles, you'll need:
1 cup frozen blueberries 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 large egg ¼ cup cottage cheese 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder 1 tablespoon vegan vanilla protein powder ½ teaspoon baking powder
Start by microwaving the berries in a microwave-safe dish for one minute. Coat the top and bottom of the waffle iron with coconut oil to ensure it is evenly distributed. Then, crack an egg into a small mixing bowl, and add cottage cheese, vanilla extract, psyllium husk, protein powder, and baking powder. Mix well. Pour the batter over the waffle iron and lower the lid. Cook for three to four minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Let the waffles cool for one minute, then remove them from the waffle iron carefully. Once the waffles are on the plate, you can finish them off with toppings of your choice.