I want to lose weight and be healthy. A dietitian said to eat a proper breakfast and more fiber and protein.
- A 37-year-old woman submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
- A dietitian said to eat breakfast plus more protein and fiber.
Jamie, 37, submitted her eating routine to Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer advice on readers' eating habits.
She told Insider her goals are to lose weight and be healthy. Jamie has a desk job but occasionally takes walks, and a couple of times a year she and her kids go on bike rides or five-mile hikes, she said.
Dietitian Jaclyn London told Insider that it's great to be eating mostly whole foods, but eating a nutritious breakfast rather than just coffee can help lead to a healthier day overall.
London also recommended that Jamie tries to get more movement into her day. "Activity doesn't have to be a huge workout or massive day of hiking to be 'worth' doing," she said. "In fact, staying active in periods of 10 to 15 minutes multiple times a day may be just as effective for health and longevity on the whole."
A latte with dairy milk provides protein
Jamie doesn't eat breakfast but drinks three cups of coffee with creamer in the morning, she said.
As a general rule, London recommends people eat breakfast as it can form part of a healthy relationship with food and also "set the stage" for the day ahead.
"While research has been mixed on the topic of breakfast for weight loss (whether or not it makes a difference), I can say from my work in practice that when people start prioritizing a bigger, more satisfying breakfast, they almost always start to build other health-promoting patterns throughout their day that help move them closer to their health goals and make them feel great while doing it," London said via email. "The best breakfast I can recommend is one that you love that incorporates protein, healthy fat, and fiber (I call this the Satiety Trifecta in my book, 'Dressing on the Side and Other Diet Myths Debunked')."
London recommends breakfasts such as:
2 frozen whole-grain waffles with 1 tablespoon peanut butter, plus 1 cup berries
2 eggs on a slice of whole-grain toast with 1⁄2 an avocado and 1⁄2 cup tomatoes
1⁄2 to 1 cup oatmeal with 1⁄2 cup milk of choice, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons of mixed nuts (or 1 to 2 tablespoons nut butter), plus 1 piece of fruit
If Jamie doesn't want to eat in the morning, a small tweak could be replacing her coffee with creamer for a latte.
"Simply switching from creamer to low-fat or fat-free milk can help add up to 13 grams of protein per 16 ounce latte, which will help to add more satiety-promoting protein to her first meal of the day and help her stay fuller, longer — while also giving her the caffeine she craves," London said.
Whole grains and produce provide fiber at lunch
At lunchtime, Jamie eats a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread, and sometimes some chips too. She has an afternoon snack of fruit and yogurt, she said.
London recommended that Jamie choose a high-protein, sugar-free yogurt and add some seeds and nuts, and swap out white, refined carbs for whole-grain alternatives, which provide more fiber.
"In addition to providing additional plant-based phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals, this small shift will also give Jamie a little extra protein from a naturally occurring, plant-based source," she said.
London also recommended adding more vegetables and fruit to meals to help Jamie feel more satisfied and energized, as well as providing vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
"Fiber helps provide fuel for your body's own probiotics (beneficial bacteria) to survive, thrive and proliferate, which may help give her health a boost overall," London said. "Plus, it'll help her stay fuller longer and promote satiety, which can help with her goal of weight management."
There's nothing wrong with a piece of pie
For dinner, Jamie typically eats steak with white rice and a vegetable of some kind. For dessert, she might have a piece of pie, she said, and then a bowl of cereal as an evening snack.
On the whole, London said Jamie's dinner is "a solid and nutritious template for us to start building more wholesome meal."
To up the nutritiousness, Jamie could consider swapping the white rice for a whole grain carb such as brown rice, quinoa, or buckwheat, London said.
She recommended opting for more nutrient-dense snacks that provide both fiber and protein. When choosing a cereal, London suggested looking for one made from whole grains, with as little sugar as possible, and pairing with a source of protein such as plain Greek yogurt, nut butter, and/or milk.
"This will help Jamie prioritize her sugar intake from real dessert (I love that she's made room for a piece of pie in the day), and be more mindful about sneaky sources of added sugar from less satisfying (and often, less delicious) sources," London said.