If you’re hungry by 10am…
🍳this simple breakfast shift can change your day
We’ve all heard the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” And if you grew up in diet culture like most of us Millennials and Gen Xers, you’ve heard this change more times than you can count, so you’re probably not really sure what to think about breakfast.
Or maybe you’re a busy mom who is just trying to survive the May-cember chaos as the end of the school year approaches, so you’re surviving on coffee and sandwich crusts while packing lunches in the morning.
Either way, you’re probably doing it wrong. (And no, it’s not your fault!)
There are very few “right vs wrong” scenarios in weight loss in my opinion, but if I could wave a magic wand and just change one thing for all the moms who are exhausted, overstimulated, and wanting to lose weight, fixing breakfast would be it.
Now I can hear half of you shouting at your screen, “but what about intermittent fasting?!”
Personally, I don’t have anything against intermittent fasting for women when done correctly (highly recommend Dr. Mindy Pelz’s book Fast Like A Girl for this!). If you’re doing well with that, I’m not telling you that you can’t keep your eating windows. For this purpose, I’m just referring to your first meal of the day.
Now there is some research1 showing that eating your first meal earlier in the day can actually reduce late-night cravings and snacking. So, if you’re not totally sold on intermittent fasting, I’d suggest not delaying breakfast as your primary weight loss strategy.
But guess what?
That’s actually the most common pattern I’ve noticed in the women I’ve worked with in my 1:1 health coaching practice. At the beginning of our coaching journey, I have every client fill out an intake form. One of the things on it has them take me through a typical eating day, and almost 100% of the women I’ve worked with either skip breakfast entirely or just have coffee and then nothing until lunchtime or later.
And then, interestingly, when we talk about challenges they’re having in their weight loss journey, late night cravings and snacking are at the top of the list.
So, what do we do about this?
Spoiler alert: the answer isn’t more willpower or white knuckling. It’s reformulating the day to start out with a nourishing breakfast.
Now I could write a whole different article about the sad excuse breakfast has become in the United States thanks to really great historical marketing campaigns, but I’ll reign it in. Suffice it to say that your bowl of cereal, pancakes, or oatmeal don’t exactly cut it. Even a little bit.
I’m not trying to throw shade on your favorite breakfast foods, but as I tell my kids all the time, this is all basically just sugar. And we can’t just eat sugar for breakfast! (I’m at the stage of parenting where my kids are literally asking me for pieces of candy for breakfast if we have it in the house… so I’m being illustrative and literal here on that last point!)
Why not? Because I said so. Just kidding, my kids don’t buy that reason either. It’s really because any time you eat sugar, it spikes your blood sugar which feels fine in the moment and maybe even gives you a burst of quick energy, but shortly thereafter leads to a crash.
And then the mid-morning hunger. Or the need for another cup of coffee. You get the idea.
What do I recommend instead?
First, let me tell you about the foundational concept I teach all of my clients: the Fuel Trio™. That’s my fancy way of saying that a well-balanced meal should always include protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Any time you build your plate, it should have the Fuel Trio™ in it.
What I’m NOT saying is that you have the same boring breakfast every day (though as a busy mom I find this to be pretty helpful… I’d rather have a boring, well-balanced meal than the decision fatigue every morning, but I know that’s not for everyone!).
All I’m saying is that when you’re putting together your breakfast, make sure you’ve got all 3 ingredients.
I’m not big on giving exact numbers because I don’t personally love to teach tracking/macro counting for a variety of reasons (again, a conversation for another time!), however the protein target is pretty important. If you can get in 20-30g of protein with your morning meal, you’ll set yourself up for feeling fuller and more energized all day (with less food noise too).
For fiber, a really good target is 25-30g per DAY (not per meal). I do personally try to get a good bit of that in my first meal too though, because that also helps with keeping you satisfied and improves your gut health. And usually, you don’t have to add a specific amount of fat to a meal because most of the time it’s naturally in your protein sources. But if not, this can easily be accomplished by adding butter, nut butter, cheese avocado, etc.
Here are some examples of my favorite Fuel Trio™ Friendly breakfasts:
Greek yogurt (or Ratio protein yogurt is my new go-to), chia or basil seeds mixed in, breakfast sausage links (I keep a big bag of Costco chicken breakfast sausages in the freezer so it’s super quick to heat a few up!
Protein shake, apple, spoonful of peanut or almond butter (perfect for busy rushed mornings)
Hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, pear
Scrambled eggs, cheese, Dave’s Killer Bread toast or sourdough, cup full of raspberries
Soon, I’ll create a bigger guide to Fuel Trio™ friendly breakfasts, but you get the idea: protein, healthy fat, and fiber.
Why does this work?
I had a client recently lose 5lbs in her first week working with me by only making two simple changes: actually eating breakfast and making sure its Fuel Trio™ friendly. So why does it work?
Here’s the quick breakdown:
• Protein helps support fullness and steady energy.
• Fiber and healthy fats help meals feel more satisfying and can help you stay full longer between meals.
Together, this combination can help reduce cravings, energy crashes, and constant thoughts about food throughout the day (aka “food noise”).
Where most people get stuck
Usually, knowing what to do and actually doing it are two completely different things. And nine times out of ten, the women I work with don’t have a knowledge problem, they have a “doing it consistently in real life” problem.
That makes sense, because on top of running a household, raising kids, working in or outside the home, and carrying the mental load of literally everything else, creating a realistic plan for weight loss can feel completely overwhelming. Decision fatigue is real.
That’s where I come in. I help women simplify the process and create a personalized plan that actually works with real life. Because if your weight loss plan only works on days that “run smoothly” with no unexpected things coming up, then it’s really not a plan for a mom. And it’s definitely not sustainable!
And honestly? This is such a good time to start.
The school-year chaos is winding down, summer routines are starting to shift, and there’s a natural opportunity to reset your rhythms before fall sneaks up again.
So, if you’re tired of feeling stuck, tired all the time, uncomfortable in your body, and constantly saying “I’ll start when things get less busy,” this is your sign to stop waiting.
The end-of-the-school-year chaos is winding down soon, and we’re switching into summer mode. There’s a natural rhythm change, so it’s the perfect time to add yourself back to the priority list.
You don’t need more willpower. You need more structure, support, and a plan that actually fits your life.
If you’re ready to finally feel better in your body this summer, click below to book your free clarity call and let’s talk about what working together could look like!
With grace,
Andrea
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Sources Cited:
Khaira F, Sulastri D. Meal timing and ghrelin: A chrononutritional perspective on weight regulation potential. Chronobiol Int. 2026 May;43(5):606-613. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2026.2624753. Epub 2026 Feb 1. PMID: 41622791.