In the past, I often had a hard time deciding what to eat in the morning. Sometimes, there were too many options to choose from. And other times, the fridge and pantry just simply did not seem to provide the right stuff. Thus, my trick is to keep it simple and make sure I have everything ready (at least in my mind) the day before. I also ensure that I do not run out of breakfast essentials and have all the ingredients at home at ALL times.
If I am getting up early and have some time before I start with my training, biking or work – porridge is the choice of the day.
Very basic recipe
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- 1 cup of almond or oat milk
- 1 cup of water
- 1-2 bananas
Toppings
- fruit (my favourites are red berries or mango)
- spices (my favourite is a mixture of grounded cinnamon, cardamon & ginger)
Prep
Throw all ingredients in a pot, heat it up (reduce the heat directly when it starts to boil). You can let it simmer on medium heat or just let it sit on the warm stove (ca. 5 min).
Drink Water!
This can’t be stressed enough. I know it can be hard to provide your body with abundant water when you do not really feel like drinking three litres a day. I also only achieve this by having a couple of routines – like having half a litre of water right after waking up and a nice glass (soul)bottle which I fill up right away each time it gets empty.
Routines can help…a lot
Routines can be a big help for your health and well-being. They set the rhythm, you don’t need to think about what to do next and you don’t need to convince or motivate yourself to do it. It’s more like being on autopilot. Therefore, it’s a good idea to build some routines that help you during the day.
I was never a big breakfast eater (just not feeling hungry in the morning), but learned to deal with it. I am still struggling a bit, when I am nervous. This is particularly true before races, when it would be extremely important to start the day with a proper breakfast. If it is not at all possible to eat something, I put together a sandwich, some dates and a banana ‘to go’. Getting up a little earlier also helps, so that there is enough time between waking up and breakfast.
I try to keep my routine for most of the days. That means waking up after 8 hours of sleep at 6:30 (or earlier if an early bird ride is on), feeding the cats and directly drinking two glasses of water. Then I prepare the breakfast and let it sit, while I take a shower and get dressed. Then it’s time to enjoy my breakfast. Once I am finished, I head to my early bird bike ride or start working.
