No doubt, you have heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While the truth of that is debatable (all meals are technically “important” to the maintenance of our health), eating a healthy meal first thing in the morning will start you off on the right foot.

Here’s what a nutritious breakfast can offer:

Keeping Your Weight in Check

Many people skip breakfast, assuming it’s a great way to cut calories. In fact, studies have shown that those who eat breakfast are more likely to lose extra weight and to keep it off. Ultimately, however, it’s not whether or not you eat breakfast, but what you eat for breakfast that matters when it comes to maintaining your weight. Stick to proteins and high-fiber options to optimize your first meal of the day.

Setting the Tone for the Day Ahead

Eating a nutritious meal – or even a snack - within an hour of waking helps to balance your blood sugar. And if you eat a combination of high-quality carbs (no - doughnuts don’t count) and protein, you’ll get a zap of immediate energy from the carbohydrates followed by another shot of energy from the protein later on. This will keep you going without hitting that mid-morning slump.

Maintaining Your Hunger Cycles

Many people who skip breakfast or indulge in unhealthy choices like sugary cereal or pastries that are neither filling nor nutritious end up eating a larger lunch and snacking more throughout the day to make up for the morning deficit. When you keep your blood sugar steady and satisfy your hunger with regular, nutritionally-dense meals, you’re less likely to overindulge or mindlessly snack.

Keeping Your Heart Healthy

A new study discovered that people who skip breakfast are 87% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than those who do eat breakfast. Again, what people eat for breakfast is an important factor here, with nutritious choices contributing to healthy weight, an improvement of insulin sensitivity, and strong metabolism.

Improving Your Concentration

Your brain is able to function much more efficiently when you eat breakfast. A meal early in the day assures that you’ll be able to focus – and it even improves your memory! So don’t skip your healthy morning meal.

If you need a little inspiration on what to eat in the A.M., try The Food Network’s healthy breakfast recipes. Looking for more motivating lifestyle ideas? Head over to our blog page for more!