Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Marva Makle, an inspiring Ayurvedic health coach who focuses on helping “worn out, burnt out” (WOBO) women. Here’s her advice to you working mamas about why you might be hitting that mid-morning wall, and what on earth you can do about breakfast:
You dragged your butt out of bed after getting up several times in the night to feed the baby. You’re back to work and cranking away on a deliverable that’s due in two hours. Suddenly, around 10:30 am, Bam! You hit a wall. No focus, no energy, all you want to do is stare out the window.
Hmm… what did you eat for breakfast?
I can hear you now, “Breakfast? Are you kidding? I don’t have time for breakfast.” As I’m sure you’ve heard, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s the meal that should supply at least a third of the macro and micronutrients your body needs to run without a hitch. You’ve already “fasted” overnight and your body and mind are in desperate need of nutrition.
If you are a woman who is breastfeeding, the need for a quality breakfast is even greater. Given you need an additional 300-500 calories per day while breastfeeding, skipping or skimping on breakfast can easily create a serious energy deficit. With the demands of your schedule, it’s quite likely you won’t be able to recover from that deficit all day after missing your morning recharge.
Think about what you are eating each morning to “break the fast” and properly fuel your day.
A cup of coffee gulped down on the go? A cup of sugary yogurt or a bowl of “healthy” cereal eaten at your desk? A donut from the break room? Nothing at all?
You deserve so much better than that, and your body and mind NEED more!
When you eat a good breakfast, your day is much more likely to go smoothly. No growling stomach, low blood sugar shakiness, or wandering attention to keep you from nailing those big goals you’ve set for yourself.
What Breakfast is Right for You?
One of the best – and most fun – ways to find out which foods serve YOU most powerfully is something called the Breakfast Experiment. For one week, eat a different breakfast each day. Record in a notebook what you ate, how you felt immediately after the meal, and how you felt again two hours later.
- Day 1: scrambled eggs or tofu
- Day 2: bean soup or a bean salad
- Day 3: oatmeal
- Day 4: boxed breakfast cereal with milk
- Day 5: muffin and coffee
- Day 6: fresh fruit
- Day 7: fresh vegetables
Feel free to repeat the experiment for another seven days with different foods each morning. Which breakfasts made you feel energized? Which ones didn’t?
After the experiment, try adding in more of the foods that made you feel great! This is one simple step you can take on your wellness walk.
Here are a couple of recipes to help you start you day off of a well-nourished foot:
Steel Cut Oats Slow-Cooker Recipe
25 Make-Ahead and Freeze Breakfast Recipes
As always, I’m cheering you on!
Marva Makle is an Ayurvedic Health Coach (CHC) with a private practice in Northwest Washington, DC. She works with stressed out professional women who are ready to enjoy a saner, more energetic life but are too exhausted and overwhelmed to know where to start. Marva offers private and group programs, classes, workshops, and retreats. Join her on your journey to health and freedom. To contact Marva, go to marvamakle.com.
Want more help and support as you head back to work after maternity leave, mama? Join the next session of Mindful Return!
