3 Quick Breakfast Options for Early Morning Exercisers

Most of my personal training clients exercise first thing in the morning. This means waking up anywhere between 4 and 6 a.m. And not surprisingly, when waking up at the ass crack of dawn, making and eating a healthy breakfast sounds like an insurmountable challenge.

Now I’m not going to lie and tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day (or that you even need to eat it at all). But most people aren’t ready to perform high-intensity exercise on an empty stomach. Too often they’ll have no energy or get nauseous, so eating breakfast is a necessity.

But if we’re trying to build healthy habits that lead to weight loss or muscle gain, the last thing we want is a bowl of sugary cereal or a greasy breakfast sandwich from the drive through.

The solution? A fast, easy breakfast with quality protein, carbs and fats to power through heavy weight training and up-tempo conditioning. Today, I’ll share with you three breakfast options that I recommend to my clients who need to eat in the morning but hate cooking, eating and cleaning before the sun comes up.

All these meals can be prepared the night before, making it easy to wake up, grab and go.

OPTION 1: PRE-SCRAMBLED EGGS AND VEGGIES

Ingredients
2-4 whole eggs
1 cup baby spinach
1 small tomato
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Salt and pepper
Salsa or hot sauce

I’ma let you finish but… Eggs are the greatest breakfast food of all time. OF ALL TIME. Add in some veggies and you’ve got a high-protein breakfast packed with healthy fats and fiber. Sounds great – except for having to CHOP and COOK first thing in the morning. Sounds terrible.

Quick fix? Chop your veggies and crack your eggs the night before, refrigerate in a tightly-sealed container overnight, and toss everything in a hot pan when you wake up.

• Crack a couple (or a dozen) eggs into a sealable Pyrex or Tupperware container
• Chop up a small tomato and add to eggs
• Toss in a handful (about a cup) of baby spinach
• Season with salt and pepper
• Whisk together until eggs are fully beaten
• Store in refrigerator overnight
• In the morning, set a frying pan over medium-high heat
• Add a tablespoon of coconut oil
• Once oil is melted, add eggs and veggies from container
• Scramble with a spatula until fully cooked, about 3 minutes
• Top with salsa or hot sauce
• EAT AND GET JACKED.

The eggs cook really fast and the tomatoes and spinach cook fast too, allowing you to throw them in at the same time as the eggs. If you’re feeling really adventurous, add in some chopped leftover chicken or steak. The pre-made egg mixture will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, so don’t be afraid to make enough for several mornings. This is also the lowest-carb option in this post, which is great if you’re just doing low-volume strength training or are in serious fat-loss mode.

 

OPTION 2: GREEK YOGURT PROTEIN PUDDING

Ingredients
1 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
1/4 cup almonds
1 small apple, chopped
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Cinnamon

If you prefer to not have to cook in the morning, this Greek yogurt protein pudding is a solid option for a high-protein breakfast without having to fire up the stove. Just mix all the ingredients in a bowl the night before, refrigerate overnight and chow down once you roll out of bed.

You can choose whatever flavor protein powder you like, but chocolate tastes best with the plain yogurt. The almonds and apples give a nice crunch, while the honey or maple syrup sweetens things up and adds some fast carbs to fuel your workout. Plus, it feels like you’re eating dessert for breakfast.

OPTION 3: FRUIT AND VEGGIE PROTEIN SHAKE

Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop chocolate or vanilla whey protein powder
1 banana
2 cups spinach
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Small handful of dark chocolate chips (optional… you know you want to.)

If you’re in a serious hurry and need to gulp your breakfast down in the car, make a super shake packed with lots of protein, fruit and veggies. Blend it up the night before, put your shaker bottle in the fridge and grab it on your way out the door.

I hate the term “superfood” but this shake stuffs a lot of really healthy foods into a tasty, easy-to-consume drink. The banana gives the shake a nice creamy texture, while the frozen blueberries give it a cool purple color and remove the need for ice cubes (but they’ll turn your lips purple too, so wipe your mouth before you get to work). You can cram tons of spinach in the blender and you’ll never taste it, so don’t hold back. Coconut oil adds some much-needed fat, while dark chocolate chips add texture and, well, chocolate!

GIMME FUEL

We can argue for hours about the importance (or lack thereof) of breakfast in the grand scheme of weight loss, but the reality is that most people aren’t ready to skip breakfast and train hard from the get-go. They need something in their stomach if they’re going to have the energy to kick ass in the gym. So if you’re struggling to eat a quality breakfast because of your early morning rush, try one of these three options for a quick, high-octane pre-workout meal.