Your mother probably told you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for energy, and large studies suggest it’s also great for weight loss: Of people who have lost major weight and kept it off, almost all of them eat an a.m. meal religiously. So the question becomes not whether you should eat breakfast, but what exactly should be on your breakfast plate, and how much you need to switch that up every day—or not.
According to award-winning dietitian and regular TV guest Kristin Kirkpatrick, author of Skinny Liver and manager of nutrition for the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, it’s not as black and white as you might think, because it all depends on what you’re eating, and who you are.
Here’s why it could be a bad idea:
If you’re a foodie, eating the same thing every morning might make you bored. And this may lead you to start making poor dietary choices as you crave novel flavors and textures.
It’s also potentially bad news if you’re first meal of the day is a bowl of sugary cereal. “You may just be having the wrong breakfast to begin with, in that it’s a high carb food that’s also high in sugar and low in protein,” Kirkpatrick explains. “Many studies point to the benefits of having a higher protein breakfast in terms of helping with weight control and reducing cravings, so if you’re eating a big bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and dried fruit it may inhibit effective weight loss.”
Here’s why it could be a good idea:
“There is a benefit to automation in breakfast choices, especially if your breakfast is one that is protein-rich, and ideally includes a vegetable—because we get so few, crossing one off the list early in the day is ideal,” Kirkpatrick says. “If it’s a ‘without thinking’ type of thing you have every day, you are also less likely to search for other options that may not help with weight loss (think danish, doughnut, sugary cereal).”
Healthy, high-protein breakfast ideas include Greek yogurt with berries (blueberries are nutritional powerhouses) and a handful of nuts, a breakfast burrito with beans, peanut butter or almond butter on whole grain toast.
Making one meal, like breakfast, the same every day can lead to healthy food choices for the following meal, which can encourage healthy eating and weight maintenance. Just be sure to choose your meal mindfully, steering clear of foods both high in carbs and sugar, and instead opting for a higher protein breakfast. Here are 27 great breakfast ideas to consider.
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When in doubt, always go for whole grains. Oats fit the bill perfectly. They’re packed with beta glucan, a type of soluble fiber that helps keep your cholesterol in check, according to Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, founder of 
Candy wrappers, fruit peels, nut shells, chicken bones: When it comes to eating messy food, it may be better to let the garbage pile up on the table rather than demurely throwing it away as you go. Seeing the debris left from your food is a visual reminder of exactly how much you’ve eaten and can provide a reminder to stop when you’re full, according to 
You might already use yogurt as a base, but upgrading to a thicker Greek-style version will make your smoothie a protein powerhouse. One six-ounce cup of plain Greek yogurt packs in a whopping 18 grams of protein. Flavored versions can be 
The term detoxification means eliminating harmful substances like alcohol, excess minerals, pesticides, food additives, and other dietary and environmental toxins from your body. But your body has its own detoxification systems in place and is quite capable of purging toxins by itself. “The liver filters the blood coming from the intestines before passing it through to the rest of the body,” says Adrienne Youdim, MD, recognized expert in weight loss and nutrition and preventive medicine. “The liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, lungs, and even the skin are all involved in detoxing or cleansing the body of unwanted waste or substances.” Specifically, the liver metabolizes and breaks down toxins and chemicals including medications and drugs and alcohol; the intestines pass and absorb digested food and nutrients and produce natural antibiotics and enzymes to break down toxins and kill microbes that pass out of the body as feces; the kidneys filter blood and eliminate toxins through urine; the lungs expel toxins as you exhale; and, finally, sweating expels toxins through your skin. See? Your body’s got it covered.
Detox programs tend to be hypo-caloric, or super-low-calorie—usually a lot lower than the basic level your body needs. When consuming far fewer calories than you need for several days, the body tends to trigger mini-starvation responses, leading to a decreased metabolic rate (read: fewer calories burned at rest and during exercise), more body protein broken down to provide energy, and even an increase in body fat accumulation (after all, your body needs to store up energy for what it perceives as a famine, or at least lean times). All of this is the opposite of healthy and often leaves the detoxer worse off than before they began their detox protocol. The infamous “Master Cleanse,” which entails drinking copious amounts of lemon water, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, is one of the most dangerous detoxes and should never be attempted, Dr. Adams says. Versions of this detox include no solid food for several weeks!
It may not sound sexy, but healthy eating—incorporating fruits and vegetables, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, grains, legumes, and poly and monounsaturated fats in your diet, and limiting red meat, sweets, processed foods, fried foods, and excessive alcohol—is the best way to maintain food health and prevent disease. “Healthy eating has been associated with reduced diseases such as certain cancers and heart disease,” says Dr. Youdim. “Keep half your plate ‘green,’ or consisting of vegetables, even at breakfast, and try to eat lean protein at every meal.” (Here’s 
It doesn’t sound more decadent than this, and 
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Do you know of some neglected apple trees in your community or where some roadside raspberries are wilting away? “Give your walk more purpose (and weight) by setting out to gather along the way. Bending and squatting, reaching and carrying ramps (or other fruits and veggies), not only ramps up the physical benefits of your walk, you can count your walk toward your volunteer time by joining a gleaning group,” says 
Katie Dunlop’s journey began after college, as she found herself 45 pounds overweight and tired of the ups and downs of fad diets and trendy workout plans. She started to look for small changes that might add up over time. Her first mission was to search and destroy mindless munching. Every night as a pre-dinner snack, Dunlop used to nibble cheese and crackers while cooking. “I didn’t necessarily need that,” she says. Instead of banning this pre-dinner ritual all at once, Dunlop decided to cut out the cheese for a few days, and then phase out the crackers. “Food habits are the hardest thing to change, so finding little ‘tweaks’ became hugely important,” she says.
Wait, isn’t the point of a diet that you are supposed to cut 
“Memory has been touted with blueberries,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Caroline Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN. One long-term study of 16,010 adults age 70 or younger found that those who ate more blueberries and strawberries delayed age-related cognitive decline by up to 2.5 years. The researchers guess that antioxidants called anthocyanins in blueberries could be behind the effects. Other studies have found that large doses of resveratrol could slow the progress of 
It’s all the rage right now to ditch the carbs and adopt a gluten-free diet—fully one-quarter of Americans reported eating gluten-free in 2015, a 67 percent increase from 2013, according to 
Pinnavaia’s degree in quantum chemistry and professional experience in finance helped her decipher the data and motivation behind the American food industry. She immersed herself in books such as 
As Pinnavaia learned in her research, white flour and sugar can stimulate cancer cell growth, and a lot of the oils and dairy products we eat create an inflammatory environment in the body, putting the immune system under stress. “Euphebe helps break that cycle by reducing cravings and by teaching people that food is fuel, making them aware of what they put in their bodies and what it can do them,” she says.
Euphebe starts with the 
There are no crazy herbs, supplements, or ingredients you need to buy in out-of-the-way specialty shops. Just as importantly, you don’t have to worry about being hungry or experiencing sugar withdrawal symptoms. Euphebe’s food is chock-full of optimum nutrition—fiber, whole grains, and vegetables galore—so you’re bound to feel energized and satisfied. Yes, you’ll have to say goodbye to soda and limit alcohol intake, but coffee can still be part of your daily life, as long as you forego sweeteners or cream. (
“When I started this company, I thought, how do we make it easier for people? I broke it down to practical considerations—what can I eat if I don’t have time to shop and cook. We also tackled people’s concerns that healthy foods may taste bad. That’s how we came up with the delivery concept, and why the recipes are created by renowned chefs,” Pinnavaia explains. “But, there’s more to it than that. We’re helping people break the sugar-dependency cycle by going full immersion, and supplying a behavioral/coaching component. The 28-day reboot is about education, motivation, and support.”
Considering eating disorders are incredibly common, you might be curious to know what causes these unhealthy relationships with food and mirrors in the first place. The long and the short answer is both your genetics and societal influences. “We say that genetics load the gun and environment pulls the trigger,” explains Bonnie Brennan, the senior clinical director of Adult Services at 
No healthy-crust list would be complete without mentioning cauliflower. You’ve probably seen cauliflower pizza crusts blowing up online, and for good reason. Fiber- and vitamin C-rich cauliflower creates a sturdy crust, and its light taste will fool you into thinking you’re eating regular ol’ pizza dough. Try this version from