Last Week’s Workouts + A Breakfast Analysis

on March 17, 2015

Howdy!

I had an awesome week of workouts! Itâ€™s really wonderful weather here in Charlotte, and itâ€™s been motivating me to get out of the house more and more. Iâ€™ve been making so much use of the gym – and thus gym childcare – that I brought the childcare workers freshly baked brownies on Friday. Thank you for watching my kiddos so I can have 45 minutes of me time every single day. Hah!

Monday: Bootcamp at the gym {whole body focus}

Tuesday: 5K Run

Wednesday: Bootcamp at the gym {ab focus}

Thursday: 1200 yard swim

Friday: Bootcamp at the gym {whole body focus}

Saturday: Yoga

Sunday: 500 yard swim

Saturdayâ€™s yoga session was mostly a lot of sitting in childâ€™s pose, and Sundayâ€™s swim was more of a friend date than a workout. I spent half the time talking to Brandi. It took me 30 minutes to swim 500 yards! But it was fun to move (and have an excuse to sit in the hot tub after).

Hereâ€™s something fun. Have you ever used a recipe calculator to see the nutritional info for a recipe or a meal? I did this the other day because I was curious to see how my old â€œstandbyâ€ breakfast (eggs, toast, fruit or a veggie) stacked up, nutritionally, to my current standby, which is a Vega One smoothie. As Iâ€™ve written before, Iâ€™m really into Vega One right now because itâ€™s this fast, filling breakfast that I can eat while wrangling the kiddos.

The other day, I had a bit more time in the morning than usual, so I made eggs and toast. But I was STARVING by 10 AM! The smoothie usually holds me over until 11:30 or so, and then I eat lunch. So I got curious about the difference between the two mealsâ€¦

Hereâ€™s Vega One, the way that I make it (with added fruit and peanut butter):

And hereâ€™s the eggs and toast combo:

So, the two meals are roughly the same, calorie-wise, but there are lot more carbs (61 to 37 grams) and protein (26 to 19) in the smoothie, but more fat in the eggs and toast combo (30 to 21 grams). Oh, and thereâ€™s almost three times as much sugar in the Vega One. Interesting, huh? I guess those extra carbs and protein really make a difference to my tummy.

For me, the winner isâ€¦

Whatâ€™s your ideal breakfast for long-lasting satiety? What macronutrients keep you feeling full the longest?

{ 19 comments }

emma @ be mom strong March 17, 2015, 7:08 am
I’m loving on some VEGA too! It’s my mid-morning snack. Complex carbs + protein = the perfect combo to keep you satisfied EACH meal! I, however, still need solid food at breakfast or no matter what I consume I’m hangry!
Laura March 17, 2015, 8:55 am
I like to have Kashi Cinnamon Harvest or Cheerios in the morning before work. For a mid-morning snack I like to have a fruit smoothie. Last weekend my husband made waffles for breakfast, and while they were yummy, I was starving within two hours because it was just carbs with no protein or fiber. I should have had an egg to help keep me full!
Brynn March 17, 2015, 9:09 am
This is odd, but it changes. I can eat oatmeal and be full for hours and then repeat the meal the next day and be hungry two hours later. Smoothies are one of my favorites as a new mom, but I miss the feeling of chewing my food. So I find I grab something else to go with it.
Christina March 17, 2015, 9:21 am
Wow, I’m the opposite. If I have eggs I usually have an omelette with 2 eggs and lots of peppers and mushrooms, and sometimes greens. If I have a piece of toast with that I’m full for so long- like I might have a little salad for lunch and not be hungry till 3. Smoothies usually keep me full all mornign but I’m definitely ready for a decent lunch.
Autumn March 17, 2015, 9:35 am
Did you know you can get Vega One at Vitacost.com for $55 and free shipping vs retail of $70? I buy my diapers and prenatals here because it is much cheaper.
- Caitlin March 17, 2015, 9:36 am
  Oh awesome, thanks for sharing!
Jen March 17, 2015, 9:44 am
what eggs are you using that are 203 calories for 2???? Eggs are typically 70 calories for 1 large. I am religious to England’s best and they are only 60 per egg!
Samantha D March 17, 2015, 9:51 am
I analyzed my morning smoothie about a year ago. For me, I stick with greens (spinach or kale), frozen fruit, a banana, unsweetened almond milk, and flaxseeds. It turned out to be like 400 calories! I was surprised because it was made with almost entirely fruits and vegetables. It was kind of hard for me because I have a long history of calorie counting in which 400 calories was way too much for breakfast. I realized that my body felt better and I stayed full for longer with the smoothie though, so I still have it for breakfast in the warmer months. I’ve been on and off diets since I was 10, and I feel like the 90s/early 2000s calorie counting, no fat mentality really messed with my brain!
- Katie sB March 18, 2015, 12:13 am
  And now the paleo/no carb thing is going to mess with a whole new group for years to come! :/
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables March 17, 2015, 10:51 am
For me, Greek yogurt is what sticks with me!
Cynthia March 17, 2015, 12:02 pm
For me personally, eggs fill me up more. When I do smoothies, I usually get hungry again about an hour later.
Emily March 17, 2015, 12:46 pm
Glad you found something that keeps you energized and full that long in the morning! I do find it hard to believe your two eggs total to over 200 calories, though. And, this is mostly because I count my eggs as 65-75 calories and I don’t want to add more calories or cut eggs from my breakfast. 🙂
Amy @ Amy M4gic March 17, 2015, 2:51 pm
What an interesting breakdown! I love experiments like this. I would have absolutely assumed that the breakfast with more fat would have kept you full longer. Then again, which ever breakfast option has the most peanut butter is the option I’m probably going to pick!
Mabel @ Ma Bella Vita March 17, 2015, 6:11 pm
Whole wheat/grain pancakes with a side of eggs + cofee is the most satisfying breakfast I can think of. So delicious and healthy that I dont think about eating again until is actually lunch time. Ive been having that for breakfast quite a lot since Ive been working from home 🙂
Courtney March 17, 2015, 9:32 pm
I picked up some Vega One at a discount store for $35. And of course their stock changes every time I go. I need to get back there asap!
Melissa March 18, 2015, 1:25 am
It might be a volume related reason why the smoothie fills you more–air whipped into it and liquid volume taking up more stomach space 🙂 either way, two of my favorites! my ideal breakfast is three hard boiled eggs, 1/2 an avocado and 2/3 cup dry oats cooked in cashew milk with avocado. never gets old.
toni March 18, 2015, 12:06 pm
Three egg whites topped with a whole avocado sandwiched between rye toast!
Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork March 18, 2015, 1:02 pm
I’ve been back to using MyFitnessPal to get back on track. I’ve noticed most of my breakfasts weren’t there calorie-wise (sometimes under 300 calories!), so no wonder I was so hungry by the time I got home and would have to hold myself back from eating everything in sight!
I have found that whenever I go to a diner and get a big three egg omelet loaded with veggies and cheese that I am good for a looooong time. So protein, fat, and fiber to keep me filled up! Complex carbs do very little for me.
Jen March 19, 2015, 9:07 pm
That is an interesting comparison! As an RD, I can add a little insight–you didn’t include the fiber content in your analysis, but I would wager that your smoothie is higher. Higher fiber content slows digestion, and stabilizes blood sugars, which keeps you fully longer. Also, the greener the banana, the lower glycemic it is, making it more filling. Finally, there is something about nuts–recent clinical studies have found that when people eat nuts with their breakfast, they end up eating less throughout the day. My guess it is due to the fat profile found in nuts. So there ya go, the ingredients for a filling smoothie.

Just as a side note, for some reason when opening your blog on my iPad, it is really ti yo and i have to zoom in to read it.

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