What’s For Breakfast?

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” says everyone. Nonetheless, this kick-off meal often goes overlooked by adults, or worse, healthy ambitions are thrown to the wind as soon as we lock eyes with that glazed cinnamon bun behind the glass at the coffee shop.

Creating a healthy breakfast is not difficult, and it doesn’t have to take that much time, either. If you plan a little ahead, the most important meal of the day can also be the most delicious. For advice, we asked handful of Greater Boston’s personal trainers, group fitness instructors, yoga teachers, and health coaches to tell us what they’re eating for breakfast and snap a picture for proof.

Jody Grimm is a Boston-based health coach and Bikram Yoga teacher. On a typical day, she goes from coaching a client about cravings to giving that same client a crash course on cooking quinoa. She spends a lot of quality time in the kitchen, taking yoga, and biking around the city. Here’s what she’s cooking for breakfast:

Farm fresh eggs, bacon (The Good Farm in West Tisbury, MA), gluten free bread, and yerba mate.

All photos provided

Farm fresh eggs, sausage (the Good Farm in West Tisbury, MA), avocado, and a bit of kale.

Oatmeal with bananas, chia seeds, dates, and local raw honey.

Monika Mazur originally hails from Poland but has spent the last nine years in Boston building her personal coaching program, Body by Monika, and competing in New England-based bodybuilding and physique competitions. Mazur also trains clients at Healthworks. “My breakfast always consists of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and all [of my] clients know the importance of meal No. 1,” she says.

Two eggs + two egg whites, 1/4 avocado, 1/3 cup of plain oatmeal with cinnamon.

1/2 cup of plain oatmeal with scoop of protein powder, and 1/4 cup of walnuts.

Chris Simons, owner of Top Notch Training, is a competitive bodybuilder. And so, he eats a much bigger breakfast than most people do. Simons says that breakfast is a vital component of daily nutrition. “If you’re getting the appropriate amount of sleep, then you’ve been fasting for 7 to 8 hours,” he says. “Therefore in order to optimize energy levels, burn fat as energy, build and maintain muscle, and raise our metabolism, it’s important to consume a healthy well balanced breakfast.” Chris’s breakfast is extensive and is consumed over a 30 to 45 minute period of time.

Four whole eggs and one slice of ham, plus a 4 oz lean burger, 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal with cinnamon, 2 tbsp peanut butter and 1 banana (1,400 calories).

Athena Karalekas is a certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer. She teaches fitness classes regularly at the Oak Square YMCA and offers virtual and in-person personal training services through her blog, Fitness & Feta.

Cottage cheese with blueberries, slivered almonds, and cinnamon.

Apple cinnamon crockpot oatmeal with healthy add-ins such as dried cranberries and walnuts.

Ezekiel toast with Teddie’s unsalted peanut butter and sliced banana (add chia seeds for an extra punch).

For other healthy breakfast ideas, check out our roundups for breakfast smoothies, oatmeal recipes, protein shakes and brunch ideas.