Why Starting Your Day with One of the 7 Best Breakfast Proteins Will Change Your Life

What if a simple change to your breakfast could transform your energy levels and overall well-being?

Join me, Dai Manuel, as I recount my journey from morbid obesity to vibrant health, highlighting how a high-protein breakfast played a pivotal role.

We'll explore the often-overlooked benefits of starting your day with protein-rich foods like eggs, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese and why this isn't just for bodybuilders or fitness fanatics.

You'll learn how protein can help maintain muscle mass, enhance your metabolism, and keep you fuller for longer, busting common myths and misconceptions along the way.

We’ll also touch on the benefits of intermittent fasting and give you a sneak peek into the exciting 2% collective community.

Have you ever wondered why eating protein isn't enough for muscle gain?

This episode highlights the importance of combining protein with regular strength training to reap the benefits.

Discover practical tips on meal planning and balancing macronutrients to avoid pitfalls like excessive sodium intake.

Hear real-life success stories and expert insights into how a high-protein breakfast can positively impact your energy levels and weight management.

Plus, don't miss out on our special webinar link in the show notes, where you can further explore the science behind macronutrients.

Tune in for more nutrition insights and tips for a healthier, more energetic life.

And be sure to check out Simone's amazing cottage cheese recipes. You can find them here.

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:08

Hey there, my 2% Collective Wellness Warriors. Your host back again. Diamond Well is bringing you another episode of the 2% Solution. Today we're discussing starting your day with high-protein breakfast, so let's get ready to fuel our day in the best way possible.

Dai Manuel: 0:26

I remember way back when this is going way back, but at the ripe old age of 15 years old. You know this is like over 30 years ago but when I was at my largest, you know, I was morbidly obese, bmi in the 40s, extremely sedentary, very unhealthy, and I decided to make some changes. I won't go into all the details today, but I did share this story in an earlier episode. But I've been fielding some questions as of late about sort of my history and some of the things that I did to overcome and ultimately work my way through that state of unhealth to get into a healthier lifestyle and really during that process I learned a lot and since then, the last 30 years, a lot of anecdotal evidence from things that I've done personally but also with all the clients I've worked with over the last 28 years. So it's been a pretty incredible journey up to this point, but one of the most significant things I did which really helped, and it's also helped a ton of clients, female, male alike. Okay, and here's the thing when I started upping my protein intake, specifically around my breakfast, especially, that injection of high protein was just a kickstart I was looking for. Let me explain. The transformation I saw in energy alone and overall well-being was just awesome. But I want you to experience that too. So today let's dive into a little bit of why you know it's so impactful to increase our protein intake on the day-to-day, but also uncover the magic behind a variety of high-protein foods. In fact, there was a great article that came out as recently a bunch of dieticians got together and they basically debated and discussed what they felt were the seven best high protein foods to eat for breakfast. So we're going to get into that.

Dai Manuel: 2:16

So protein in the morning it's not just a trend, it is a game changer. It's the foundation for your muscles, keep you satiated and satisfied longer, while also significantly boosting your metabolism. And here's the best part, it's not just for fitness enthusiasts as much, as we can pick up pretty much any health magazine on the shelf and it'll say something about protein. Or, if you're looking at some of those big muscle news, protein is the trending word as of these days. But you know, protein is crucial for everybody. It's one of the most essential macronutrients. So, remember, macronutrients are basically what your nutrition stuff's made out of. It's those building blocks that makes all the food and drinks that you consume. We have carbohydrates we're basically like sugars, right? We got fats, which line every cell in our body and ultimately support all of our hormonal health and along with a whole pile of other things. And then we've got protein, which, in essence, is like the building blocks, but also a big part of our metabolism and metabolic function.

Dai Manuel: 3:16

I'm not going to get into all the science of it. I do actually have a really cool online webinar I had done back in the day for one of my programs and cohorts that went through that. So if there's anybody that's interested in seeing that, just shoot me a message. And, uh, I'm happy to share that link with you. In fact, you know, I'm just going to put it in the show notes. So, uh, make sure you check in the show notes. You'll be able to click over to that link. Um, that uh webinar. I might not be able to post it just right away, but I'm going to put it into the collective community. So if you haven't joined the 2% collective yet. Oh man, stay tuned. Next week I got a big announcement and I want to invite you all to join. Anyways, I digress All right, it's not just for fitness enthusiasts. It's crucial literally for everybody maintains muscle mass as well as overall strength. But I just want to say let's just debunk that myth once and for all, because if you think protein is just for bodybuilders and people that work out and athletes, no, okay, no.

Dai Manuel: 4:12

Now, another misconception is that we don't need protein in the morning. I know there's a lot of good benefit to fasting, but let's be honest, food is food and fasting is a certain protocol. Is it the end, all be all and the absolute? I think there's a lot of interesting information coming out about it. I am someone that practices intermittent fasting, but I don't do it all the time. I go through periods where I do it. I'll have an episode where I talk just about intermittent fasting specifically because I know there's a lot of misconceptions, that there are also a lot of confusion around what is intermittent fasting and, more importantly, why should I care? But how can I do it and do it well and safely Right? So another misconception is that we basically don't need protein in the morning. But here's the truth Starting your day with a protein-packed breakfast helps kickstart your metabolism, gives you energy, but it also keeps you satiated longer throughout the day.

Dai Manuel: 5:11

So if you find that you're on this energy roller coaster, most people are because we tend to eat the typical North American diet, and this is actually becoming more of a global diet now, with just the ease of which we mass produce foods now and all the preservatives and just the oh, my goodness, you know, the food quality is going down, certain unhealthy values are going up and we're left here thinking gosh, why does it seem like we don't get as much from the foods that we used to eat? Well, it's not the same food, is it? Anyways, kickstart some metabolism. So if you find that you have this sort of energy roller coaster where you know you start off in the morning, we go for a sugary snack. Up here in Canada they love their double doubles, but, tim Hortons, you know, that's two creams, two sugars and a coffee, and they usually have a muffin or a donut on the side. So you can imagine whoa, not much protein in that at all, and so the sugars get burned through real quick. Also, we got that quick caffeine high, which also starts to dehydrate us because we probably haven't drank enough water. So it's just.

Dai Manuel: 6:12

You know, you might feel great for that first hour, 90 minutes, but what happens? Mid-morning? We start to feel like gosh. I need another shot of adrenaline. Give me another double double, right On the double, and I like to to invite people you know, just just take stock on how you feel in the day, check in every once in a while.

Dai Manuel: 6:29

It's like jeez, that thing I had for lunch. How am I feeling? Now it's three o'clock, I feel good. I don't feel like I need a nap and I actually don't feel that hungry. Guess, whatever I had for lunch was the right mix. So again, you got to be your own scientist with this, right. Anyways, where am I going with this?

Dai Manuel: 6:49

Let's not forget the myth that eating protein means automatic muscle gain. Okay, because that's another one I've often heard. You know people presume that if I take some protein powder and I mix it in my smoothie, I'm going to get just shredded and be all muscular and I'm like, uh, no, while protein it's crucial for muscle building you also got a couple of with regular strength training exercises to see the muscle growth. All right. Just eating protein alone is not going to build muscle. It's definitely great, it's part of the building blocks that help do that, but the training is actually what stimulates that muscle growth and creates that evolutionary response in us where our body has to adapt to the stresses that we're putting in under. More on that in a future episode. For sure, I've had some past episodes where I've talked about this. But realize this if you're someone that believes if you eat too much protein you're going to get big and bulky, I hate to break the bubble. It's not going to Okay.

Dai Manuel: 7:44

So here it is, folks, the real deal. Whether you're a fitness newbie or a seasoned pro, protein is a vital nutrient for every single human being. It helps maintain muscle mass, aids in recovery from physical activities and keeps our metabolism running smoothly. Stay tuned, all right, because we're going to dive into the seven best high protein foods to eat for breakfast. So let's talk about these top seven.

Dai Manuel: 8:10

Each pack a punch in its unique way, one of my favorites, and it was nice to see that the the dieticians and nutritionists came back and said yep, this is our number one pick. It's the classic egg. You Scramble it, poach it, fry it. Eggs are just oozing with protein, but did you know? According to the Harvard School of Public Health, they're also fantastic for your eyes and promotes better eye health. Now, isn't that egg-citing? Oh God, I know, I know, I did it, I totally did it. Dad joke alarm. I'm sure my kids are cringing and rolling their eyes if they were listening to this, but I had to do that. Okay, I really did. I had to do that. Uh. But also cool thing about eggs are they are a complete protein as well in a perfect protein. So when you look at it on the whole protein mix, it's got everything that you need all those essential amino acids, um so, and they're also very satiating. And I don't know about you, but it sure tastes good, all right.

Dai Manuel: 9:05

Second to that was Greek yogurt. It's a protein powerhouse and it's not just about your muscles. It's packed with probiotics, which are your gut's best friends. You can enjoy it with fruits, nuts, maybe, blend it into a smoothie. And here's a fun fact the Journal of Dairy Science Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt. And here's a fun fact the Journal of Dairy Science Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt. Now that's a breakfast champion Number three, and I've been seeing a lot of traction online around this.

Dai Manuel: 9:33

For a few people. There's someone that I coach and mentor in our industry by the name of Simone Lavelle. She's got a great program called the Total Transformation Total Body Transformation. I apologize, but recently she's been creating some amazing recipes plant-based recipes that do incorporate some dairy. So if you're a vegan, probably not for you. But for those vegetarians and people that eat everything like me, cottage cheese is remarkable and there's some pretty neat recipes out there. So check out Simone Lavelle to see some of those recipes that she's been sharing.

Dai Manuel: 10:10

I think it's just great. I mean, it's a humble cheese. It's not only nutrient-dense and low on calories, but it's also a top-notch source of calcium, says the National Dairy Council. So it's not just about strong muscles, but also strong bones. All right, cool side note, cottage cheese.

Dai Manuel: 10:28

You can sometimes find dry curd cottage cheese. Now, it didn't taste so good on its own, but you mix that in with some Greek yogurt. Watch out, you've got a protein powerhouse snack. Okay, it's going to leave you feeling satiated, jazzed and energized, while also feeling very accomplished that you honored your health in choosing to eat that as a healthy snack. Throw a little bit of fruit on there maybe some granola, beautiful, great little bedtime snack, even right. And I know there's probably some people saying, oh, you eat before bed. I do sometimes. I'll tell you if I know I got a big training workout in the morning, those extra calories I put in my body right before bed. I'll tell you my workout quality way better the next morning. That's another side note.

Dai Manuel: 11:16

Oh, one quick note on cottage cheese. You'll notice that they have lots of different percentages. Just like yogurt. You know you're getting zero fat. No fat yogurt. You'll notice that they have lots of different percentages. Just like yogurt, you know you're getting zero fat. No fat yogurt. You can get the full fat yogurt. You can get all sorts of stuff in between. The one thing about cottage cheese is that they do add a lot of sodium. So the creamier the cottage cheese mix that you're getting, usually the higher the sodium content. So just be mindful of that.

Dai Manuel: 11:38

When I have clients that are maybe struggling with energy or we a lot of water, I'm going to ask them to do dry curd over the regular cottage cheeses. That you find. All right, but they aren't as easy to find the dry curd. So just an FYI on that. I usually find it at the health food store In the fridge, obviously.

Dai Manuel: 11:58

Next, next, okay, those are the first top three, number four Protein smoothies. You can whip it up quickly, it's a meal in a glass and you can add your favorite fruits, veggies, nuts. But did you know that protein supplements in your smoothie can actually help maintain your muscle mass and contribute to your overall health? According to the journal of nutrition, that's a smooth E move. Oh, got it. Yeah, I know, I know, I know, I know. Please don't don't hate me, don't leave this episode quite yet, cause I still got a few more to show you.

Dai Manuel: 12:30

All right, so so next on the list is quinoa. It's not just a high protein grain, it's a complete package. Quite literally, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition praises quinoa for its complete amino acid profile. So if you are a vegan, vegetarian, quinoa is a grain that I would more than encourage you to start to incorporate into your diet. Right, because it is a complete protein with all the essential amino acids. And if you're wondering what does that mean by this essential versus non-essential aminos, well, here's the bottom line there's certain proteins that we absolutely need, and without them we can't function, and these are ones that we often need to eat directly through our food choices. All right, the other proteins are ones that we can typically formulate if we get the other protein building blocks. So, to make it really simple and to easy to understand, there's complete proteins which have the entire amino acid profile, and then there's other things that have maybe just the essentials or the non-essentials. Again, it's going to vary by protein source. It's important to have a nice mix of various proteins, not just eating just one. And if you're like me that has a two a day smoothie habit, well, hey, you know you're going to go through a lot of protein peppers. So it's actually kind of nice to be able to mix in other things like cottage cheese, greek yogurt.

Dai Manuel: 13:53

Um, I haven't quite done the eggs yet, but I know that those that watch Rocky are always curious and I get the occasional question where people hey, what do I? Just my egg in a glass of this and I'm like, yeah, not me. I haven't done that yet, but if you have, I'd love to hear from you. What was the experience like? Shoot me a text. It's right in the show notes. If you hit expand, there's right there at the very top of the show notes. It says click here, click there. You can send me a text directly. You know episodes. Just send them my way. I'm more than ready to receive it.

Dai Manuel: 14:26

Now, after quinoa, we've got nuts and nut butters. This is number six. They're not just protein rich, but they are actually very heart healthy as well. Myoclinic highlights the benefits of regular nut consumption for heart health. So the next time you spread that almond butter on your toast, you're also spreading some love to your heart. Yes, yes, I know it's kind of like a dad joke, but whatever. Moving on Number six, okay. So number seven lean meats turkey sausage, chicken breast. You know these can increase your breakfast protein content really easily. And here's the USDA's little secret Lean meats are not just about protein. They also contain other essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

Dai Manuel: 15:05

Just be mindful, again, on the sodium side of things. You know, if you're buying some of the prepackaged sausages and whatnot, they typically are higher in sodium and preservatives. So if you are someone that's a little sensitive to that, like I am, just be mindful of consumption and it may not be an everyday thing. But hey, you know I, I love bacon, like the next person that loves bacon. Uh, you know, my vegan friends not so much. Uh, they like their tofu bacon or whatever that gets called. I can't even call it, but uh, regardless, you know making it a special occurrence is great. You know I have it. Maybe a Sunday breakfast with the family, right, that's typically when we have bacon. But I'll tell you if anybody offers me bacon on any other day of the week, I'd never say and remember, 2%.

Dai Manuel: 15:52

Collective variety is the spice of life and breakfast. So try these protein powerhouses and start your morning strong. Now, before we finish today, I really want to also make sure I spent some time on how to incorporate these protein foods into your daily routine. Planning is quite literally everything. Whip your meals up the night before, maybe over the weekend, to save precious morning time. Create a meal plan peppered with various high protein options to keep your palate excited. You know, if you start getting bored with food, it's an easy way to start to have little nibbles there and here and there and here and there and next thing you know it's just gone to hell. So remember it's all about the balance at breakfast. Alongside protein, include fruits, vegetables and whole grains to ensure a well-rounded meal.

Dai Manuel: 16:47

The USDA dietary guidelines endorse a balanced approach to nutrient intake for optimal health. Now I know the USDA dietary guidelines. Even up here in Health Canada's guidelines there's room for improvement, but got to recognize they're a big governing body. It takes a lot to turn that ship around right or to make the micro adjustments, and I got to commend them. They have some really interesting information coming in on their sites and on their socials. I can see they're trying to be more progressive and open to some of the things that are emerging through science and especially in the biohack community, because they're really pushing the envelope on research, really pressing people to do more research. And I'm not just talking about the armchair researchers, right, there's some big people out there speaking about some very interesting things in the nutritionary space, especially when it comes to longevity. I'm going to do a separate episode on it entirely, so stay tuned in the next few weeks. I'll have more on that.

Dai Manuel: 17:44

Now be mindful not to overdo it with protein, because, while protein is essential and key to health and vitality, too much can strain your kidneys and lead to other health issues. Listen to your body. Aim for an even distribution of all the macronutrients proteins, fats, carbohydrates. Right Now let's take a peek from real life examples. I knew someone who switched to high protein breakfasts and they saw a big improvement in their energy levels almost immediately. But here's the big thing they stopped having all these crazy cravings at all hours of the day, right, which translated over to better weight management.

Dai Manuel: 18:24

And what I mean by that is, you know, our goal isn't necessarily to release weight. I mean, that's a happy byproduct of when you start to eat and move. You know, eat in a way that charges you, that fuels you to thrive, not to just barely survive. And when you start to move your body with some intentionality, to create that positive adaptation, you know, to cause an evolutionary response, to cause yourself to want to better itself, to improve itself. Right, when we challenge our bodies in the gym, go for a run, you know, go for a brisk walk. The body has to adapt, it has to get stronger because you're putting it under some stress. It's pretty cool. The body adapts, it's resilient, just like you. Now science backs all this up too. Research consistently shows that a high protein breakfast can lead to better health outcomes, including an improved metabolism and reduced hunger throughout the day. It's about making small, consistent changes to lead to the big wins.

Dai Manuel: 19:22

So, all right, my 2% collective, we're winding down today's episode. Starting your day with a high-protein breakfast can and will be a game changer for your health and your vitality. Bringing in foods like eggs, greek yogurt, quinoa into your morning routine lays the groundwork for success. Before we wrap up, I want to hear from you. What topics are you interested in hearing more about? Who do you want us to bring on the podcast? Remember, your thoughts and feedback drive the direction of the show and I value each and every one of your opinions, so let's connect.

Dai Manuel: 19:56

You can find me on Instagram, facebook, the tickety-tockety and other platforms. Let's get this conversation rolling, because I want it to be a conversation. And if you haven't joined the 2% Collective, stay tuned because next week I'll be making an announcement. I'll be updating the show notes to include a special invitation for anybody that wants to join our online community, where I go deep on a lot of the subject matter that I discuss on the Monday to Friday episodes, but also all those cool guests that have been on the shows up to now. That will also be featured in some of the content feature and some of the tips and strategies they share will also be featured and accessible within the community.

Dai Manuel: 20:32

And cool part all free for you to join and hey, if I were you in today's episode, I'd be so thrilled if you could take a moment to leave a five-star review and subscribe to the podcast. But for yet, if you know someone who could benefit from our chat today, go ahead and share this episode with them. Let's continue to grow and support this extraordinary community together. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Remember to keep challenging your limits. Stay positive and strive to improve by just 2% every single day. I'm Diamond Wall. You've been listening to the 2% Solution. Let's continue to thrive together and I'll see you next week.