The #1 Best Oatmeal Habit for Weight Loss, Says Dietitian
There are plenty of healthy breakfast options you can choose when you're trying to lose weight, like veggie omelets, greek yogurt and lightly-sweetened granola, or lean breakfast meat with a side of eggs.
But experts agree that one of the absolute healthiest breakfast choices you can make is a hearty bowl of oatmeal. Oats are full of fiber that keeps your gut and digestive tract healthy, helps lower cholesterol levels, and can help you maintain your weight loss goals.
And if you're wanting to add oatmeal to your weight loss plan, Christa Brown, MS, RDN, a New Jersey-based dietitian, says that one of the best oatmeal habits to take on for weight loss is adding plenty of protein to your morning bowl.
Continue reading to learn more about how putting protein in your oatmeal can help you stick to your weight loss goals, and for more healthy weight loss tips, make sure to check out 7 Amazing Benefits of Eating Oatmeal.
Why adding protein to oatmeal helps with faster weight loss.
"The number one habit I encourage my clients to practice is adding a protein to their oatmeal," says Brown, "and one of my favorites is to mix almond or peanut butter to make it creamy and delicious. Along with the fiber in the oatmeal, it helps with satiety to keep you fuller longer, which prevents that mindless snacking throughout the day that adds to your calorie limits!"
According to the American Journal of Nutrition, eating breakfasts higher in protein are associated with less snacking and an alteration in hunger signals throughout the day. So this combined with oatmeal's high fiber content makes for an excellent weight loss breakfast option.
Ideas for how to add more protein to your bowl of oats.
If you're looking for ideas on how to add more protein to your oatmeal, you can try adding things like nut butters, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts, nuts, or protein powder. And for more oat ideas, you can try some of these protein-heavy overnight oat recipes.
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