A dietitian has revealed the three key components of a breakfast that are needed to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. According to the expert, meals made up of these food groups will not only help keep you full, but help you shed a few pounds.

Weight loss is a common goal for many people, especially at the start of the year. While the consensus is that you need to simply eat less and move more to achieve this, it is a lot easier said than done.

This also skims over the fact that we still need a nutritionally balanced diet to ensure our bodies are properly fed. With this in mind, one food guru explained more about what we should be eating for our first meal of the day.

Speaking to the in the US, registered dietitian Julia Zumpano stipulated that even if you’re trying to reduce your calorie intake, breakfast doesn’t have to be boring. Instead, she advised breaking your overnight fast with a hearty meal that will fill you up and fuel your day.

Julia said: “I like balanced meals that focus on high-quality nutrition.” She first acknowledged that there is conflicting evidence on whether eating or skipping breakfast is best for weight loss.

According to her, some studies have found that people who eat a big breakfast burn more calories throughout the day. While others show that people who skip breakfast end up eating fewer calories in a day.

Therefore, Julia said it is best to follow your hunger cues. Basically, if you feel hungry in the morning then eat breakfast, but if you don’t feel hungry until later then don’t worry about it.

But what is best to eat for breakfast? She recommended avoiding heavy, refined carbohydrates first thing in the morning.

This means ditching baked goods like doughnuts, muffins and scones that are high in sugar, bad fats and overall calories. Instead she advised making sure your breakfast contains these three components:

• A source of protein, which could be animal-based or plant-based


• A whole grain


• A fruit or vegetable.

Sources of protein include eggs, milk, yoghurt, cheese, meat and fish, while whole grains include oatmeal or whole grain bread.

Optionally you could also include a healthy fat in the meal, such as avocado, nuts and seeds. Basing your meal around protein and fibre can help you feel fuller for longer.

This is backed by a study, published in the , which found that young women who ate more protein at breakfast were less likely to snack on high-fat foods and feel cravings later in the day.

In terms of calories, everyone’s calorie intake will vary based on a number of factors. But Julia advised aiming for between 300 to 500 calories for breakfast.

However, she encouraged people to focus on the breakfast being balanced and high-quality rather than stressing over the number of calories it has. If you are concerned about your health you should speak to your GP.