What To Eat For Breakfast To Fill You Up

The rules of breakfast may have been rewritten, but that doesn’t mean the goal of breakfast has changed.

Even though breakfast is not the most important meal of the day (science suggests that no one meal is more valuable than another), breakfast eaters tend to experience the best benefits by selecting a filling breakfast that leaves you wanting less for lunch, curbs snacking, and gives you fuel for hours.

While eggs are a popular staple (and for good reason, they are loaded with protein and fat) and the foundation of a fulfilling breakfast, you can upgrade any egg-based meal to help keep you fuller for longer — like our hearty egg skillet.

If you want to upgrade your breakfast — or any meal — into a combination of foods that makes it easier to stay on track with your diet, we’ve provided a simple outline that will increase the fullness, satisfaction, and flavor so you have an easier time achieving your goals.

How to Kill Your Appetite

There are many factors that can make you feel hungry that have nothing to do with the foods you eat. For example, sleep deprivation is one of the biggest causes of hunger.

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that sleeping less than six hours triggers the area of your brain that increases your need for food while also depressing leptin and stimulating ghrelin.

The more ghrelin you produce, the more you stimulate hunger while also reducing the number of calories you burn (your metabolism) and increasing the amount of fat you store. In other words, you need to control leptin and ghrelin to successfully lose weight, but sleep deprivation makes that nearly impossible.

And if all that wasn’t enough, research published in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that sleep deprivation makes you select greater portion sizes of all foods, further increasing the likelihood of weight gain.

Translation: if you want to kill your hunger, start by getting a minimum of 6 hours of sleep per night, but (ideally), you’ll rest at least 7.5 hours per night.

When it comes to specific foods and feeling full, all calories are not equal. Some foods increase satiety or the feeling of fullness. In particular, if you want to feel fuller for longer (or, in this case, a breakfast that keeps you full for hours) and keep it simple, build a meal focused around 3 elements:

• Protein
• Fiber
• Foods that retain water

Protein is the most-filling macronutrient, compared to carbs or fats.

Fiber helps control hunger by slowing down the process by which foods empty in your stomach and speeds up digestion, and that combo helps you stay satisfied for longer.

Drinking water helps with appetite and enjoying foods that retain water has been shown to help decrease how much food you consume.

What Foods Are Best At Controlling Hunger?

Because satiety determines your hunger and feelings of fullness, the satiety index was created to help you measure how well a meal keeps you satisfied.

It’s a simple way to know if the foods you eat are doing the job you want, which is mainly to keep you away from the snack drawer at work.

Foods that have a score of more than 100 are considered more filling, and those with less than 100 might leave you going for seconds or thirds on your meal.

The foods that are best at keeping you full include:

• Potatoes
• Meat
• Eggs
• Fish
• Vegetables
• Cheese
• Nuts
• Legumes/beans

As an added benefit, research shows that spicy foods can also help suppress hunger.

Use any of those foods and you’re more likely to be fuller for longer. Combine several of those foods and you have the perfect recipe for energy, satisfaction, and the elimination of hunger.

The Best Egg Breakfast to Keep You Fuller (For Longer)

We couldn’t squeeze in every ingredient, but this breakfast has been approved by hundreds of online coaching clients, and it’s exactly what you can eat to fill you up and power you through any day.

This healthy egg breakfast recipe contains 6 of the foods that are highest on the satiety index, and it adds a touch of spice (if you like it) to help keep your hunger at bay.

If you try this recipe, be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Egg Skillet Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, uncured & nitrate-free
• 6 eggs, pastured
• ¾ cup egg whites
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 20 Brussels sprouts, quarters
• ¼ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup lentils
• Hot sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Slice the bacon into ½” thick mini slices. Add those to a large saute pan or cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, the bacon should be about halfway cooked. Drain ½ of the grease from the pan.
2. Add the chopped onion and lentils. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until they’ve softened, then add the sweet potato and Brussels sprouts. Keep the skin on the potato; that’s where a lot of the nutrients are. No need to de-stem the Brussels sprouts, just quarter. Try to make sure everything is about the same size so they cook evenly.
3. Increase temperature to medium-high heat, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. You want the edges to brown so don’t stir constantly. After 15 minutes, cover and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. This essentially steams the veggies for the last few minutes.
4. Bro-hack tip: add the eggs, egg whites, and Parmigiano-Reggiano to a blender bottle. Yes, that protein shaker cup with the whisk ball in it. Shake it like a shake weight (the new Polaroid picture), and pour over the veggies.
5. Season with salt and pepper, and scramble the eggs. Serve with hot sauce for an extra kick! Makes 2 large servings.

Nutritional Information & Macros

Dietary Information: Paleo, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free  

Macros per serving

• 424 calories
• 21g fat
• 31g carbs
• 36g protein

READ MORE: 

How Many Eggs are Safe to Eat? 

Reinventing Healthy Breakfast: Eggs on the Go

Upgrade Your Meal Prep and Eat Healthier in Less Time

Adam Bornstein

Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.