If your goal is to lose weight, then your first meal of the day should include lots of protein. With that being said, it's time to swap out that old everyday routine and try some new high-protein breakfast recipes to really excite your taste buds while also helping you cut down on body fat.
"Protein should really be divided throughout the day and many folks forget to include it at breakfast," explains medical board expert Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND nutrition expert and author of Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook.
If your goal is to lose body fat, then starting your morning off with a high-protein meal will keep you feeling satisfied and hold you over to your next meal before hunger strikes again.
Amidor recommends that your morning meals incorporate more protein foods such as plain Greek yogurt (reduced/non-fat), peanut butter, eggs, lean meats and fish, and even some nuts to foster fat loss. Consuming more of these foods will help in shedding fat, due to the fact that your body uses up more calories to metabolize protein, compared to fats and carbohydrates.
The benefits of eating high protein foods for breakfast can be weight loss, as well as increasing one's muscle mass, metabolic function (calories burned throughout the day), and satiety hormones—further decreasing the need to snack or overeat, according to the American Society for Nutrition.
Finding healthy well-rounded breakfast recipes with a high-protein content no longer has to be difficult. This curated list posts plenty of choices to reach your fat loss goals! Here are seven high-protein breakfast recipes that can be your first step toward losing belly fat. And if you're interested in more ways that protein can help you get lean, take a look at .
Protein waffles
It's fair to say that many people have had their fair share of frozen waffles or gigantic diner waffles in their lifetime. While waffles are an amazing breakfast staple, this high-protein recipe makes them even better!Sneaking a scoop of protein powder into the delicious waffle batter, made out of oats and Greek yogurt, will get you a well-rounded variety of protein all in one flavorful dish.
A Nutrition & Metabolism study found that whey protein—a very common protein powder—helped participants lose 6.1% of body fat over a 12-week period. Your body absorbs protein from a whey supplement at a fast metabolic rate, which burns more calories and fuels lean muscle (versus fat), the study suggests.
For all chocolate lovers, add chocolate protein powder when making this waffle mix to feed your sweet tooth! And for another twist on a breakfast classic, check out Protein-Packed Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
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Breakfast Pizza
Who doesn't love pizza for breakfast? Plus, it has a high-protein content! This breakfast pizza captures all the delicious Mexican flavors—including ingredients like mild salsa and pepper jack cheese—but there are tons of variations you can create on your own that best suit your appetite and dietary needs.
As for protein, this recipe calls for a hearty serving of scrambled eggs and chopped up pieces of ham. Including eggs into any breakfast dish will boost your protein intake and support fat loss, because eggs enhance satiety and decrease caloric intake, so your body can be full longer, according to the Nutrition Journal.
Lean meats—like ham and turkey—will also contribute to losing more body fat, due to their filling properties and low-calorie count. This breakfast dish is a great option to consume less daily calories and still feel satisfied, so you can reach those weight loss goals.
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Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal
Everyone's rendition of creating the best tasting bowl of oatmeal looks different. However, the combination of peanut butter and bananas is a goodie that never gets old. Up your healthy oats game with this recipe because it's uncontrollably delicious, naturally sweet, and full of protein.
Oatmeal offers up smooth digestion—due to it being high in soluble fiber—when it passes through the body, it can prolong fullness. Similarly, eating more peanut butter at breakfast is an easy way to stabilize your blood sugar levels, because of its low glycemic index. Studies have found that unstable blood sugar levels can be linked to obesity, diabetes and in turn an increase in body fat.
When it comes to losing fat, it helps that oats and peanut butter—both high in protein and healthy fiber—can subdue urges to constantly eat, so you're not over-eating.
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Smoked Salmon Sandwich
If you're the kind of person who loves a good breakfast sandwich in the morning, then this recipe might just peak your interests. Whether you decide on buttered toast or a cream cheese spread on a whole wheat bagel, you won't be disappointed with a single bite of this morning sammie—and you get quite a good amount of protein out of it.
Starting off strong with smoked salmon and pairing the light fish with fresh tomatoes, baby greens, and crisp red onions. An average slice of 3-ounce salmon fillet has about 21 grams of protein, which is considered half of the recommended dietary intake amount needed for the average adult. Gathering your daily protein from salmon is beneficial for fat loss, because fish-rich meals have been seen to improve one's both glucose-insulin levels and metabolism, one study found.
Get our recipe for Smoked Salmon Sandwich
Huevos Rancheros
A mouthwatering dish to say the least. In between a breakfast tostada and soft taco, these Huevos Rancheros hold some powerful protein ingredients stacked on top of a warm corn tortilla.
This recipe layers a steamy over-easy egg over a combination of black beans, onions, and chopped chipotle peppers. The protein aspect of this plate comes from both the egg and black beans components. Not only do black beans serve up more protein than you'd expect (about 8 grams per serving), but they can also contribute to weight loss due to their high fiber content. As a plant-based protein, they still provide the body with more energy and their dietary fibers function to reduce one's appetite, according to Medical News Today. Proteins that are also high in fiber will fill you up, so you won't feel the need to eat so many calories during the day and a lower calorie intake can then result in fat loss.
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READ MORE:19 High Protein Breakfasts That Keep You Full
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