Breafasts to burn calories

For everyone, but especially for those interested in losing weight, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It kick-starts your metabolism so you immediately start burning calories; your blood sugar level rises and you feel satisfied. You have energy to work steadily and productively through the morning and you are less likely to reach for high calorie snacks or to overeat at lunch and supper.

In the weight loss battle, it is important to choose breakfast fare wisely. Here are several suggestions for a diet-wise morning meals. An orange, or a glass of orange juice followed by one of the following:

- a serving of steel cut oatmeal topped with skim milk and sprinkled with berries and/or nuts

- a omelette with chopped onion,green peppers and mushroom slivers

- chopped nuts mixed into fat-free yoghurt

Finish the meal with a cup of coffee or tea with skim milk and sweetener if desired.

* A high fiber cereal will fill you up, yet be very low in fat. Oatmeal or bran are high in insoluble fiber. Steel cut oatmeal (also known as Irish oats) is the wisest choice because it's in whole grain form and takes longer to digest. It can be cooked the night before and heated in the micro wave. Oatmeal helps reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

* Skim milk is high in protein and low in calories. It supplies calcium, vitamins A, B, and D with no saturated fat. Milk has been called nature's nearly perfect food and the fat-free variety can be a real help for dieters.

* Citrus fruit. Fruit is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. However, it must be eaten in reasonable amounts, because it also contains carbohydrates and fructose (natural sugar), which can sabotage a weight loss program if consumed in unlimited amounts.

* Vegetables, except for those which contain a lot of starch like potatoes, peas, and corn, have few calories and no fat. However, they contain essential minerals and vitamins that speed up the metabolism of the body.

* Eggs are packed with nutrients including protein, zinc, iron and vitamins A, D, E and B12, but contain just 85 calories each. There has been concern that the cholesterol in egg yolk might be damaging to cardiovascular health, but recent studies show that a healthy person can safely consume one egg daily.

* Yoghurt. The fat-free variety contains the all the nutrients of milk, is filling, and has been shown to promote loss of dangerous fat in the stomach area, rather than the loss of lean muscle mass. Three servings a day are recommended to those who wish to lose weight in a healthy manner.

* Water and water-rich foods help speed metabolism of the body and help burn fat. Water flushes out toxins and helps the body to stay healthy. Certain foods rich in water content help in the process of fat reduction: water melon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, papaya and Swiss chard.

Substituting high-calorie, processed food with some of the above healthy choices can result in weight loss success without a great amount of effort or will power. But remember, starting the day with a good breakfast is a necessity, and using some or all of the above suggestions will keep you feeling satisfied and on track all day.