Breakfast in Sports: The Best Recipes!

Breakfast in sports is a fundamental part of preparation when it comes to achieving goals, a rule that also applies to the athlete who, without being professional, aims to keep improving.
Also for the person who runs as a way to stay in shape, avoid overweight, and improve their health through sport.

In all cases, nutrition is a key factor, some seeking more performance, others seeking an improved appearance, others improving health, but ultimately everyone needs good and proper nutrition to achieve their goals.

The function of breakfast in sports is to provide energy for training

The purpose of breakfast in sports must be to provide the energy and nutrients necessary to complete the training we need to face. At the same time, it should provide an optimal and appropriate body composition for the type of sport we practice; the amount needed is not the same for a long-distance athlete as for a bodybuilder.

As a general rule and for endurance sports, the proportions throughout the day could be divided into 55-65% carbohydrates, 25-30% lipids or fats, and 15-20% proteins. Although these percentages can be modified depending on many factors, ideally they should be adapted to each athlete or person.

Carbohydrates: In our diet as runners, they should be the largest proportion, and therefore in our breakfast. We could define them as our source of energy; in this category, we could include oats, muesli, cereals, and unprocessed whole grain bread, banana, tubers…

Protein is essential for muscle recovery and repair, participates in muscle contraction, and is a source of energy. We find it in dairy, yogurts, eggs…

Healthy fats are also essential in our diet; they provide fat-soluble vitamins and are the main reserve of body energy…. You can find them in avocado, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds.

Below I show you several types of perfect breakfasts to have before going for a run.

Oat pancakes: Made with oat flour to take advantage of its benefits, you can accompany them with nuts, fruit, or yogurt and a natural fruit juice.
Or you can spread them with homemade jam if possible, or homemade cocoa cream. They are quick and easy to prepare and store. I usually take advantage of the weekend to make them and have them ready for the whole week.

Porridge: Another of my favorite breakfasts, porridge. It’s simply a mix of oats (in my case) with milk or plant-based milk, which can be cooked in the microwave or on the stove. You can add protein powder to the mix to increase the protein content.

Cereal bowl with yogurt: Any type of unprocessed cereal mixed with natural or Greek yogurt makes an excellent breakfast. You can add some fruit to the mix to enhance the flavor even more.

Avocado and egg toast: With whole grain bread, rye flour bread, or whichever you prefer. You can make toast with an avocado base, spread on the toast, and add an egg cooked to your liking.

The possibilities, as you can see, are endless. Choose the one that best suits your needs, combining foods so that the breakfast before a workout also serves as a true delight for our taste buds… 😉