Breakfast not your thing?:Get over it. We tell you why it's the most important meal of the day and offer a good alternative for people on the go
Most women have their get-up-and-go time honed to a fine art. Whether you wash and blow-dry your hair every morning or just brush your teeth and throw on some jeans, chances are you could tell someone exactly how many minutes it takes from the moment your alarm sounds to the moment you close the front door behind you. But, either because women are constantly doing battle with their waistline, or simply because it allows them to sleep in for an extra fifteen minutes, these days breakfast features less and less on the morning schedule. And the more you get used to skipping breakfast, the less you feel you need or want it - many women say they can't even think of food before 10am.
However, our bodies start to play a mean trick on us if we ignore it in the morning. Depriving yourself of breakfast means that your body goes into starvation mode; instead of shedding pounds, your metabolism will simply slow down, thinking that it needs to save energy to keep you going on low rations.
Words from the expert
Dr Gillian McKeith, the nutritional expert of Channel 4's You Are What You Eat fame, says, "I've met so many people, especially women in their twenties, who skip breakfast. If only they realised what they are doing to their bodies by doing that. In the short term you may not realise, but in the long term you are really messing with your sugar levels."
Dr Gillian has labelled smoothies as a great alternative for people who can't find the time for breakfast or who don't feel like eating in the morning. You can buy them almost anywhere now or, even better, if you're a do-it-yourself sort of person, all you need is a blender, and you can stock up on fruit and interesting ingredients over the weekend. "To make a smoothie is simple and it stabilises your blood sugar levels. I sometimes leave the house early in the morning myself, but I can make a smoothie and take it with me wherever I go.
"I don't believe in diets, calorie counting, points systems and being a mathematician to know what to eat. It makes you obsessive with food and you can become a very boring person to be around. People should stop worrying about what they look like as it's a slow vacuous path to nowhere. What you need to worry about is what kind of person you are. Your body should be a temple, not a rubbish dump. It's not just what you put into your body, it's your whole lifestyle and the way you think."
Dr Gillian's Immune Booster smoothie recipe
1 punnet raspberries
2 ripe pears
Handful soaked dried apricots
Juice of one orange
The berries contain anti-oxidants needed for proper immune function. Berries have also been found to help the brain. The apricots are a great source of beta-carotene also needed by the immune system and to protect the skin against the cold weather. Pears are great for detoxification and bowel health. The juice of one orange will provide the vitamin C, which has immune boosting and anti-microbial properties.
Little-known smoothie facts
Smoothies help fight cellulite. Berries are great as they are packed with cellulite-fighting enzymes. Blend a berry smoothie packed with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries or try a PJ Smoothie Pro-biotic Berry Boost.
Smoothies help boost hair and nails. If you have dry skin or dull hair your not getting enough hydration or your liver may not be functioning, cleanse it by drinking a smoothie with avocado milk and lime or a PJ Smoothies Daily Detox with mandarins and dragonfruit
Smoothies help fight ageing.Yellow fruits are particularly high in anti-oxidants. Make a smoothie full of peaches mangoes and pears or, if you don't have time, a PJ Smoothies with peaches, bananas and passionfruits is a great alternative.
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