By Melinda Hershey, for SparkPeople
For many of us, Christmas morning is a time to indulge in a big, leisurely breakfast that we normally wouldn't partake in on most other days of the year. But if you're not careful, a festive a.m. meal could cause you to blow through a day's worth of calories and fat before Christmas dinner! If you were to choose a special and indulgent holiday breakfast to keep you satisfied without stuffing you silly, which would you pick: One medium-size iced cinnamon roll, or a plate of two fried eggs and two strips of bacon?
You can have a hot plate of eggs and bacon for 277 calories, 21.2 grams of fat and 0 grams of sugar. (You can also use turkey bacon or veggie bacon substitute, if you'd like.) Just be sure to use a light mist of cooking spray for pan-frying, rather than spoonfuls of oil. A typical medium-size iced cinnamon roll has 310 calories, 9 grams of fat (plus 2.5 grams of trans fat), and 23 grams of sugar. Also keep in mind that, depending on the size, cinnamon rolls can vary drastically in calorie and fat content, and you could easily consume up to 1,000 calories and 30 grams of fat for a larger roll-not to mention the countless teaspoons of added sugar!
Although the plate of bacon and eggs contains more fat, it also has an ample amount of protein to keep you fuller longer (about 18 grams). The cinnamon roll will just leave you with a sugar hangover and a craving for even more sweets, causing you to reach for those Christmas cookies all day long. If it just wouldn't be Christmas without some sweet bread for breakfast, pair a scrambled egg with two thin slices of cinnamon raisin toast and a pat of butter for 276 calories,12 grams of fat, 11 grams of protein, and 10 grams of sugar.
If you're at the mercy of someone else's cooking for your Christmas breakfast, don't stress. Just make choices using the skills you've developed along your healthy lifestyle journey. Listen to your internal hunger and fullness cues instead of mindlessly munching goodies all day long. And if you do get a little (or a lot!) off track, it's just one day. After all, stressing over food isn't the point-focusing on your loved ones is!
Does your family have a traditional Christmas morning breakfast? Will you be tracking your food on Christmas?
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