How to Make a Healthy Breakfast for Weight Loss

Some of the most popular breakfast foods are exceptionally high in fat and calories. For example, eggs cooked in butter, sausage, bacon, a peanut butter smoothie, and even oatmeal with toppings can boost your total energy intake substantially—making it harder to lose weight.

But then again if you skimp on breakfast calories and have a small snack bar or a cup of coffee, you're likely to get hungry around 10 or 11 am and head to the vending machine for junk food, putting your healthy weight loss diet in jeopardy.

So how do you know how much to eat in the morning? The key is to balance breakfast calories, first and foremost. Then focus on calorie quality.

The Right Number of Calories in a Healthy Weight Loss Breakfast

There is no magical number of calories in the perfect breakfast for weight loss. So, when you see articles that focus on 300-calorie breakfasts or breakfasts for under 500 calories, that doesn't mean that 300 or 500 is the right number of calories to eat in the morning. Everyone's number is different.

To get the right number for you, first determine the total number of calories you need to eat every day to lose weight. Then divide the calories by the number of meals and snacks you consume during the day. This project is likely to take some experimentation. There is no right or wrong answer.

Here are a few examples.

Jennifer's goal is to consume 1,200 calories per day to lose weight. She prefers to exercise after work and go to bed early, so she doesn't eat a lot at night. That means she can load up her calories in the morning and afternoon.

• Breakfast: 400 calories
• Lunch: 400 calories
• Pre-workout snack: 200 calories
• Post workout snack: 200 calories

Bill's goal is to consume 1800 calories per day to lose weight. He works out at lunch time and prefers to exercise on an empty stomach. But he finds that he gets very hungry in the hours after his workout. So his calorie intake is steady in the morning, but allows for him to indulge a bit in the late afternoon and early evening.

• Breakfast smoothie: 400 calories
• Light pre-workout snack: 100 calories
• Post-workout lunch: 600 calories
• Dinner: 600 calories
• Snack before bed: 100 calories

Mary is a stay-at-home mom and her routine requires her to be active from 7 am until about 10 pm. She needs steady energy throughout the day, but in order to slim down she needs to consume about 1,400 calories per day.

• Breakfast: 300 calories
• Snack: 100 calories
• Lunch: 300 calories
• Snack: 100 calories
• Dinner: 500 calories
• After dinner snack: 100 calories

As you can see, the right number of calories for your healthy breakfast depends on your lifestyle, your activity schedule, and on your personal preferences. But it must fit into a comprehensive calorie goal for weight loss.

Now that you know how many calories you should consume for breakfast, it's time to choose the best breakfast foods to help you lose weight. Nutritional quality matters at every meal, but it is especially important in the morning when you are trying to slim down.

Nutritional experts have found that people who choose starchy or sugary foods in the morning are very likely to get hunger cravings and make poor food choices in the 10 am to 12 pm time frame as a result.

For example, how many times have you grabbed a bagel or a muffin for breakfast, only to be craving a coffee drink or a soda later in the morning?

To avoid this very common diet pitfall, choose quality calories for your morning meal. Find foods that provide fiber and protein because these nutrients help you to feel full longer. Foods with fat are also satisfying and filling, but they can also make you feel heavy and tired.

Of course, choosing quality calories doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods. It just means that you have to make a few healthy adjustments.

Healthy Weight Loss Breakfast Swaps

If you love bagels, keep them on the menu. But choose a whole grain bagel, and top it with salmon and a small amount of cream cheese. You can even scoop out the bready middle to reduce calories and carbohydrates. Enjoy the bagel with a handful of fiber-rich, low-calorie, and naturally sweet raspberries.

If you love oatmeal, keep eating it! But avoid the single serve flavored oatmeal packets. While these are good for portion control, they often contain added sugar. Instead, make your own batch of rolled oats or steel cut oatmeal ahead of time. You can even make a week's worth, store it in the fridge and have it ready to microwave in single serve containers. Top the grains with fresh blueberries, chopped almonds, or even sliced apple to get the savory flavor or sweetness that you desire.

Are you a bacon and eggs eater in the morning? You're not alone. You don't have to ditch this routine, but to keep the fat and calories under control, you may want to employ a few savvy cooking tips. For example, make your egg(s) in a non-stick skillet with no added fat. You can also blend whole eggs with egg whites to cut fat and calories. Turkey bacon is sometimes (but not always) lower in fat and calories than traditional pork bacon. Or enjoy your eggs with a slice of ham.

And what if you are a cereal lover? Many cereals provide a healthy dose of good nutrition—especially those that are made with whole grains. The key is to keep an eye on portion control. Measure your cereal, keeping in mind that a single serving is usually one cup. Then add skim milk and finish the bowl without pouring more cereal in to "use up" the remaining milk.

Need more creative ideas for yummy and healthy breakfast foods? Try one of these easy breakfast recipes to start your day. 

So now that you know what to eat and how much of it to eat, it's time to address a few myths about a healthy weight loss breakfast. Unfortunately, there are common misconceptions about breakfast that can easily derail your diet.

See if you've fallen for any of these trendy (but faulty) headlines.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nope! All meals matter. It's your total nutrition throughout the day that impacts your health and weight loss success.

Eating breakfast boosts your metabolism. We all burn calories when we eat, it's a phenomenon called the thermic effect of food. Our bodies require energy to process food. But breakfast doesn't have any greater effect on your metabolism than any other meal.

Skipping breakfast can make your body go into starvation mode. It would make sense that breaking the fast in the morning is good for your body. But your body won't go into starvation mode, nor will it retain fat, or slow your metabolism because you skip the meal. Many dieters skip breakfast with great success. You just need to make sure that you don't binge later in the morning because of extreme hunger.

Need a few more tips to keep your morning meal on track? Scan this list of dos and don'ts to make sure that breakfast boosts your potential for weight loss.

Do measure everything! It's very easy to lose track of portion control in the morning when you are rushing to get out the door. But if you eat the wrong amount of food, your calories are impossible to track and your diet isn't likely to work. Keep pre-measured scoops in boxes of cereal, nuts, seeds or oats. And keep a digital scale on the counter to measure things like cheese or meats.

Do make foods in advance. The easiest way to enjoy a stress-free breakfast is to make it at a time when you are not rushed and have it ready to go each morning. Make oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, or other cooked protein foods in advance. Chop fruits and veggies and keep them in single serve containers.

Don't drink your calories. Juice is one of the worst foods for weight loss. Why? Because it is high in sugar and calories and provides less nutritional value than whole fruit. Juice can also be expensive. Instead, enjoy flavored water, coffee, or tea with breakfast.

Don't overuse creamer. Love creamer in your coffee? Many of us do. But we often pour flavored creamer or heavy cream into the coffee cup without really keeping track of how much we''re pouring. The result is that if you consume several cups of coffee, you might also be adding 200 calories or more to your waistline.

Do make a smart smoothie. Smoothies can be a great breakfast solution when you are too busy for a nutritious sit-down meal. But smoothies can also be huge calorie bombs if you don't measure ingredients (especially healthy but high calorie items like almonds or peanut butter). Be mindful of what you add to the blender. Choose a few healthy ingredients like berries, dark leafy greens, or veggies. Then add a healthy fat like a tablespoon of chia seeds, flaxseed, or almonds, and finally top it off with a low-calorie liquid. Water is a smart choice, but you can also use skim milk or low-calorie almond milk.

Don't underestimate your coffee shop calories. If your healthy weight loss breakfast includes a trip to Starbucks or another coffee shop, use the online or smartphone app to calculate calories before you order. Some coffee drinks have more calories than a full meal.

If you're sick of eating the same thing every morning, use this list of recipes and links to come up with some fresh ideas for a healthy breakfast. They can help you to save time and calories in the morning.

• An Easy (Make Ahead) 5-Minute, 300-Calorie Breakfast
• California Summer Vegetable Omelet
• Easy Pear Baked Oatmeal
• Greek Yogurt Blender Pancakes
• Classic Lemony Stuffed French Sourdough Toast Recipe
• Pumpernickel Morning Cheese Toast 

Remember, the most important thing about making a healthy breakfast for weight loss is the way it fits into your complete program to lose weight. Balance your calories throughout the day to keep your goals and your hunger in line.