Eager to shed those last 10 pesky pounds before bikini season kicks into high gear? Bob Harper of NBC's The Biggest Loser suggests eating to lose. Eating breakfast, that is! "More often than not, if people are trying to lose weight, they don't have breakfast. They think 'I'm not feeling hungry, so I'm going to go with this feeling. If I'm not feeling hungry, surely I'm losing weight,'" Harper tells Us Weekly. "In fact, you're actually doing the opposite: You're slowing down your metabolism."
To avoid this common weight loss pitfall, Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of Jumpstart to Skinny, suggests eating a hearty breakfast daily, and structuring it to always include protein, carbs and fat. "I'm really trying to get people to eat real foods again — staying away from processed, so much sugar, fat and salt," reasons Harper. "People need to have a structure."
In Jumpstart to Skinny: The Simple 3-Week Plan for Supercharged Weight Loss, Harper restructures the most important meal of the day to satisfy those dieters with a sweet tooth through his PB&J Oatmeal recipe, which he's sharing with Us readers. (See below) "The PB&J Oatmeal is really, really good. It's a great source of proteins, carbs and fat," says the trainer.
To finish off your breakfast, Harper suggests adding a cup of coffee or espresso — especially prior to a workout — but only in moderation. "It revs up your metabolism and gets you going," says the fitness expert. "If your body can handle caffeine in moderation, it's a real benefit in weight loss."
Peanut Butter and "Jelly" Oatmeal and Egg White Scramble
INGREDIENTS
3/4 to 1 cup water, depending on your preferred oatmeal thickness
1/2 tablespoon almond butter
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
5 egg whites, lightly beaten
olive oil spray
cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small pot, bring the water to a simmer.
2. Add the almond butter and cinnamon and stir until smooth.
3. Add the oatmeal and cook until done, about 5 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and stir in the berries. Set aside while you cook the eggs.
5. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Spray with olive oil to coat.
6. Pour the egg whites into the skillet, add pepper, and stir to scramble as the whites turn opaque.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 304 calories, 25g protein, 30g carbs, 7g fat, 5g fiber
Excerpted from JUMPSTART TO SKINNY by Bob Harper with Greg Critser Copyright © 2013 Bob Harper. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.