Why Protein in the Morning Matters (and a FitBit Giveaway!)

This post was sponsored by Milk Life on behalf of Influence Central.

Confession: I haven't always been a breakfast enthusiast. Once in the sixth grade, a teacher chastised me for not having a suitable answer when she was polling the class about their morning meals. I was already regularly skipping breakfast by then ... and by the time I entered college, I rarely ate it at all. It wasn't until I was an adult with kids of my own that I adopted good breakfast habits.

Now, I eat breakfast everyday, and I make sure my kids do too. It really is true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day -- it provides the fuel your body needs to get going.

But that's not all: Beyond just eating breakfast, I try hard to teach my kids to eat well every morning by making smart choices and having a variety of nutritious foods. Our kitchen always has a selection of hot and cold cereals, yogurts, breads, fruit and milk at the ready. And sometimes we also have eggs -- hard-cooked or otherwise.

Recently, I participated in a Periscope chat put on by Milk Life with a registered dietitian who talked about the importance of having enough protein at breakfast. She recommended drinking an 8 oz. glass of milk each morning, in addition to a nutritious breakfast.

Did you know that many experts now recommend balancing out your daily protein intake by having 25 to 30 grams of protein at every meal in order to keep your body and brain fueled all day long? Having that much protein at breakfast will help energize your morning, keeping you feeling full longer so you can focus on whatever you need to do -- whether it's schoolwork like my kids or a busy morning at the office.

However, American diets average just 13 grams of protein in the morning.

Protein is a nutrient so important for overall health -- from your digestion to your muscles to your body's ability to detoxify itself. According to Piedmont Healthcare, most body systems from the cellular level up rely on proteins to help maintain healthy processes.

So how can you get more protein at breakfast? Starting with a glass of milk with your breakfast can help. With 8 grams of protein in an 8 oz. glass of milk, milk is a good source of protein.

Are you already getting your 25 to 30 grams of protein in the morning? If not, try it and see how your body feels. Then share your efforts on social media with #mymorningprotein. You can also connect with Milk Life on their website, Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest and/or Instagram to see how you can fill your cup with milk to get closer to your morning protein goal.

Footnote: [1] What We Eat in America, NHANES 2009-2010. 2 Layman D. Dietary guidelines should reflect new understandings about adult protein needs. Nutr Metab. 2009; 6: 12.