Nutrition Tip #2: Eat vegetables at breakfast (“you eat broccoli for breakfast?!?”) and throughout the day.

My family spent Christmas 2014 at a villa on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. The house was fantastic. We cooked our own breakfast each day since the house had a fabulous full kitchen. My breakfast consisted of a protein shake (or eggs) and always a big bowl of steamed broccoli. My mom was shocked, “You eat broccoli… for breakfast?!?” but then intrigued “Hey, I’m gonna try that!”, and finally converted “It’s delicious! And satisfying!”.

Vegetables for breakfast is fat loss magic. I first make sure I have enough protein in my meal (usually 25g for me) but my next mission is to fill my belly with yummy fibrous vegetables…instead of filling it with starches. The fiber percentage of vegetables is almost as high as that of wheat and grains (good) and the sugar percentage is way lower (also good) so it won’t give you the insulin dump that can trigger fat storage (good again!). If you have a garden, try butter lettuce, kale and basil. They are easy to maintain and yield plenty. You can shop from your garden for months. Do add salt (optional), pepper, fresh or dried spices (basil, oregano, tarragon, marjoram, etc). Try drizzling balsamic vinegar for more flavor and adding avocado for some healthy fats. Avoid adding too much cheese. I tend to use dairy sparingly as a condiment since it can have an inflammatory response, even though I technically have not been diagnosed lactose intolerant.

Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green beans, spinach)

Nutrition — Fiber and Vitamins

Easy Prep — Cut up small and microwave in bowl for 60 sec, or saute in coconut oil or butter until soft or wilted. Add salt, pepper, butter/avocado/vinegar and other spices