How many meals should a bear eat, and when?

Breakfast For The Bears

The Hauser Bear Diet equals balance! This means that Bears should not only be balancing their food intake throughout the day, but balancing the types of food they consume each day, IE a blend of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. We are sure many of you have heard nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Did you ever wonder why? Think of the word break-fast. It literally means “break the fast.” Your body has been in “hibernation,” if you will, for the last 8 hours during sleep. During this time your body is repairing itself and has been using up nutrients that you consumed during the day. In order to break that fast and start your engines roaring, you have to eat! Starting your day with a good solid breakfast is what we’re talking about!

When you wake up in the morning, you are running on an empty stomach and therefore an empty fuel system. You need to start off providing your body with good energy. This does not mean filling your system with 24 ounces of coffee and hitting the road! Coffee is can be fine for Bears to consume, but a lot of coffee artificially revs your system, and could cause you to crash and burn at some time in the future. If you notice yourself drinking a cup of coffee, then after an hour you are going back for another cup, and then another cup, you are becoming addicted to the caffeine and you may soon find yourself seeing a clinic like ours for symptoms of chronic fatigue. Nobody wants that. Make eating a good, healthy breakfast one of your goals. You’ll be happy you did!

So what should you eat?
Bears must remember that balance is the key to good health. Some people feel better with carbs over protein, but truly Bears should be rotating their dietary intake, not eating the same thing for every meal, making sure to include adequate protein and limiting their simple carbohydrate intake. The Bear Diet can easily turn into the cheese pizza or bagel-for-breakfast diet.

Here are some menu suggestions to show you what we mean by balancing your daily meals: *Note how one breakfast is protein-containing and another is more complex carbohydrate based.

Day 1:
Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, 4 ounces of ham, whole wheat toast, and cup of coffee with cream.
Lunch: Large green salad topped with chopped broccoli, almonds, tomato, and onions with vinaigrette dressing, fresh apple, and unsweetened iced tea.
Dinner: 6 ounce chicken breast, 1 baked sweet potato with butter, and 1 cup of mixed vegetables.

Day 2:
Breakfast: plain home-cooked oatmeal topped with 1 Tbsp of chopped pecans, ½ banana, and a glass of orange juice.
Lunch: Hamburger patty topped with tomatoes, onion, and lettuce; three bean salad, and water.
Dinner: Asian tofu stir-fry, brown rice, and fresh fruit salad.

Bears = Balance! And a balanced breakfast is key to a healthier you!
Here are some great Bear Breakfast ideas:

Cereal
Choose a high fiber, protein-containing cereal. There is no room for Fruit Loops in the Bear Diet! You’ll have to start reading the labels! Most high fiber cereals have 4-8 grams of fiber per serving. Most higher protein cereals contain 3-8 grams of protein. Try some of the Kashi brand cereals, or one our favorites Uncle Sams. These choices are loaded with fiber to fill you up and low in sugar to keep your glucose levels stable.

Egg Sandwich
Don’t you love these? If you have not tried one, give it a try! Poach or fry an egg atop a slice or two of whole grain toast, add a little butter to the toast, dash a little salt and pepper on the egg, and you have a delicious breakfast sandwich. Add some lettuce, tomato, and onion and you can get in some vegetables. One of our personal favorites is adding sliced avocado and fresh tomatoes! And we love adding fresh chopped cilantro or basil to just about anything! Ooh, the flavor! Use your imagination! If you keep these food on hand, it won’t take you long to whip up one of these delectable delights in the AM! It’s worth it! YOU are worth it!

Whole Wheat English Muffins
Try putting some nut butter on top of a toasted English Muffin, add a piece of fruit on the side, or cut up some banana or apple slices on top of the peanut butter. If you’re looking for something new, try cashew or almond butter instead of peanut butter – a great way to get a little different flavor.

So, Bears, remember the three B’s – Balance, Breakfast, and Breaking the fast! Mix and match, choose nutrient-dense foods, and make sure you start your day out right with a perfect Bear breakfast. If you are still a little confused or do not know where to start, then give us a call! We’re happy to help figure out a diet plan that works for you!

NEXT: How many meals should a bear eat, and when? – Part 2