A Fast, Filling, Fat-Burning Breakfast in Just 5 Minutes

"You have no idea how crazy my morning can be," someone recently wrote me. "With three kids, a husband who constantly loses his keys, plus some other minor catastrophe, I have absolutely no time to eat anything healthy."

She was referring to several studies I mention that show a protein-rich breakfast keeps you full, focused, and burning fat all morning.

Trust me, I get the time crunch. Juggling two businesses with two teenage sons leaves me little time for a leisurely wild-caught salmon and barnyard eggs breakfast. But I know just how crucial a nutrient-rich meal can be in order to feel focused and fabulous no matter what morning throws at me.

That's why I always make my first meal a protein shake, which becomes the fastest, most effortless healthy breakfast in the world. Even if you’re on the go, stuck at a weekend business conference, or stranded at your office, you can whip a protein shake up to balance your blood sugar and give you steady, sustained energy for hours.

I've had clients do nothing else than have a protein shake to attain (and maintain) fast, lasting fat loss. Here are 5 reasons you should always make breakfast a protein shake...

1. Convenience. Manufacturers know reaching for a box of cereal with skim milk takes minimal effort. They also know among the frantic-ness of looking for your keys and getting kids ready for school, you’re most likely to take the path of least resistance at breakfast. A protein shake offers you the same convenience without cereal’s high sugar impact, which only leaves you crashing and cranky a few hours later. 

2. Lasting energy. That low-fat (read: high-sugar impact) muffin and latte raises your blood sugar levels, setting you up for a 10:30 a.m. crash that leaves you running for the nearest bagel cart. A protein shake, on the other hand, gives you sustained energy for hours. That means no late-morning donut cravings and no snapping at your coworkers once your blood sugar levels crash.

3. Affordability. Tally up how much you spend on high-sugar impact breakfast biscuits, muffins, or whatever else counts for breakfast. Surprised? A protein shake provides a cost-effective alternative. Better yet, consider how much cash a protein shake will save you on your next vacation. (Really, $18 for room-service eggs and coffee!?) For less than you'd pay for a designer coffee, you get a low-sugar impact, protein-rich breakfast.

4. Fast. You know that time excuse for not having breakfast? It doesn’t work with a protein shake. In about the time it takes to pour cereal and milk, you can toss all your ingredients in a blender for a filling, delicious breakfast.

5. Healthy. Sure, they’re convenient and offer a little protein and nutrients, but those so-called healthy breakfast bars and canned shakes come loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners and flavors, and other things that don’t constitute a smart breakfast. You can custom-load a protein shake with good fat, fiber, antioxidants, and high-quality protein that boosts your metabolism and helps burn fat. One study found protein shakes “can safely and effectively produce significant sustainable weight loss and improve weight-related risk factors of disease.”

Below you'll find my basic shake recipe. What to look for in a protein powder? Check out these criteria.

In my upcoming JJ Virgin's Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook: 150 Low-Sugar Recipes to Help You Lose Up to 10 Pounds in Just 2 Weeks (available May 26 on Amazon; preorder yours now!), you'll find lots more fabulous, delicious, low-sugar impact shake recipes for fast, lasting fat loss.

Sugar Impact Shake

(Makes 1 serving. Blend all ingredients until consistently smooth.)

• 1–2 scoops protein blend (per package instructions)
• 1-2 scoops fiber blend
• 1/2 small avocado
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground chia or flax seeds
• 8-10 ounces unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
• 5-6 ice cubes

So if what's for breakfast? is your day's first big stressor, make it easy on yourself with a shake. What do you opt for in the morning to stay full and focused all morning? Share your comments below.

© 2021 JJ Virgin & Associates, Inc.