By Sarah Weltman
Round Table reporter

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; it boosts your metabolism, gives you the energy needed to make it through the school day, and of course, keeps you mentally and physically healthy.

Fitness trainer Gene Sherman is an expert when it comes to eating a good breakfast.

“While you are sleeping, your body uses nutrients that you have stored from previous meals to function while resting.  When you wake up your body needs food to replace the nutrients that your body has used while you were asleep,” said Sherman, “If you don’t replace those nutrients with a good healthy breakfast, your body will then start to use some of the glucose (sugar) in your body to maintain your energy.”

Not eating breakfast isn’t just a bad habit; it is incredibly bad for your body, especially for the body of a high school student. With demanding school days accommodated by early mornings and late nights, students need to make sure they are receiving enough nutrients their body needs for high performance. Sherman has witnessed the effects of low nutrition when a student daily plan lacks breakfast.

“When your blood sugar starts to get low, it can cause irritability, lack of concentration, low energy and possibly an increased waist size that the body experiences. So it ends up affecting a students performance in school”, says Sherman.

Most high school students eat little or no breakfast on a daily basis, due to a lack of time in the morning.

Middletown High School sophomore Matt Walchuck is an outstanding student and a competitive swimmer. It is crucial that he attains the fuel to power through the school day and through those challenging swim practices. Like most students, Walchuck has about 30min the morning to get ready before school, and that’s barely enough time to get dressed and grab a fulfilling breakfast.

“It takes too much energy to make breakfast in the morning because I am always so tired…I just end up eating a poptart every morning”, said Walchuck.

Even though a poptart might be “quick and easy” in the morning, it isn’t nearly enough to meet the needs of a student’s working mind and an athlete’s appetite.

Sherman knows how useful having a nice breakfast in the morning is; the planning in the morning is the hard part.

Sherman said to “…use Sunday as a planning day for the weeks food. It will give you a set meal plan that makes it more likely to eat a daily breakfast and stick to it”.

MHS sophomore Erin Frey  already understands the concept of eating a good breakfast. Frey plans her morning meals every night before bed to make sure she has enough time in the morning.

Now that we have discovered the importance of breakfast and how to make time for  it, let’s talk about some healthy ideas.

Pop-Tarts’ slightly healthier cousin, the bagel is a old time favorite in the breakfast world. If you have minimal time, grab one or two mini cinnamon bagels. Besides the cute factor, they are a healthy breakfast treat. This simple item possesses the carbohydrates that will keep you energized and most importantly; full.

Maybe you aren’t a huge fan of a real solid substance in the morning, well never fear. Think to summer, remember those smoothies that taste great and somehow eliminate your hunger? Well here they are;

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/3175746055_cb72795155_b.jpg. You pick the flavor and create your own. It shouldn’t take more then 5min of your time. Make sure you drink up me hearties to maintain that happy medium until lunch time.

If you have a little more time in the morning, try out some popular  favorites:

• Breakfast Pizza: Take two slices of french bread or an english muffin. Top with favorite type of cheese, add any toppings desired and stick it into the toaster oven for a few min until toasted.

Time: about 8min

• Egg on-a Muffin: Take one egg, whisk with a fork in a bowl and poor onto a pan ideal for omelet making on a stove. Meanwhile, toast two slices of an english muffin. Put cheese on top of your cooking egg and fold over in a omelet shape. Cook until desired. Take muffin and place egg on one half and fold over into a mini omelet and there you have your little egg on-a muffin! Now, if you only have time enough to make your egg, no worries. Wrap your muffin up and now it’s great to-go snack.

Time: 10min

For that final treat, students can choose to eat something that still contains the healthy ingredients needed to make it through the day, but also something a little extra.

MHS junior Georgie Hatch’s favorite is a, “good old’ whole grain eggo waffle topped with raspberries and nutella.”

If this sounds more like your style, try it out! If not, the whole grain eggo waffle is a speedy simple meal that can certainly be topped with anything you fancy.

Not only eating breakfast, but also eating a healthy breakfast sets you up for success.  If you don’t eat breakfast, the odds are against you. Always make sure you have enough energy to get out and attack the day! After all, breakfast is just one of those things too good to pass up.