10 Breakfasts And What It Takes To Burn Them Off

Everyone wants to start the day right. Breakfast plays an important role in fueling your body and your exercise regimen, in quelling mid-morning hunger pangs, and in contributing to your overall health. From a nutritional point of view, the reasons to eat breakfast are numerous; according to Lori Zanini RD from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, carbohydrates and protein provide mental clarity and eating regularly (like starting your day with breakfast) can help keep your blood glucose/sugar levels stable. But breakfast can quickly become a huge fat-, sugar-, or calorie-bomb. Curious how much exercise it would take to burn off your favorite breakfast? Read on and be inspired to choose a better breakfast.

Click here to see the 10 Breakfasts and What it Takes to Burn Them Off (Slideshow) 

Each person gains weight differently based on age, weight, sex and other factors, but as a general rule of thumb there are some basic activities you can use to counter weight gain. A good exercise regimen is a combination of activities, like aerobics, flexibility, and weight-training. They all burn calories (some more than others) and as you build muscle you'll burn calories even more efficiently. The key is to get moving! Regardless of the factors involved, splurging on a high-fat steak-and-eggs-style breakfast will always require more gym time to burn off than a lighter option.

Most research shows that a healthy breakfast should be a combination of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and some research shows that higher protein breakfast may increase fullness – think eggs, lean proteins, and whole grain toast, for example. And, adding vegetables to your breakfast will increase your intake of several key nutrients for a proportionately low number of calories; just make sure you don't skimp on filling protein and whole grains. If you want to take the guesswork out of breakfast, check out these ten common breakfasts and what amount of exercise it takes to burn them off.

Greek Yogurt and Fruit

Greek yogurt may be one most popular "health foods" in the world, but it can pack tons of added sugar. Plus, yogurt cups that come with additional toppings like nuts, fruit, or chocolate chips can max out at more than 250 calories each — that translates into almost 45 minutes of high-intensity sit-ups for a 150-pound person. Try a healthier breakfast of fat-free plain Greek yogurt (6 ounces) and a medium banana.

Smoothies

Even those made with 100 percent fruit and fruit juices can contain 300 to 500 calories. That can be fine if you're having a smoothie as a meal, but keep in mind that a 150-pound person would need to jog for nearly an hour to burn off that smoothie

Click here to find out what it takes to burn off other breakfasts

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.