Easy, healthy breakfasts to help you lose weight while staying satisfied.

Spinach and Parmesan Omelet




















In a medium skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute 1 cup chopped spinach and 1 tablespoon chopped scallion for 1 minute. Beat 2 eggs with a dash Tabasco; add to skillet. Cook until egg is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Flip and add 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan; cook 15 to 30 seconds. Serve with 1 slice toasted oat bread and 1/2 cup grapes.


Huevos Rancheros


















In a medium skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook 2 eggs sunny-side up. Mix 1/2 cup black beans and 1/4 cup salsa. Top bean-and-salsa mixture and eggs with 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar.



Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast



















Whisk together 1 egg, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Coat 2 slices whole wheat raisin bread with egg mixture. In a skillet misted with nonstick cooking spray, cook bread for 1 minute a side. Serve with 2 tablespoons each applesauce and fat-free ricotta and a dash cinnamon.

Chive-and-Dill Baked Egg

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut a circle the size of a 4-inch ramekin out of a piece of toasted whole wheat bread. Mist ramekin with nonstick cooking spray and place bread in the bottom; add 1 slice tomato. Beat together 1 egg, a splash skim milk, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, and 1 teaspoon chopped dill. Pour into ramekin and top with 1 slice tomato and 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat Swiss cheese. Bake 10 minutes. Serve with 1 cup raspberries mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sliced almonds.


Raspberry-Banana Smoothie

Combine 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, and 8 ounces skim milk in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Eat with 1 slice whole wheat toast and 2 teaspoons peanut butter.


Tropical Fruit Parfait

Peel and cut 1/2 pink grapefruit and 1/2 navel orange into segments. Combine with 1/2 kiwi, peeled and chopped, and 1/4 cup pineapple chunks. Place 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt in a bowl. Spoon half the fruit mixture over yogurt, add 2 tablespoons high-fiber cereal. Add another 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, remaining fruit, and another 2 tablespoons high-fiber cereal. Top with 2 table­spoons shredded coconut.


Chicken-Apple Sausage Breakfast Sandwich

Toast 1 whole wheat English muffin. Cook 2 ounces chicken-apple sausage according to package directions. Top one muffin half with sausage and 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar; bake until cheese melts. Top with 1 slice tomato and remaining muffin half and eat with 1 clementine.

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December is a month rife with temptations. Holding steady through the holidays and maintaining your weight is certainly admirable — especially when factoring in that you have less time to exercise and more events to attend. Play it smart, and avoid these common mistakes fit folks tend to make around Christmas and New Year's.

Skipping Breakfast
When rushed for time and trying to cut calories, dieters often skip breakfast. Bad idea. Dieters who eat breakfast are more successful at taking weight off and keeping it off. Eating healthy foods and staying satisfied throughout the day will make holiday treats a little easier to pass up.

Overestimating Calories Burned
Exercise is a great complement to dieting. However, it is easy to overestimate the calories you have burned. Running for 30 minutes might burn 300 calories, but there are over 300 calories in one cup of eggnog. Do continue exercising, since it will help you keep on track, but don't assume you can eat everything in sight when you're at a holiday cocktail party. It's all about balance.

Underestimating Calories Consumed
I'm not going to lie to you; going to a party and watching what you eat takes discipline, especially when there's a buffet. Make one pass of the table, and be choosy. If something doesn't taste worth the calories, then there is no need to finish it. When attending a long party, pace yourself.

Cutting Carbs
Many folks still think cutting carbs is a quick weight-loss trick. The dark, cold days of Winter are no time to cut the bread and pasta out of your life; carbs help in the production of serotonin, the feel-good brain chemical. Search out complex carbs and whole grains to keep your spirits high and your diet balanced.

Booze Gracefully
You may abstain from too many foodie goods at a holiday gathering, but (unfortunately) booze counts. If you're trying to stay fit over the holidays, then limiting your alcohol consumption is necessary. Liquid party diets are bad news, but you won't have to deal with that awful hangover — and that's certainly good news!

Depriving Yourself Completely
The holidays are full of fattening treats, from egg nog to butter-filled cookies. Denying yourself these treats often backfires, and you end up going overboard and eating a whole bunch of fattening foods. Pick your treats, but set limits so you can enjoy yourself as well as the holiday goodies.

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Eating well-balanced meals and snacks are both important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But whether it's because you find yourself mindlessly snacking or because your meals aren't keeping you as full as you'd like, sometimes you need something to keep you from rummaging through the pantry.

Nuts

Nuts don't just contain healthy fats to help keep your cholesterol low — they are also good sources of appetite-killing fiber, which digests slowly so it stays in your stomach much longer than other carbohydrates. A 1/4 cup of almonds, for example, contains four grams of fiber.

Spices

Studies have shown that spicy food can help keep you fuller longer as well as increase metabolism. A recent study, for example, found that people ate 60 fewer calories (and burned about 10 more) when cayenne pepper was added to their tomato soup (compared with those who ate nonspiced soup).

Mint

The smell of mint is not only calming but is also an effective appetite suppressant. Try burning a mint-flavored candle or drinking mint tea if you are trying to cut back on oversnacking.

Avocado

Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fats, which help keep you full. Add half an avocado to a slice of toast for a breakfast that'll keep you full until lunch.

Leafy Greens

High water content and fiber also help leafy vegetables fill your stomach. Try this shredded kale and brussels sprout salad for your next lunch.

Eggs

Another protein-packed food are eggs, which studies have shown can help you control your appetite for up to 36 hours.

Yogurt

Another excellent source of protein, yogurt has the added benefit of its fat-burning potential. Choose low- or nonfat Greek yogurt for added protein potential.

Lemon

Eating something sour can help curb sweet cravings, helping you feel satisfied after a meal. Try this lemon chia vinaigrette recipe on your next salad to control overeating.

Soup

Studies have shown that people who ate soup as an appetizer ended up eating less throughout their meal. Just make sure you choose a broth-based soup over a high-fat creamy version.

Water

Sometimes a craving can be quelled with just a glass of water, and it can also keep you hydrated as well (in fact, drinking water before you eat is a good practice, since sometimes people confuse dehydration with hunger). If a glass of water isn't cutting it, eating a snack featuring fruits and vegetables that have a high water content like apples (which are good sources of fiber as well), watermelon, or cucumbers can have the same effect.

Green Tea

Drinking hot water can help keep you full, and not only that, green tea may also help increase your levels of the appetite-regulating-hormone cholecystokinin.

Salmon

Besides being a good source of lean protein, salmon (as with other types of seafood) is a good source of omega-3s. Studies have shown that omega-3s can help increase satiety, and further research suggests that eating omega-3s may help reduce food reward cues.

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