Do any of you notice a difference when you eat protien for breakfast opposed to something like a bagel?

Certainly!

I was on a good spurt for a while of making soy protein shakes with fresh blueberries (rich in antioxidants) and other good things. But I got lazy and stopped.

But protein through meat I don't handle well in the morning. Especially bacon (I think it's the grease). But I do notice that a strip or two with eggs is better than nothing, and better than just a bagel or cereal.

Nuts have protein too. I also benefit from eating cereals that have mostly nuts. This has been the simplest, most fulfilling answer for me. I don't need to dump sugar on it. Just add milk (soy milk esp, a better protein than that in cow milk, esp for women)

When I have this kind of protein at the start of the day, I notice that I have more sustained energy; don't feel a need to snack, and require less caffeine throughout the day. Sadly, i don't always make time for breakfast.

Fruit also makes a big difference in addition.

I was drinking Kashi Shakes for Breakfast for a while with Soy milk and fresh Bluberries. I did feel great while I was drinking them.

I will have to get back in to that habit...

What happens if ya'll don't eat protein in the morning?

My doc said I'm hypoglycemic - so, if I don't eat enough protein in the morning, my blood sugar gets low about mid-morning and my concentration, patience, and comprehension totally disappear. Then I become a Sugar Monster *grin*

I think I can see this all the way back to high school. When I ate total and had an instant breakfast and sausage I did better on the whole.

reliably feeding myself is a problem I obviously share with others here.

If we can't reliably feed ourselves we should, as responsible adults, engage someone to properly reliably feed us. IMHO.

I have noticed a serious difference.

Protein breakfast like shakes, meat, eggs, cheese = balanced day emotionally and don't get as much hunger / cravings as the day goes on.

Carb breakfast like sugar cereal / toast / pancakes with syrup = short term feeling of feeling good, then serious emotional crash and inability to focus, serious cravings for more carbs as the day goes on.

Unless I'm remembering the facts wrong, breakfast foods like bagesl and pancakes and junk cereals (cinn. toast crunch, ect); they metabolize into sugar; a rush (processed wheat). Especially bad for people with ADD from what I've been hearing. But that's also part of why I often crave these, the rush.

However, a WHOLE wheat bagel or cereal is a great improvement.

If I eat something sugary for breakfast, the day always becomes a bumpy hellacious ride.

:) I didn't realize others HAD problems with reliably feeding themselves. Maybe I'm on the ADD diet of, "Oh, I'll have what you're having, when you're having it, if I can eat it!" The one person I have to engage in making sure I eat, and eat well, is fed up with the job. I'm doing the best I can to help him help me. But we're going out for a late breakfast right now :D

Protein is a great boost to my life. < g > I have only recently turned to protein and away from carbos. I'm of the low carb style that eats lots of fruit and veggies though. Basically I have only just restricted the breads, pasta, rice, spuds and of course the white devil itself.. sugar.

Protein in a lean format helps keep my experience level. It seems to take much of the roller coaster out of the day. It also leaves me less urgently in need of food at regular meal times which gives everyone around me more leeway for meal preparation. I can eat smaller portions which seems to agree with my digestive system once I began to eat a lot more fibre that is. Non soluble fibre is key and had me making a healthier stool than I had in memory.. (too much information! heheh ) I grind two tablespoons of flax seed in the morning and take this mixed with water. I wouldn't think it matters how you ingest the flax except that it must be ground in order to use it.

So that's breakfast.. a glass of flax juice and a piece of fruit. Lunch is protein and veggies and fruit and dinner is the same. I'm not strict with any of this, but the results were enough to make me a believer in reducing my carbs and increasing my protein.

When I had a full physical done earlier this fall my doc said I had until March to reduce my bad cholesterol. So much for the free for all on cheese and eggs.. heh

She's told me that the date has been moved to the 12th of February for me to submit to another look at my blood. Today I started cutting wood again in hopes of getting at least a beginning on an exercise program. What's twenty minutes a day right?.. omg I'm such a lamer when it comes to cardio.

I used to run many miles... I used to study Karate five days a week.. I used to I used to I used to.. and now I am 44 and feeling like a slug.

I did manage to lose 17 pounds without trying when the bread and pasta etc. was reduced. I didn't even notice until I'd lost ten pounds.. then I was kind of shocked.. but have cheated my way into remaining the same weight since before the holidays.

Hope this helps. Ian.

Uhhh yes. Actually, I get even more hyperactive. My mind starts racing more. I guess protein has an adverse effect on me.

Originally posted by lilthingsADDup
Uhhh yes. Actually, I get even more hyperactive. My mind starts racing more. I guess protein has an adverse effect on me.

Perhaps, or perhaps not.

What happens in a car if you really stomp on the accelerator to overcome the burden of a heavy load, and then the load falls off?

The car lurches forward and speeds up too much, but is it because the car inherently goes to fast?

No. it is because it was "trimmed" to a set of conditions that changed radically, and the trimming did not change as rapidly.

I see your example also as a possible evidence of over compensation in the absence of the need for the compensation.

You don't have to have "traditional" breakfast meats....grease+prenatal vitamins+meds=Tossing of cookies. Quick sandwich of cold cuts & cheese is wonderful, better if you have time to nuke it. Even faster, plain cold cuts.

Oh. yep. That is a horse of a different color!

Nuts or even peanut butter on cellery are also quick for breakfast too

Originally posted by Wheel1975


Perhaps, or perhaps not.

What happens in a car if you really stomp on the accelerator to overcome the burden of a heavy load, and then the load falls off?

The car lurches forward and speeds up too much, but is it because the car inherently goes to fast?

No. it is because it was "trimmed" to a set of conditions that changed radically, and the trimming did not change as rapidly.

I see your example also as a possible evidence of over compensation in the absence of the need for the compensation.

Uhhh can you run that by me one more time?
Are you trying to say that I'm originally more hyperative than I really am, because the carbs/lack of protein was "wearing me down"?

Yes. Protein makes a pretty big difference for me. I'm usually in a hurry in the morning (big surprise) so I eat in the car on the way to work. I usually have carbs as well, but I ALWYAYS have around 12 oz of milk (over 20 grams of protein I think). At least the carbs are healthy: bananna/apple. Sometimes I'll dump in Cheerios -- whole wheet ones-- and drink/chew the little suckers.

Lilthings - According to Dr. Amen, one of his ADD types should get LESS protein and more carbs to slow down the basil ganglea if I remember correctly. Of course, he says all his other types should take in more protein. I can't remember which ADD type he called it, but here's a link to a post with more detail: http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2157

By the way, Wheel.... English please. Thanks! You're deep, holmes. Dumb it down for us morons.

Actually, I think I just got what you are saying. Is this it?: The carbs may slow us down as the insulin steps in to break them down, releasing seratonin. But when you stop eating carbs, that doesn't happen. So you get a kick with protein AND no conmpensating slow down from the carb sugar-lows? Is that what you are saying, because that makes sense.

-tiggwin

Wow, I stopped eating breakfast when i was about 11 years old.
It never bothered my stomache.
I did it to sleep in 10 minutes more. ;)

In retrospect, I feel my ADD started (or became more noticable) in about 6th grade.

Many older friends of mine have getten diabetes, so I had started taking slimfast shakes or apples or oranges to eat in my car on the way to works.
This was an on and off activity.

Over the last month and a half, I have notice the ADD being much worse.
I have also had no breakfast at all in the last month or two, and I ussually have a bagel with melted cheese for lunch.

I think I will get those Atkins shakes for breakfast.
That would be the easiest for me to remember and is high in protien.

Thanks for the thread, I never knew about the connection to protien.

I've never really thought about what I eat in relation to ADD.. since I started concerta I have been living on ZonePerfect bars, as I completely lost my appetite, and i dont have the urge to just get up and roam the house anymore, and i used to always wind up at the kitchen... i eat when im bored (and i was bored a lot my freshman year of college! LOL) .. the Zone bars actually taste good which is scary, cause the strawberry yogurt flavored ones look just sick.. I forget to eat meals regularly and those are easy to bring with me.. Plus I figured if nothing else, I should probably choose something with vitamins and protein.. Though looking at the label theres 14g of sugar in a bar.. Anyone have any healthy pre-packaged snacks that you're a fan of.. I need to check out the recipe board, and see if anything jumps out at me!

I will have to check those out. I was a fan of Luna bars when I was pregnant. I don't mind the sugar. I have perfected maintaining a good low level sugar buzz.

Originally posted by FlakeyGirl
You don't have to have "traditional" breakfast meats....grease+prenatal vitamins+meds=Tossing of cookies. Quick sandwich of cold cuts & cheese is wonderful, better if you have time to nuke it. Even faster, plain cold cuts.

aha! i knew there was a reason i felt better during the school year than after. I usually have a sandwich with meat and cheese and whole grain bread for breakfast.... during the vacations it's catch as catch can.

I recently started doing the low-carb thing to try to feel better and wow has it worked! So now for breakfast, instead of cereal I have tuna fish with cheese and a bit of salad dressing. Yeah, I know, sounds weird. But it really tastes good (creamy italian dressing) and it's not greasy. And it holds me over till lunch. When I ate cereal I was looking around for something to eat by 10 am. and was quite tired and lethargic.

I really think there is something to these low-carb diets, especially for ADD folks.

I noticed the patterns in my energy level since childhood when I had a lack of high protien. If I do processed wheat or grains, sweets I feel pretty lousy. So I chow down high protien stuff, when I can because either I forget to eat, or I get the eaties, that happens if I start the day with a too big or a carb meal. Bad.. Bad.. Bad.. my quick snaking foods that help give me clarity are #1. tuna or sashimi (raw fish), #2 beef jerky, #3 microwavable veggie burgers, #4 cheese #5 Hot doggies or veggie doggies, #6 pickled herring, #7 eggs, #8 nuts--- ( I eat them often but they upset my stomach.)
I stay away from the nutrition bars as they have a bunch of sugar and often synthetically derived vitamens.
Meat tames me, so I don't hold back. Liver is a good pick me up when menstruating.
I have lived with vegetarians much of my life and would often go weeks without meat without realising it, at some point I would get to realising how lousy I'd been feeling and would eat some meat and feel a marked improvement in my health.
I always felt since childhood that I was definate a meat eater, dispite the vegetarian consciousness that surrounded me. My son has this vegetarian outlook, I personally don't feel it suits him as he is so much like me. So I buy a lot of his weekness--Beef jerky. And he likes eggs.

I know that I definately can't survive without protein. I tried to be a vegetarian for three years. I probably should have given it up after a few months, and I knew it, but my Dad said I wouldn't be able to stick with it, so....I had to be so anemic and exhuasted I could barely move before I quit.

I've never thought much about eating protein in the morning. My parents weren't so much big on regular meal times (dinner at nine pm? Sure!, breakfast, grab what you have time for) so....

I just bought a blender (yay!) so I can make smoothies/protein shakes in the morning. I can't eat a big meal at once, and I have classes all day so I am going to make cereal or something to eat and carry the shake around with me to have during my morning classes.

Let's hope that helps.

Originally posted by kimo
Yeah, I know, sounds weird.

Before I read that sentence, I thought to myself, Wow, that sounds delicious:D

I am going to try it, but what kind of cheese?

emt...I blew out my blender:cry: smoothies are the best any time of day!

LOL FlakeyGirl! I really thought everyone would think "oh yuck!" :D

I prefer white cheddar with the tuna.

Also, another really good combo is tuna with swiss cheese and Wishbone creamy french dressing. Actually, a yummy snack is to just take swiss cheese and dip it in the creamy french dressing with a little salt and pepper. My mom discovered that one! :D

And for those of you who still like your carbs for breakfast, here is a link to the glycemic index (The Glycemic Index indicates how rapidly a carbohydrate food is digested (metabolized) into glucose and how much it causes the blood sugar (glucose) to rise.)

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/dgarneau/health3h.htm

Lately, I have been making myself a 2-egg cheese omelette and putting it in one of those small plastic covered dishes made by ziplock. I can ride along with my carpool and eat breakfast on the way. The proteins stay with me longer and I get less hungry at supper....

So, once again, I agree, proteins are better than most carbs. But a well-balanced diet needs some carbs.

I fell much better when I eat a high-protien/Low card diet.

I am not sure if it is the high protien that helps so much, or just avoiding the carbs. I am 100% positive that a diet in high carbohydrates makes ny ADD much worse.

But another thought about low-carb/high-protien is that a high-protien diet does not necessarily mean a lot of meat. There are many high-protien vegetabble sources (check out tofu). It is possible to have a low-carb/high-protien diet as a vegetarian.

I have juvenille diabetes (insulin dependent), so the physiologic rationale for low carb diets doesn't apply to me in the same way it does for most people. I've tried high protein/low carb breakfasts, but I felt sooo hungry all morning that I gave up ...I need to have that full belly feeling in the morning.:p

I have increased my protein in the morning, but I still have plenty of carbs too. I haven't noticed any difference between eating a high protein breakfast & how I feel during the day. However, since I grew up on a diabetic diet, maybe I've always adhered to a somewhat low carb diet? I eat plenty of whole grains & low sugar foods.

i dont nkow how to subtly get protein in the morning. i dont drink milk - i only have it with flavouring, less than once a week. sometimes i will make shake out of milk, banana, strawberry.

most often for breakfast i will have cereal. i stopped ating junk cereals. now i eat stuff like: wheeties (which are just steamed, rolled, pressed, toasted grains of weat, no added stuff in them) with juice, honey smacks with juice (therye puffed weat, and not much added stuff), or mini-weets (whole weat shreads with fruit stuff inside).

occasionally i will have egg, toast, baked beans/ tinspaghetti. sometimes in winter i'll have baked beans on toast (try for wholemeal, but its usually white toast). some days i will just eat the tin of beans or spaghetti tipped into a bowl, if i feel lazy and not very appertized.

my most common problem in the mornig is i dont feel like ating, but have to.

and last winter i ate instant oats a lot. the plain ones out of the box, and i'd just put in brown sugar (enough so i could actually eat it... but thats probably too much!), and sometimes chopped up banana, or chopped up dried apricots. the apricots give it a good flavour.

but that stuff doesnt have much protein, and its mainly carbs, isnt it?

so is tht bad?

oh and i think i might have hypoglycemia in the early stages, im getting tired as of late, after i drink soft drinks. VERY tired. (and this is within 1 minute after consuming them).

and im worrying about having to eat all this protein, because the main source of protein is meat, and meat isnt good if you eat too much of it... there can be bad bodily health risks.

how else can ig et protein? other than drinking a raw egg drink.

I do much better with a high protein/low carb diet too, but I'm not much of a meat eater. Special K makes a low carb cereal (wheat, soy and rice flake) that has 10g of protein per serving...it's pretty good and more than enough protein to hold me until lunch.

My wife is doing the lo-carb dance and it has done wonders for her. She has been pushing for me give it a wack. I eat Total in the morning and salad in the afternoon. Am I missing the point oar are most of you saying that protien and lo-carb has helped with your ADD?

I used to start the morning with as many snoozes on the alarm as possible, skipping breakfast, either a quick cup of coffee or tea, and running out the door.
For the past couple of weeks I have been starting my day with protein and it's made a noticable difference. I love chocolate soy shakes, yogurt with flax seeds, eggs, or string cheese. I also used to be a pasta-aholic. I have been eating more salads, wrap sandwiches, egg or tuna salad, and my favorite- steak with a big pile of mushrooms with garlic and onions. I have noticed a difference in energy, decreased appetite and overall alertness. I have struggled a little on the days when I had my sugar or caffeine cravings. I really noticed how racing my thoughts were after drinking two cups of coffee.

On Oprah yesterday there was an author of a book about why French women don't get fat. One lady lost 20 pounds drinking 3 glasses of wine per day and eating like the French do. I think if we choose to eat fresh, whole food with more proteins and fewer carbs, the overall feeling of health is much greater. Unfortunately wine has a lot of sugar, but I love it anyway. Some fruits also have a lot of sugar, but it is natural compared to the high fructose corn syrup you will find in most sodas and many juices. It's amazing how diet affects the way you feel.

I'm discovering what a difference eating protein meals for breakfast and lunch can do. I read on Dr. Amen site where he says this is effective for the Innatentive ADD types, (that's me). It seems it rebalances the Dopamine / Serotonin levels. I've been eating omlets with egg substitute or low fat turkey sausages for breakfast or even cottage cheese. This AM I have just finished my own Alba-Cado salad. It was great !
I can't tell you what a difference this makes. I used to get the "nods" durring the day in addition to decreased attention span, loss of motivation and a little depression. Now I have lots of energy and can work till about 4 or 5. All this with no craving for carbs, it's amazing. Dinner is almost normal with a low fat meat, potato or rice and vegs.

I have since developed dozens of different protein meals, some are meatless, that will help to maintain the higher Dopamine levels that I need. If anyone is interested just reply to this post and I'll send you what I have.

That may explain why I'll sometimes accidentally eat a 250g bag of peanuts in while sitting at my desk "Wait, how did that bag get empty so quickly...?"

In response to ADDitive's post:
I hardly eat meat and I'm allergic to casein in milk, so it's mainly eggs, nuts, soy, legumes and fruit & veg. I even eat fake yoghurt and ice cream. Any good regional cook book from countries where meat isn't readily available most of the time or people don't eat it for religious regions should be a good place to start! Finding a vegetarian book on indian food, for instance, should be easy.

Protein is a huge difference in our boys lives here.. They have a great start to their day.. and I know that they have had a healthy breakfast which is a great feeling for mom.. Our adher here.. is only 10 and he is on track more with a protein shake, and he feels great right till lunch time.. Then he comes home and has another shake with his lunch..and he is off to school again with great thoughts..