Sometime its a total struggle to figure out what to eat for breakfast. Not to mention we’ve all heard it since we were little: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast gives you energy, revs up your metabolism for the day, and can make you feel satiated and ready to take on the world. But If you enjoy having breakfast, but find that you’re hungry a few hours later, long before lunch, there’s a good chance you might not be eating the right things.

You should be able to feel full enough to last until lunchtime from your breakfast, while having energy instead of a sluggish, tired feeling. If you’re fighting a breakfast battle, check out these 6 breakfast tips and mistake to avoid that will make you feel fuller, longer.

Kick Simple Carbs To The Curb

If you’re waking up to enjoy a nice big bowl of sugary cereal, that’s probably the exact reason you’re feeling hungry shortly afterward. Not only that, but you could be experiencing a sugar crash a couple hours after starting your day with that much refined sugar. All in all, simple carbs found in cereals will cause those annoying hunger pangs you might be used to. If you’re a carb-lover (and we’re all guilty of it!), opt for something that will instead help you stay full, like a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal, a green smoothie or a slice of whole-grain bread with peanut butter.

Check out the Super Green Smoothie Bowl recipe.

Water, Water, Water

It can be hard to stop chugging coffee in the morning, but try switching over to water at some point before noon. It will help you to feel full until lunchtime, and come on, we all know we need to be drinking more water, anyway! It’s a great way to curb hunger pangs and get your eight glasses a day in at the same time. I love adding lemon and cucumber or fruit to my water to give it a little flavor!

Add A Little Protein

Remember that peanut butter you were going to put on your whole grain toast? It’s actually just as important as the whole grains are! A bit of protein will help to balance out your body in the morning and will help you stay satiated. Not to mention, it’s great for energy levels, muscles, and more. Try egg whites, peanut butter or almond butter, or go for some non-dairy yogurt with fresh berries.

Check out the Vegan Berry Coconut Parfait recipe.

Fat Can Be Your Friend

Unfortunately, we’ve trained ourselves to think ‘fat’ is a bad word in our diets, especially first thing in the morning. But, the truth is, our bodies need fat in order to function, and even in order to lose weight! Fat doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy. If you choose a breakfast that is entirely fat free, chances are you’ll find yourself feeling hungry a short time after, since fat helps us to feel full. That doesn’t mean you should reach for two or three donuts everyday, but introducing healthy fats into your breakfast, like non-dairy yogurt, avocado, nuts, or nut butters, is a great way to give you energy and keep you full.

Make Sure You Eat Enough

You might think it would be hard to feel energized after eating a large breakfast, so many of us simply grab something light on the go. The problem with something that is more ‘snack sized’ than meal size is that it, too, can leave you feeling hungry just a short time later. If you’re short on time, try to prepare as much as you can for your breakfast the night before. Or, pick a day of the week to do your ‘breakfast prep.’ If you only have time to grab something quick as you walk out the door, you can put frozen fruit in small zip lock bags and quickly add the ingredients in the blender in the morning or make mini breakfast cups and keep them in the refrigerator all week. When you’re ready to eat, simply pop one in the microwave for a few minutes, and you can take it with you. Try filling them up with egg whites, sweet potatoes and veggies for a mixture of carbohydrates, protein, and fats that will keep you satisfied.

Check out the Avocado & Roasted Sweet Potato Cups Recipe.

Eat Earlier

A common mistake many people make is eating breakfast too late. The longer you wait to eat breakfast, the likely you are to overeat, and feel unsatisfied. A good rule of thumb is to try to eat breakfast within an hour or so of waking up, so you can provide your body with the energy it needs to start your day, fuel your mind, and stay satisfied until lunchtime. Whatever you do, though, make sure you eat something for breakfast, even if it’s later than you originally anticipated.

When it comes to breakfast, and staying full until the afternoon, you essentially are what you eat (or drink!), so make smarter choices. Whether you make yourself a healthy breakfast on the go, have a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter, or sit down to a satisfying bowl of non-dairy yogurt with some fresh berries, avoid these common breakfast mistakes.  Try introducing some of these helpful tips into your breakfast routine that will turn your breakfast into the right kind of fuel for your day. You’ll be feeling more energized throughout your mornings from now on.