It's September and for most of us, that means a return to the "Back to School" mentality. At the same time, you may have been enjoying the summer by sleeping in more, traveling, cutting out early on Friday, and maybe even exercising less. Then all of a sudden – BAM – you are back in action and expected to be producing at full throttle with optimal energy.
What can you do to instantly give yourself an energy boost?

EAT BREAKFAST! Yes, your mother was right, breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day for energy and here is why:

1. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine proved that "people who regularly skipped breakfast were a whopping 450% more likely to be overweight or obese" and that skipping breakfast can lead to a 5-10% decrease in your metabolism. This is disastrous as being overweight clearly is an energy annihilator.
2. Every morning, your blood sugar plummets due to the overnight fast, which will kill both concentration and energy because your brain can't store sugar (glucose) like the rest of the body and needs this glucose to function optimally. What is the solution? Yes, a good breakfast.
3. According to Katherine Tucker, PhD, from Tufts University, by skipping breakfast, you "miss out on vital nutrients that promote peak cognition throughout the day." Don't you want to be at peak? I do.

Plus, those who skip breakfast are generally ravenous later in the morning and reach for all the WRONG foods (donuts, cookies, cakes and chips).

Back to the whole "body weight for energy" issue, researchers also find that satiety mechanisms are highest in the morning. With increased "satiety" comes an increased feeling of fullness. What researchers found is that those who eat the biggest "right" breakfast actually end up eating less total calories for the entire day. So, if you buy into the whole "body weight down, energy up" belief (which you should for those who are overweight), then eating breakfast sounds to me like a "win-win" decision.
Unfortunately, we are generally not winning as:

1. 1 in 8 children skip breakfast
2. 15% of all teens skip breakfast
3. 1 in 3 (YES, that's one-third) of our adult population skips breakfast

These are sad statistics and probably only getting worse each year.
So, what's the ideal breakfast solution?

1. 2 eggs (or 4 egg whites) and a piece of whole wheat toast.
2. Oatmeal and a piece of fruit or one cup, cut up. The real steel cut kind is better than the instant, but something is better than nothing.
3. A cup of high fiber cereal and low fat milk. Notice I didn't say "fat-free" but said "low-fat" as the right fat is GOOD and will make you feel full longer and will taste better.
4. A smoothie made with a scoop of whey protein, low fat vanilla yogurt and a cup of berries.
5. A high protein breakfast or regular bar that is around 200 calories for women and 300 for men.

And what do you want to avoid at ALL costs?

1. Any processed carbohydrate, such as "white" bread or bagels, sticky buns, Danish, croissants (hello butter) or sugar-laden cereal (did I hear Fruity Pebbles?).
2. Juice. For the record, juice should be abolished and placed in the same category as crack cocaine, as juice shoots your blood sugar levels up, which is immediately followed by a crash. Don't drink it!
3. A hot fudge sundae masquerading as a cup of coffee. Come on, a Starbucks Frappaccino® has around 500 calories.
4. Granola. Surprised? For the most part, granola is VERY high in sugar and calories. A sprinkle on your low-fat yogurt is fine, but any more is a NO.

Okay, I hear you. You're doing the, "I'm not hungry in the morning" or "I don't have time to eat as I am rushing out the door." To that I say bull$#@t. Yes, you do have time to take a few bites from an apple or piece of whole wheat toast (notice I keep driving home the whole wheat issue); hard boil a few eggs the night before, quickly peel them in 30 seconds and pop them in your mouth; or even grab a bag full of the "right" cereal and eat it in the car (which is usually a no-no but in this instance is better than nothing).

This is NOT brain surgery. This is breakfast. Give it a try.

Jim Karas is a Lifestyle Expert who combines a degree from the Wharton School of Business with over twenty-two years of unparalleled success in helping people look and feel their very best. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Business Plan for the Body, the New York Times bestseller, The Cardio-Free Diet and Flip The Switch. In his third New York Times bestseller, The 7-Day Energy Surge, Jim explores the ten components that either increase or decrease energy on a daily basis. Jim has been the Fitness Contributor on ABC's Good Morning America (he helped co-host Diane Sawyer lose over 25 pounds), is frequently seen on The View and for three years, hosted Couch Potatoes on ABC News Now. Visit him at www.jimkaras.com.