I believe that somewhere in Washington D.C. is a secret, little-known, government agency called "The Department of They," and all they do is say things. That may not seem like such a big deal, but we tend to believe everything "they say." An example would be: "They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day," and if "they," say it; it must be true.

In this case, it is. The word breakfast comes from "break the fast," referring to the eight or so hours you didn't eat anything while you were sleeping. Everyone knows the body needs to recharge with proper nutrition in the morning, but few Americans actually fuel their bodies with the required nutrition every morning.

I include myself in that group. As a chef, my lifestyle evolved to eating heavy lunches and even heavier dinners. Breakfast for me could be a McMuffin or two, but usually it was nothing but coffee, and lots of it all day long. I am also a diabetic who takes insulin to manage blood sugars. Not eating breakfast helps me stay low, but leaves me tired and craving more coffee.

My new year's resolution was to break out of this pattern. Just like starting and committing to an exercise program, making lifestyle changes can be tough. I wanted to put the perfect amount of nutrition in my body every morning, no matter what it was, and after my research I came up with this:



I know what you're thinking: Yum City! Well, actually, it's not. In fact, it is pretty difficult to make yourself eat these raw fruits and vegetables every morning, so Elizabeth suggested I get myself a NutrBullet.

This high speed blender takes all of the fruits and vegatables I want to eat, and turns them into a delicious smoothie.

Delicious? You may ask? With veggies like kale, celery, carrots, almonds, and avocados?

Yes. In fact, if I add strawberries and bananas to anything else I put in the blender, all I can taste is strawberries and bananas. And I use frozen strawberries like ice cubes to make the drink cold.

Okay, it is the chef in me that had to experiment, and I can say canned beets and sardines didn't turn out to be too tasty, but everything else I tried works perfectly.

Now I have to say, the only lifestyle change in 2013 was adding smoothies for breakfast. As a diabetic, I am always seeing my doctor, and I just happened to have a blood test scheduled. So, far:

• I have lost 12 pounds I put on from the holidays and a cruise.
• My daily insulin intake is down 60%.
• I only drink two cups of coffee a day.
• I'm not feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day.
• My good cholesterol is up 50%.
• My bad cholesterol is down 75%.
• My triglycerides are down 45%.
• My A1C is below 6 (normal) for the first time.
• When food shopping, I fill my shopping cart with fruits and vegetables instead of meat and potatoes.  

"Holy shit!" That is an exactly quote from my normally conservative Endocrinologist as his popped out of his head reading the results of my blood test.

It's amazing, in fact, if I happen to skip a day, I feel a noticeable difference in how my body functions. If you visit their website, you can find similar recipes for flushing toxins from your body, boosting your immune system during flu season, an energy booster, balance harmones, and a free-radical  fighter.

HomeBodies offers Nutritional Support to help you match proper diet with your lifestyle and exercise program. If you're interested, check it out so you can get maximum results from your workouts.

I paid about $100 for my NutrBullet, and I can honestly say it may be the best $100 I ever spent. At least a close second to eating at Emeril's in New Orleans!

Best,
Chef Noche