CARBONDALE - How many times have you heard "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day"?

Certainly as a kid, you heard it in school, from your parents and in public service ads.

Back then, the day may have started off with a bowl of Fruity Pebbles and chocolate milk. As we've gotten older, our morning consumption has dwindled to a trip through Starbucks to get our caffeine fix on the way to work.

Research of participants in the National Weight Control Registry shows that among those who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off at least one year, 80 percent eat breakfast.

According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, with better concentration, problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.

So, how big a part does breakfast play in your diet?

"It's important to eat all of your meals of the day," said Beth Michaels, a registered dietitian with Southern Illinois Healthcare. "Breakfast is kind of setting you up for the rest of the day."

As Michaels explained, you should look at food as fuel for the body. You want to make sure you're providing the energy your body needs when it needs it, which wouldn't be late at night.

And you want your breakfast to be a balance of different nutrients. You don't want something of poor nutritional quality setting you up for the rest of the day. Grabbing a Pop Tart or a couple of doughnuts is going to give you a quick burst of energy, but it's not going to stay with you.

"You want to have something that has some whole grains, some proteins and some healthy fats, if possible," Michaels said. "Something along the lines of a bowl of oatmeal with a banana, or a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit, some yogurt and fruit; those types of things that will give you a 'pick-me-up' and stick with you for a period of time."

Simple solutions include toast with peanut butter, a hard-boiled egg or a yogurt parfait. Instead of getting greasy fast food in a drive-through, make your own breakfast sandwich out of healthier ingredients.

"A lot of times, you can take breakfast on the go just as easily as you can drink your cup of coffee on the road," Michaels said.

If you exercise regularly and try to go to the gym in the morning, whether you eat before or after depends on the individual and his or her workout. Michaels recommends having something in your stomach before you go to have a little bit of energy but not something that is substantial enough to weigh you down. You can then have a small breakfast afterward.

Michaels said eating breakfast should also help to curb appetite the rest of the day, which could help weight loss or weight control. If you haven't eaten for 14 to 16 hours, you should wake up hungry. If you don't, you're probably eating too much at night.

"Sometimes, we have to retrain our bodies to take a little bit more food in the morning and have a little more self-control later in the evening," Michaels said.

Brent Stewart can be reached at brent.stewart@ thesouthern.com or 351-5074.

Quick breakfast fixes

To give you a bit of help in fixing breakfast on the go, Beth Michaels, a registered dietitian with Southern Illinois Healthcare, put together a list of suggestions, most of which can be prepared in five minutes or less:

* Make a shake or smoothie. Blend your favorite fruit with some low-fat yogurt and your favorite juice.

* Breakfast wrap. Fill a whole-grain tortilla with eggs and salsa.

* Fruit and cheese. Peaches and cottage cheese go well together, as do grapes and string cheese.

* Whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk. Look for "whole grain" as the first ingredient listed.

* Grab a healthy granola bar such as Fiber One bars, or make your own in advance and store in the freezer.

* Whole-wheat mini-bagel. Top it with low-fat cream cheese or peanut butter.

* Yogurt breakfast parfait. Layer low-fat yogurt, high-fiber cereal and fresh berries.

* Whole-grain English muffin. Top it with 100 percent fruit jam or peanut butter.

* Breakfast sandwich. Fill a pita pocket with scrambled eggs and low-fat cheese.

* Oatmeal. Add blueberries, applesauce or raisins to sweeten and a few almonds for extra protein.