✨ I’ve got some health issues and wake up decently nauseous 99.9% of the time — it doesn’t exactly make me feel hungry. I’ve been on a “don’t skip breakfast” journey. I’m underweight (5’3 and only 90 pounds) but medically can’t have high fat. Honestly, I’m truly pushing my limits with even one egg. This is what I managed this morning.
🍅🥚🍞 What is everyone else eating?
👉 Check the first comment to see what my doctor advised me… it might surprise you.
Fighting Morning Nausea: My Breakfast Struggle and What My Doctor Advised
For years, breakfast has been described as “the most important meal of the day.” Yet, for someone like me — underweight, 5’3” at just 90 pounds, with ongoing health issues and a daily battle with nausea — that phrase can feel like a cruel joke. I wake up almost every morning with my stomach in knots, and the thought of eating anything rich, heavy, or fatty makes me feel worse.
Still, I knew I couldn’t keep skipping breakfast. My body needed fuel, and avoiding food was only making me weaker. So, I set out on a journey: to build a breakfast routine that worked for my medical limitations while helping me slowly regain strength.
The picture you see above — a single slice of toast, a modest fried egg, and a few slices of tomato — might look simple, even too plain, to some people. But for me, it represents effort, determination, and the start of a small but meaningful change.
But here’s the twist: what I thought was “healthy enough” wasn’t exactly what my doctor wanted me to focus on. And the advice I got was something that many people struggling with nausea, low weight, or digestive issues might never have considered.
The Problem with Forcing Food
When you wake up nauseous every day, food feels like the last thing you want. Forcing down meals, even healthy ones, can actually make nausea worse. My doctor explained that this is because digestion is a complex process: if your stomach lining is irritated, or if your body is in a state of stress, shoving food in only overloads the system.
This is why I often struggled even with “light” foods. Eggs are packed with protein, but they’re still relatively fatty. Toast is easy to digest, but plain bread doesn’t provide much in terms of calories or essential nutrients. Tomatoes are fresh, but the acidity can sometimes irritate an empty stomach.
In short: I was eating, but I wasn’t fueling properly. And that’s why my doctor suggested a completely different approach.
What My Doctor Recommended
Instead of just trying to “eat breakfast like everyone else,” my doctor encouraged me to think of mornings as a slow ramp-up rather than a sudden demand on my body. Here’s the advice I received:
1. Start with Gentle Hydration
Before even thinking about food, my doctor told me to start my day with warm water or an herbal tea like ginger or chamomile. This helps “wake up” the digestive system gently without shocking it. Cold water, especially on an empty stomach, can actually trigger cramps and worsen nausea.
2. Focus on Easy-to-Digest Foods
Instead of jumping into proteins or acidic vegetables, I was advised to begin with simple carbohydrates. Think oatmeal cooked soft with water, rice porridge, or even a banana. These foods give quick energy and are gentle on the stomach lining.
3. Eat in Stages, Not in One Sitting
For someone like me, eating a full meal first thing was too overwhelming. The better approach? Divide breakfast into two or three mini-sessions. For example:
Start with a few bites of banana or a spoonful of oatmeal.
Wait 20–30 minutes.
Then add something like toast or a small portion of scrambled egg whites.
Later, maybe add fresh fruit or a dairy alternative if tolerated.
This prevents the stomach from feeling overloaded.
4. Avoid High Fat, But Don’t Fear Calories
Because I medically can’t handle high-fat foods, I often avoided calorie-rich meals entirely. But being underweight, I desperately need energy. My doctor suggested low-fat but calorie-dense options, like:
Smoothies made with plant-based milk, oats, and fruit.
Rice cakes with a thin layer of nut butter (if tolerated).
Soft-cooked grains like quinoa with fruit.
These add energy without the heavy fat load that worsens my nausea.
5. Add Protein Gradually
Protein is essential for recovery and maintaining muscle mass, but it can be hard to digest. Instead of forcing down a whole egg, my doctor recommended splitting portions — half an egg in the morning, half later in the day — or switching to egg whites (lighter and easier to digest). Plant proteins, like soft lentils or blended chickpeas in small amounts, can also help.
👉 Continue reading on the next page…
