People who eat breakfast everyday tend to weigh less and eat fewer calories over the course of the day. Also, breakfast helps you be more mentally focused and alert all day long. Let’s kick breakfast up a notch with these tweaks we found in Woman’s World magazine.

• Let’s say you’ve got a hectic day ahead. Your best breakfast is a smoothie with low-fat yogurt, pineapple, mangoes and papayas. Why? Because research proves that tropical scents and tastes calm brain waves in seconds. That’ll help you feel relaxed and ready to take on a challenging day. Plus, the protein in the yogurt digests slowly, giving you a slight energy boost without knocking your blood sugar out of whack.
• Now, here’s an excuse to tap into your inner child at breakfast. According to a recent study from the University of Western Australia, it’s okay to eat a sugary cereal for breakfast every now and then – like Froot Loops, Trix or Cap’n Crunch. Why? Well, the study found that those who ate sugary cereals performed significantly better on short-term memory tests than those who ate high-fiber cereals. The researchers think it’s because high-carb, sugary cereals will interrupt the release of stress hormones, helping you stay calmer once the pressure starts. Make that breakfast a once-in-while thing.
• Another way to kick breakfast up a notch: Eat it outside! Morning light balances your hormones. The result: You’ll feel more clear-headed and confident almost instantly. Another good reason to drink in the sun: It boosts levels of the happiness hormone serotonin.
• Drink your morning coffee out of a yellow mug. According to the book “The Dewey Color System,” just looking at yellow has been proven to reduce fatigue and trigger feel-good hormones.