Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s especially true when trying to lose weight and build muscle. Your body needs energy and nutrients to burn fat and build lean muscle mass efficiently. Follow these five tips for a healthy breakfast:

#1 Avoid refined sugar

Avoid eating foods with large amounts of refined sugar as much as possible. While there are some health benefits from certain sugars, like agave nectar or raw honey, most people take too much sugar each day.

#2 Eat protein and complex carbs for breakfast

Instead, eat protein and complex carbs. Studies show that eating protein at breakfast helps you burn more fat and lose weight faster than eating a high carbohydrate or high-fat breakfast. Protein gives your body energy and increases your metabolism, so it can break down the calories in the food you eat better during the day. Complex carbohydrate foods are also important because they keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, giving you an even source of energy without spiking them up to unhealthy levels.

#3 Avoid processed foods

Eating junk food for breakfast is one of the worst things you can do. In disguise, processed foods like sugary cereals, muffins, bagels, and toast are candy bars. Sugar-free doesn’t mean calorie-free; it means there’s another ingredient that will make you gain weight. When your body digests these complex carbs (like whole-wheat bread) instead of simple carbs (like white bread), it slows down the release of sugars into your bloodstream, giving you more energy throughout the day.

#4 Replace white flour with whole grains

White flour may be high in protein, but it isn’t as healthy as whole grain wheat because it lacks good fiber. Fiber is an important carbohydrate that your body needs to work well and digest food efficiently. You can find whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice at most supermarkets today, and they’re much healthier than white bread or pasta.

#5 Eat fruit for dessert

Lastly, you don’t have to give up dessert. Just replace refined sugars with natural sugars from fruit for a satisfying sweet treat without all the extra calories stored as fat. There’s no need to cut out sweets completely since eating small amounts of sugar won’t make you gain weight. And eating small portions of rich desserts like chocolate cake can help you lose weight because your body absorbs it better.