If you’re attempting to lose weight,
the diet and activity choices you make throughout the day are crucial.
However, there are a few morning routines that might truly help you succeed.
As it turns out, there’s plenty of evidence to support the old adage that “the early bird gets the worm.”
Morning people are not only happy and may live longer, but they are also likely to be slimmer.
Getting up early and preparing for your day not only increases your productivity but also allows you to better manage any potential blockages or obstacles that may interfere with your diet and exercise routines.
Making the most of your mornings allows you to stay in a more “proactive” rather than “reactive” mindset, which leads to more effective weight-loss attempts.
If that isn’t enough to persuade you to get up an hour or two earlier, try one of these nutritionist-approved weight-loss morning routines.
1. EAT A PROTEIN-PACKED BREAKFAST
You’re on the right road if you already understand the value of a full breakfast. However, you should ensure that your breakfast contains an adequate quantity of protein.
Because this macronutrient takes longer to digest than carbs or fat, high-protein meals keep you full for several hours. Protein aids in appetite management and blood sugar regulation.
Breakfast should include 25 to 30 grams of protein, such as eggs, plain Greek yogurt, nut butter, and lean chicken or turkey sausage, for maximum satiety and muscle-building effects.
2. ENJOY THAT CUP OF COFFEE
Caffeine may really help you burn more fat in the morning.
Drinking one cup of coffee was enough to activate “brown fat,” also known as brown adipose tissue or BAT, which helps the body burn calories more quickly, according to research published in the journal Scientific Reports in June 2019.
Furthermore, getting a caffeine boost in the morning has the extra benefit of improving your attention for your morning workout.
3. GET YOUR WORKOUT ON
Though pressing the snooze button first thing in the morning is certainly more appealing than a workout, research suggests that early exercise may help you lose weight.
When Tehran University researchers looked at the effects of morning versus evening aerobic exercise, they discovered that getting moving early resulted in lower caloric intake later in the day, as well as a greater change in body weight, BMI, abdominal skinfold thickness, and abdominal circumference. Their findings were published in the June 2017 edition of Clinical Obesity.
In short, research shows that exercising first thing in the morning has a greater impact on appetite control, calorie consumption, and weight reduction.
4. WALK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING YOUR COMMUTE
Another incentive to get some early morning outdoor exercise — even if it’s only a few minutes of walking — is that it can help you sleep better.
Morning light wavelengths have been found to regulate body fat and change the levels of the satiety hormones leptin and ghrelin.
In fact, according to research published in PLoS One in April 2014, adjusting the timing of light exposure can boost metabolism and help with weight management.
Bonus: Spending time outside in the morning can improve your vitamin D exposure, which is a mineral that most Americans are deficient in.
5. SET YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE DAY
Mindfulness, or frequently checking in with your emotions, thoughts, feelings, and sensations in an attempt to attain a level of awareness, can help you in a variety of ways.
Mindfulness, according to the American Psychological Association, can reduce stress, improve memory, increase attention, and improve relationship satisfaction. Another advantage? It may, as you may have guessed, assist you in losing weight.
Mindfulness training was found to reduce both emotional eating and binge eating in research published in April 2014 in Eating Behaviors.
It doesn’t have to take a long time or take place in the ideal environment to be mindful. You can utilize five minutes and a quiet location to be conscious of your thoughts and feelings.
6. SLEEP IN IF YOU DON’T GET ENOUGH ZZZ
The majority of us understand the importance of getting a good night’s sleep for general health, yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of American adults aren’t sleeping long enough.
According to research published in Current Biology in February 2019 that connected sleep deprivation to an increase in eating after supper and weight gain, getting the recommended 7 to 9 Getting a good night’s sleep might also help you lose weight.
The takeaway?
Getting a head start on the day by waking up too early may rob you of sleep hours. So, if you intend to get up at the crack of dawn, modify your bedtime appropriately.
7. DO A WEIGH-IN
According to research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in April 2016, dieters who weigh themselves daily lose roughly three times more weight and body fat than dieters who measure themselves less regularly.
To achieve the most accurate readings, walk on the scale just after getting out of bed and going to the bathroom — either naked or in the same amount of clothing every morning.