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It is no secret that a healthy diet and enough physical activity are the keys to losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight.
However, they are not the only factors that belong to a healthy lifestyle. A rather important part of it is how you start your day each morning.
If you are not losing weight as you would like, or if you want to feel better and more energized during the day, the following morning bad habits can sabotage your efforts.
1 You oversleep
“Early to bed and early to rise” – that’s what makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Adequate sleep is important, but oversleeping can be just as harmful as too little sleep.
As the WebMD portal notes, excessive sleep is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes (which is often linked to being overweight).
Moreover, if you get into the habit of sleeping in, you’re more likely to rush to work, experience more stress, and not have enough time for a healthy breakfast.
2 You skip breakfast
If you habitually skip breakfast, you disrupt your metabolism. Breakfast stabilizes your blood glucose level and increases your energy during the day.
Breakfast also helps reduce the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone). Cortisol levels are highest in the morning right after waking. The body begins producing it just before waking to prevent a sudden drop in blood sugar.
And finally, breakfast makes it easier to limit the number of calories you consume throughout the day.
3 You don’t weigh yourself regularly
Tracking progress in weight loss is a great way to stay motivated.
According to the Journal of Obesity, the study participants who weighed themselves regularly achieved better weight-loss results.
Proper weighing is done as follows: in the morning right after waking, go to the toilet first and then weigh yourself. That is, before breakfast or drinking any water.
Record your weight regularly and you will soon see a trend in the numbers. Temporary weight gain during menstruation can be part of that trend, so don’t be alarmed.
Also remember that the numbers on the scale are only indicative. Muscles weigh more than fat.
Therefore, if you are also building muscle while losing fat, the scale may not move downward because your fat is being replaced by muscle, which is a positive result.
4 You check your emails immediately after waking
If the first thing you do in the morning when you open your eyes is check text messages on your phone or emails on your computer, then you are sliding onto the path of failure.
Time wasted like this may leave you without time for breakfast or a morning workout.
Moreover, some studies have shown a link between a large volume of emails and stress. And who would want to start the day stressed, right?
5 You choose uncomfortable clothing
Tasteful clothing is a requirement for many types of jobs.
However, if you put on uncomfortable or too-tight clothes, or high-heeled shoes, you are less likely to take the stairs during your lunch break instead of elevators or escalators.
If you are trying to lose weight, it’s better to choose looser clothing and sport or classic shoes with low heels.
6 You consume bad carbohydrates
Healthy types of carbohydrates are important in any diet because the body uses them to produce energy. Carbohydrates at breakfast are a simple way to obtain this energy.
However, their excessive amount or poor quality will make you crave more sweets during the day.
Therefore choose carbohydrates that give you a feeling of fullness and release energy gradually.
The following foods meet these conditions: - oatmeal
- whole wheat
- chocolate milk (but only before and after exercise)
- mango
- sprouted-grain bread
- quinoa
- apples, blueberries and bananas
- Greek yogurt
7 You skip meditation
You wouldn’t believe it, but morning meditation can help you lose weight. Deep breathing and relaxing music lower blood pressure and cortisol levels in the blood.
As we have already mentioned earlier in this article, the stress hormone cortisol causes weight gain by stimulating the appetite.
8 You don’t do morning stretching
Stretching helps release sore muscles, clear your head, and prepare the body for daily activities.
At the start of stretching, begin gently and use dynamic stretching movements—you will avoid possible injuries from overstretching muscles.
You don’t have to stretch for 20 minutes; 3 to 4 minutes every day is enough.
9 You get up early while it’s still dark
Sunlight is your friend! So whenever you get up in the morning, open your curtains and blinds as early as possible.
Natural daylight helps kick-start both your mind and body. And more energy means you’re much more likely to do your morning workout.
Even better than exercising at home is going outside for fresh air and the morning sun. You’ll have a better mood, less stress, and more positivity for the rest of the day.
10 You ignore the morning glass of water
Before you have your morning cup of coffee, drink at least 2.5 dl of plain water or water with fresh lemon juice.
Water helps your body maintain the proper balance of nutrients, electrolytes, and body temperature.
A morning glass of water literally kick-starts your body. In addition, water will fill your stomach, so there is less chance that you’ll overeat at breakfast.
