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It’s no secret that a healthy diet and enough physical activity are the key to losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight.
However, they are not the only factors that belong to a healthy lifestyle. Another fairly important part is how you start your day each morning.
If you are not managing to lose weight as you wish, or if you want to feel better and full of energy during the day, then 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.
Getting enough sleep is important, but too much of it can be just as harmful as too little.
As reported by WebMD, excessive sleep is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes (and excess weight is often linked to the latter).
Moreover, if you get into the habit of sleeping in longer in the morning, you are more likely to rush to work, experience more stress, and not have enough time for a healthy breakfast.
2. You skip breakfast
If you get into the habit of skipping breakfast, you will throw your metabolism off. 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 starts producing it just before waking to prevent a sudden drop in blood sugar.
And finally, breakfast makes it easier for you to limit the number of calories consumed throughout the day.
3. You don’t weigh yourself regularly
Recording your progress in weight loss is an excellent 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 immediately after waking, go to the toilet first and then weigh yourself. That is, before breakfast or drinking water.
Record your weight regularly and you will soon see a trend in the numbers. Temporary weight gain during menstruation may be part of the trend, so don’t be alarmed.
Also remember that the numbers on the scale are only approximate. Muscle weighs more than fat.
Therefore, if you are also building muscle while losing weight, the scale may not move downward because muscle is replacing fat, and that is a positive outcome.
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, you’re sliding down the path to failure.
Time wasted this way may then leave you without time for breakfast or a morning workout.
Additionally, some studies have shown that there is a connection between a large volume of emails and stress. And who would want to start the day with stress, right?
5. You choose uncomfortable clothing
Smart clothing is a requirement for many types of jobs.
However, if you put on uncomfortable or too-tight clothing, or footwear with high heels, you are less likely to take the stairs during your lunch break instead of elevators or escalators.
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s better to choose looser clothing and sporty 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, an excessive amount of them or the wrong type 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 reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels.
As we already mentioned earlier in this article, the stress hormone cortisol causes weight gain by stimulating appetite.
8. You don’t do morning stretching
Stretching helps loosen sore muscles, clear your head, and prepare your body for daily activities.
At the start of stretching, begin gently and use dynamic stretching movements — this will help you avoid possible injuries from overstretching muscles.
You don’t have to stretch for 20 minutes; even 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, the sooner you draw back the curtains and blinds the better.
Natural daylight helps kickstart both your mind and body. And more energy means you’re much more likely to do a morning workout.
Even better than exercising at home is to go out for a run in the fresh air and 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 dcl 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 jumpstarts your body. In addition, water fills your stomach, so there’s less chance you’ll overeat at breakfast.
