Deciding to lose weight and embarking on a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul of your current lifestyle.
Practicing a new habit for a few days, mastering it, then adding another, is a more sustainable way to ease yourself into new behaviours without feeling overwhelmed.
The best way to get your day started on the right track is by incorporating some of these morning habits to support your weight loss efforts.
1. Sleep Longer
Going to bed a little earlier and aiming for eight hours of sleep per night may help increase weight loss.
Several studies have found that sleep deprivation increased appetite and cravings, especially for high-calorie, high-carb foods (1, 2, 3).
2. Eat a High-Protein Breakfast
We’ve all heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet according to the British Dietetic Association, up to a third of Brits skip breakfast.
Of those who do have breakfast, 89% are eating grain based, high-carb, high-sugar foods like cereals, bagels and toast. These foods can spike your blood sugar, and then crash, leaving you heading for the vending machine before lunch time.
Eating a high protein breakfast – 35 grams or more – can keep you fuller for longer and help suppress ghrelin, the “hunger hormone’, which may help reduce cravings (4).
Starting your day with protein sources like, eggs, bacon, steak, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, protein powder can keep you satisfied and focused all morning long.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
You’re waking up in a dehydrated state and you’re body needs water to perform all it’s processes. Yet the only form of liquid most people get before midday is their morning coffee, which actually dehydrates the body further.
When you feel you need caffeine to wake up, it’s your body crying out for water. Get your day off to a good start with 12-16 ounces of water to enhance your weight loss and mental clarity.
Water can help increase your metabolic rate by up to 30% for at least 60 minutes (5).
Another study showed that overweight women who increased their water intake to over 34 ounces (one liter) per day lost an extra 4.4 pounds (2 kg) over one year, without making any other changes in their diet or exercise routine (6).
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been used as a health tonic for thousands of years. Research shows it has many health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels and reducing body fat (7, 8).
A 12-week study on 144 obese Japanese adults consuming 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) of ACV daily, lost weight and body fat (9).
Try this morning tonic:
In 8 ounces of water add 1-2 tablespoons of ACV, squeeze half a lemon and add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Optional pinch of Himalayan Salt and Black Pepper.
ACV utilises fat stores for energy
Lemon contains phytochemicals which boost your body’s ability to detox.
Cayenne pepper increases thermogenesis (boosts your metabolism) by 10-15% which burns a few extra calories first thing in the morning.
5. Change Your Alarm Tone
When you wake from sleep, your cortisol levels naturally elevate. Cortisol is your stress hormone, which can influence weight gain by increasing appetite and storage of fat (10, 11)
When your alarm goes off, your body learns to negatively associate that sound with being taken out of sleep, thus elevating cortisol.
Changing the tone of your alarm on a weekly basis, doesn’t give your body time to create a negative connection. It’s been shown to reduce cortisol levels and make you more productive in the day.
6. Prep Your Lunch
Planning and preparing your lunch ahead of time is one of the easiest ways to increase your weight loss efforts.
Not only is it cheaper, but you’ll also make better food choices as you won’t fall into the lunchtime rush of grab-and-go at the local deli.
A study found that those who ate home-cooked meals more than five times per week were 28% less likely to be overweight than those who ate home-cooked meals less than three time a week (12).
Another study of 40,554 people found that meal planning has a positive effect on the quality of diet and lowered risk of obesity (13)
7. Get in Some Physical Activity
Squeezing in some exercise first thing in the morning can make you feel more alert and energised for the day.
But did you know morning exercise can also keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, which may help weight loss by reducing excessive hunger and cravings (14, 15).
8. Change Up Your Commute
Driving to work may be convenient, but why sit in traffic getting stressed when you can make the commute work for you?
A study of 15,777 people showed that by using public transport or active methods like walking or biking, was associated with a significantly lower body fat percentage and BMI, compared to driving (16).
Switching up your daily commute even a few times per week can be a simple way to improving your waistline.
If you take public transportation to work, consider getting off the train or bus a stop early and walking a few extra minutes — after a few days, you won’t even notice the distance.
If you must drive, try parking a few roads away and walking the rest or as far away from the entrance as you can in the car park.
9. Monitor Your Intake
A food diary or logging app can be an effective way to support your weight loss and keep yourself on track.
For some individuals, when they say they’ve had one serving of mixed nuts, the serving size is often for more than 2 people. Tracking allows you to train your sight on correct portion sizes and keep you accountable.
A study of 220 obese women found improved long-term weight management when self-monitoring tools were consistently used (17).
References
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15583226
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26612385
3 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/
4 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25098557
5 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14671205
6 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18787524
7 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16277773
8 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26176799
9 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661687
10 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21294656
11 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19300426
12 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28818089
13 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5288891/
