Morning habits to help you lose weight

Are you amongst those who start their day with a bloated belly and constantly think about how to work out and shed those extra kilos starting next day morning itself?

Well, Mornings are the best time to pull in all the efforts to lose weight!

It takes dedication, motivation and hard work to commit to a new diet plan.  But also, not sticking to all this procedure completely and making some tiny changes in your morning routine will do the needful!! Trust me, you will see a difference in no time!!

9 Morning Habits to help you lose weight-

1. Have a King size breakfast

I am sure, everybody must be aware that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you eat for breakfast determines if you are feeling satisfied till lunch or you will head towards the kitchen for your mid-morning snack.

Research has shown that consuming a high protein breakfast may help cut cravings and aid in a healthy weight loss (study by Heather A Hoertel et al. Nutr J. 2014).

Having high proteins like Nuts, Milk, Eggs, Oats, seeds in breakfast reduces the levels of Ghrelin, the hunger hormone responsible for increased appetite.

Proteins take longer time to digest, it reduces appetite and makes it easier to make it to lunch without succumbing to a potentially unhealthy craving!

2. Get some Sun

Exposing yourself to some early morning sunlight can help kickstart your weight loss.

Along with weight loss, it also helps in filling up your body’s Vitamin D stores required for stronger bones and a better immunity

3. Tank up on water and fluids

Starting your day with a glass or two of water is a great way to enhance weight loss with minimal effort.

Drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning increases our metabolism and in turn the number of calories burnt.

It also helps relieve toxins from the body, thus reducing water retention and favoring inch loss too

Well, you can add on a variety in your glass of water including these-

1. Warm lemon water with a pinch of Cinnamon powder
2. Fennel seed and coriander seed-soaked in water (Great for water retention)
3. Warm water with honey
4. Barley Water
5. Fennel seed water with Clove and Mint

4. Squeeze in some Exercise

Though hitting on the snooze button on your smartphones is probably more tempting than a workout first thing in the morning, indulging yourself in a physical activity (Yoga, Stretches or walks) during the morning hours helps boost weight loss.

According to studies published in the Asian J Sports Med. 2015 Jun;6 (2):e24222, work outs in the mornings are associated with a high level of Satiety.

Along with weight loss, exercise in the morning hours helps keep blood sugar levels steady.

If you are not a beginner, then you can opt to go to the gym or any high intensity exercises.

5. Take a Cold Shower

Ice cold showers are not pleasing every time (especially in cold winters). But multiple studies have shown they activate brown fat tissues, thus burning the white fat tissues.

Hence taking a cold shower helps you burn more body fat and also kick-start your metabolism for the day.

6. Pack up your meals for the day

Pre plan and pack healthy foods like chopped fruits with seeds, nuts, Makhana, chana, baked veggies etc for snacking throughout the day.

This saves on time for thinking what should I eat now and the healthy food is handier for you

7. Get seven to Nine hours of sleep

And that’s per night, not for the whole week!

Studies by Erin C Hanlon et al. Sleep. 2016 have found that sleep Deprivation may be associated with increased appetite and weight gain.

The lesser you sleep, more the hunger and food cravings (High carbohydrates or Junk food) throughout the day.

Establishing a healthy sleep schedule, going to bed early and waking up early plays an important role in weight loss.

As it turns out, there is a whole lot of research to back up the old saying “The early bird gets the worm”

8. Do a weigh-in

Dieters who weigh themselves daily or on alternate days, lose about three times more weight and body fat compared to those who weigh themselves less frequently (According to Journal of the Academy of nutrition and Dietetics published in 2016).

The best time to check your weight is early morning, on an empty stomach and in minimal clothing.

9. Meditation

Practicing Mindfulness has positive effects on stress reduction and improved lifestyle.

With mindfulness, you can cultivate self- acceptance and hence be able to let go of guilt.

This in turn prevents emotional eating, thus restricting your overall calorie intake for the day, ultimately promoting weight loss.

 The Closure

Being able to implement some of these above strategies, in the morning, will help you to wake up with a smaller waistline day after day after day.

just take out a few minutes from your morning schedule to be just present in the moment. However, if lack of time, you can also do it while having bath, eating, getting ready or even on your way to work.

In a nutshell, simply getting up early and planning your day leads to not only more productivity, but also gives you a better handle on any potential road blocks that interferes with your diet or exercise routine.

Practicing healthy behaviors in the morning can get your day started on the right foot and set you up for success. So, give them a try today!! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sneha Jain, Dietician

Sneha is a Post graduate with specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a university topper and holds 5+ years of experience in Apollo hospitals, VLCC, slimsutra and first cry fit-kids . She has successfully counselled clients all over India for weight loss, weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, PCOD, hypothyroid, Pregnancy and lactation and growth charts for children. She has her own diet consultation e-clinic (diet_diariez)

She believes in  customized diets and eating local and seasonal foods. Her counselling not only involves diet planning, but also lifestyle modification and stress relief strategies.