What you do in the morning has a huge impact on your health and well-being, and the rest of the day. This applies to both positive and negative habits. If you want to have a productive day, it’s important to start the day off right with healthy habits.
By establishing a healthy morning routine, you can increase your productivity, reduce stress and improve your health.
In this article, I will share 4 healthy morning habits that you can incorporate into your routine.
The 4 morning habits to improve your health
1. Start your day with a workout
Consider boosting your metabolism with an early morning workout.
Adding physical activity first thing in the morning, whether it’s cardio or strength training, can help boost weight loss and improve energy levels.
The best part of an exercise routine is finding an enjoyable activity.
This makes those exercise minutes fly by.
Most importantly, choose activities and exercises that you can enjoy. Also, it is important to choose a type of training for your specific goal.
Whether you want to burn extra calories, gain muscle, or burn more fat, there’s an exercise for it!
Exercises for weight loss
Getting your heart rate up is a great way to burn extra calories and help with fat loss. (See it The best exercises to lose weight)
This can help improve your body composition and of course your weight.
Fortunately, you don’t need classes or a gym.
If you don’t have time in the morning, consider a quick weight loss workout for beginners with high intensity interval training (HIIT).
Choose 3 exercises and complete 3 sets of each with a few seconds of rest in between.
This may include burpee, occupations, plankor other new exercises.
Add dumbbells or lighter weights to add an extra challenge.
You can also use body weight if you have minimal equipment or as you work to increase your fitness level.
If you’re a beginner, it’s important to make sure you practice with good form to avoid the risk of injury.
Working with a personal trainer is a great way to find a workout plan tailored to your needs and abilities.
Muscle building exercises
Incorporating a regular strength training routine that works all major muscle groups can help build lean muscle.
The more muscle mass, the higher your metabolic rate and the higher the number of calories you will burn at rest.
The most effective way to build muscle is to get into a routine and find the best exercises for you that work all muscle groups.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 2 days per week of this type of exercise.
A great way to do this is through integration compound movement.
A union movement is any exercise that works more than one muscle group.
An example of this is the squat.
Squats work the abs, hamstrings, thighs, glutes and hips.
Cardio to burn calories
Cardio or resistance exercises can help burn significant calories.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic exercise.
Endurance exercise consists of many different types of training such as walking, cycling, hiking, jogging or similar.
You can also consider steady state cardio for more effective fat loss.
This happens when you do an endurance activity at a moderate pace for a long time.
However, this is not encouraged for beginners.
For cardio workouts, consider a 20-minute run on the treadmill or a low-intensity morning walk.
Always make sure to stretch after training to avoid the risk of injury.
Cooling stretches help reduce cramping and stiffness after exercise.
Exercise to manage blood sugar levels
Not only will exercising in the morning help burn excess calories and create a larger calorie deficit, but it can also better control your blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Stable and controlled blood sugar levels help prevent excessive hunger and snacking and promote healthy eating.
Insulin, a hormone that helps balance our blood sugar levels, also helps regulate appetite.
High levels of circulating insulin often occur in people with insulin resistance or diabetes.
The more insulin is circulating, the more our appetite and desire for food increases (1).
Also, try adding more workouts outside for a great start to your day.
Consider weekend outdoor activities.
Not only is it a convenient way to get a great workout, but it’s also fun and a great chance to get some sunlight!
Also, check this out: 5-minute breathing exercise lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs
2. Take a cold shower
ONE cold shower First thing in the morning might not be the ideal way to start the day, however, it could help boost your metabolism.
A study conducted in 2009 linked exposure to cold temperatures to help activate brown fats (6).
These are the fats that are responsible for regulating our body temperature.
Most of our body fat consists of white fat, which stores energy and can lead to obesity.
When our body temperature drops, our brown fat breaks down sugar and fat molecules to warm us (7).
This process is said to increase metabolic rate and energy levels while burning extra calories.
Physical activity is also believed to help activate our brown fats.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast
Regardless of your fitness level, you can’t escape a poor diet.
Breakfast, the first meal of the day, often cited as the most important, is often overlooked.
Unfortunately, starting your day on an empty stomach could help you lose weight.
The same can be said for those who choose low quality breakfast options such as processed or fast food which is often high in calories.
Instead, choose whole foods and other healthy choices like lean meats, fresh fruit, complex carbohydrates like whole grains, and vegetables rich in soluble fiber.
Skipping breakfast is also often linked to increased late-night snacking on unhealthy food choices that can cause weight gain.
However, sleep is also an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. breakfast should not be heavy.
Choose your first meal wisely as it will set you up for the rest of your day.
Avoid sugary coffee, fruit juices and other foods and drinks high in carbohydrates to avoid overeating later in the day.
This can also reduce a significant amount of empty calories.
Those who eat a healthy breakfast are much more likely to choose a healthy lunch and dinner as well.
Add a good source of protein to your meal to help you get through the morning without too much snacking.
For those planning to incorporate tip #1, consider adding a healthy source of carbohydrates, such as fruit or whole grains such as oats or brown rice, along with protein to adequately fuel your workout.
This could be something as simple as bananas with peanut butter.
This can also be a healthy snack option.
Studies have shown a high protein breakfast it can help reduce cravings, keep your appetite at bay and aid in weight loss.
This is because it helps keep hunger hormones better under control.
Good sources of protein to start your day include eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or other low-fat dairy options, nuts and seeds, or turkey/chicken sausage.
If you have trouble eating in the morning, consider a low-sugar protein shake.
If you’re pressed for time in the morning, you can consider a meal plan or meal prep for convenience.
Healthy eating habits take time to develop.
It’s important to avoid restrictions and instead slowly incorporate more healthy foods for a weight loss routine that’s more easily sustainable.
4. Drink a glass of water
Although it is considered a vital nutrient, most of us do not consume enough water during the day.
Our bodies are made up of 60% water, and our organs rely heavily on adequate hydration to function properly (8).
When we wake up in the morning, our body is dehydrated.
To prepare our system for proper digestion and performance if exercise is involved, the first thing to consume should be water.
Low water intake can also cause us to overeat.
Our brain cannot distinguish between thirst and hunger.
The cause of frequent snacking may very likely be thirst.
While there is no current recommendation for water intake, 64 ounces per day is a good starting point for most people.
The bottom line
Adding physical activity to get your heart rate up and burn extra calories can help you choose a healthy diet, avoid skipping meals, and stay hydrated.
Consider adding these healthy habits to your morning weight loss ritual.
Get up early and start your day in the morning sun with an activity you enjoy and a protein-rich breakfast.
Remember the early bird gets the worm.
bibliographical references
- Austin, Juliana, and Daniel Marks. “Hormonal regulators of appetite.” International journal of pediatric endocrinology vol. 2009 (2009): 141753. doi:10.1155/2009/141753
- Khosravi, Zahra Sadat et al. “Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Weight Loss, Glycemic Indices, and Lipid Profile in Obese and Overweight Women: A Clinical Trial Study.” International journal of preventive medicine vol. 9 63. 20 July 2018, doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_329_15
- Bassatne, Aya, et al. “Vitamin D supplementation in obesity and weight loss: A review of randomized controlled trials”. Metabolism 92 (2019): 193-205.
- Mason, Caitlin, et al. “Effects of weight loss on serum vitamin D in postmenopausal women”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 94.1 (2011): 95-103.
- Penckofer, Sue et al. “Vitamin D and depression: where’s all the sunshine?” Mental health nursing issues vol. 31.6 (2010): 385-93. doi: 10.3109/01612840903437657
- Cypess, Aaron M et al. “Determination and significance of brown adipose tissue in human adults”. The New England journal of medicine vol. 360.15 (2009): 1509-17. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0810780
- “How Brown Fat Improves Metabolism”. National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, 17 Sept. 2019, www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-brown-fat-improves-metabolism.
- Jéquier, E and F Constant. “Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration”. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition vol. 64.2 (2010): 115-23. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.111
