Whether you are pushing the snooze button frequently or ready to go first thing your alarm goes off, everyone can gain from boosting your metabolism first thing in the morning.
The following tips can help you burn some extra calories, help keep your metabolism high through the day and could just help you feel more energized.
While none of these tips may not magically make you lose 15 pounds, they can help you get on track to a healthy lifestyle that over time could help with your weight goals.
Step 1 – Exercise in the morning
The benefits of exercise are many, and exercise is a key component of weight loss and weight maintenance. Not only does exercise give you a calorie burn, but it can also improve your calorie burn for the rest of the day.
A 2011 study found that a 45 minute vigorous exercise session increased calorie burn up to 14 hours after the exercise session. Researchers found that when test subjects exercised, they burned an additional 200 calories later that day.
Even short bursts of exercise in the morning can give your metabolism a boost. High intensity intermittent exercise has been shown in increase over all fitness and stimulates muscles to increase fat breakdown. High intensity intermittent exercise can be done in a shorter time period than traditional moderate exercise and goes between high intensity and resting intervals.
Both types of exercise, moderate and high intensity, can be beneficial for boosting metabolism. If you normally do moderate exercise in the morning, try adding in some interval training to boost metabolism. However, before switching your exercise regimen, it is recommended to check with your medical provider because high intensity exercise may be contraindicated in some instances.
Step 2 – Drink green tea
Tea is full of powerful antioxidants that can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. A diet high in antioxidants is associated with lowering risk for certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. Can drinking tea help boost your metabolism?
Some research studies suggest drinking tea, specifically green tea, may increase metabolism, although very slightly. Caffeine, catechins and ECGC found in green tea may all play a synergistic effect on the positive association between green tea and weight loss.
The role of green tea on body weight appears to somewhat genetic in that some populations, like Asian ethnicities, may experience a higher impact on green tea and metabolism than other ethnicities. Some people can also be sensitive to caffeine, and drinking too much green tea may not be beneficial.
Step 3 – Eat some protein with breakfast
There are a few reasons why eating some protein in the morning may give your metabolism a boost. Some studies have shown that eating protein in the morning may inhibit food intake later in the day. Protein has the highest satiety value among macronutrients. This means when you eat protein, it leaves you the most satisfied.
Protein also takes the most energy to break down, so you could burn a few extra calories when you eat protein in a meal. Eating equal amounts of protein through the day could stimulate protein synthesis more than eating small amount of protein during the day and over loading on protein at dinner.
Getting protein for breakfast can be easy. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, nut butters, hemp seeds or other dairy or soymilk products can be palatable, easy protein sources in the morning. Pair with a healthy fat source and a high fiber carbohydrate, like fruits and vegetables for a complete meal.
Step 4 – Get a few extra steps
Even if you exercise, try getting more movement in the morning and throughout the day. The more you sit, the worse for disease risk. Taking little breaks through out your work day can help you boost metabolism by burning a few extra calories.
It can be as easy as walking around your work floor, go up and down a few flights of stairs, or if you’re feeling really brave try some tricep dips off your work chair.
Step 5- Cut the sugar
Cutting extra sugar anytime is beneficial, as it can help lower blood sugar and insulin levels. High peaks of blood sugar and insulin will signal your body to store more energy as fat.
Skip the sweetener in your morning hot tea or coffee and buy plain instead of a sweetened flavor for yogurts, oatmeal or other products. Add in fruit for a healthier sweet option that won’t spike blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
There are some shifts you can make in the morning that could help or hinder your weight loss efforts. Exercising is not only a great calorie burn, but it can help increase metabolic rate hours after exercising. Drinking green tea may offer an additional boost in metabolism as well as eating a protein source for breakfast.
Anytime you can get extra movement, do it. These small additions could help your body nudge off some extra energy. Cutting out sugar can boost metabolism by not promoting a high insulin and glucose spike in the morning, which will promote fat storage and leave you hungry soon after.
References used in this article
