Waking Up | For those who are night owls, the morning hours can be brutal, even if you’re doing everything in your power to get out of bed, shower, dress, eat a healthy breakfast, and still can’t manage to find the energy you need to make it through the first part of your day.
Having high energy levels are required for you to be able to make healthy choices throughout the day, especially in regards to eating healthy and maintaining a fitness routine.
If you’re an individual intent on losing weight, but just can’t seem to get up and go in the morning, here are five ways you can boost your metabolism right after waking up.
1. Exercise first thing
While exercising could be the very last thing you want to do when you wake up in the morning, studies have shown that those who exercise are able to burn off more calories than those who exercise in the late afternoon or evening. Plus, a morning workout will give you lasting energy throughout the day, and it’ll be the first thing you get to cross off on that day’s to-do list. Make a habit of getting up an hour or two earlier than you’re accustomed to so you can start working out first thing in the morning.
2. Intensify your workouts
After you’ve managed to start getting in a morning workout, switch it up to make it more intense — and shorter. Researchers have learned that doing short bursts of high-intensity exercise will cause your body to burn more calories at an accelerated rate for the following 24 hours. For example, if you generally jog on the treadmill, do short bursts of sprints at a slight incline to make your workout more intense and even more effective at calorie-burning.
3. Eat breakfast every day
Eat breakfast each and every day to maintain a higher metabolism. Skipping breakfast will just leave you feeling more sluggish and can cause you to indulge in junk foods later on. If lack of time is preventing you from eating breakfast, layout or prepare a healthy breakfast the night before, or make a protein shake or healthy smoothie.
4. Choose healthier snacks
It’s true that snacking throughout the day can help increase your metabolism, but only if you’re eating healthy snacks — potato chips and candy bars don’t count. Eat fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, and oranges, or snack on celery, carrots sticks, and your favorite hummus dip.
5. Do more strength training
Hearing about doing more exercise to boost morning metabolism may seem redundant, but adding strength training to your fitness routine in addition to your cardio workout will not only accelerate fat burning but give you an extra burst of energy. Do body-weight exercises such as planks and push-ups to tone your muscles and boost your energy levels.
