Let’s face it — your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day. Research suggests a healthy routine is linked to long-term weight loss and overall healthy habits — so, why not supercharge your morning? Plus, simple hacks like hydrating, reaching for healthy foods, and soaking up vitamin D could be beneficial for both your mind and body!
If you’re trying to reach your fitness goals, adding some simple morning routine weight loss habits could help get you there faster. While these habits support weight loss, they are powerful tips to support any healthy lifestyle!
Keep reading to learn our top morning weight loss habits — you’re only a few hacks away from a healthier start to your day!
Why a Healthy Morning Routine Is A Powerful Weight Loss Tool
After a restful night’s sleep, you wake up and kickstart your day with a powerful morning routine. Before reaching for your phone, you drink a large glass of water, take a few minutes to meditate or journal, eat a nourishing breakfast, and maybe even get some movement in with FitOn.
Even the thought of this morning routine makes us feel healthier. Now, imagine repeating this routine every morning! This simple morning routine will not only set your day up for success, but over time these morning weight loss habits can have a big impact on both your fitness goals and overall health.
Research suggests starting the day off with positive habits can support weight loss goals by encouraging us to be more productive and motivated throughout the day. When we start the day making healthy choices, we’re more likely to continue those healthy behaviors throughout the day, leading to healthier eating habits, increased focus and energy, better sleep, and more motivation to exercise or move our body. Small, consistent behaviors make for long-lasting, significant changes!
So, where to start? We’re so glad you asked. Here are nine morning routine weight loss habits to incorporate into your day.
9 Things to Add to Your Morning Routine For Weight Loss
#1 Increase Your Beauty Sleep
A healthy morning routine doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to begin before the sun rises! What may be more important than what time you wake is actually how much time you sleep (and your sleep quality, too). While an early morning can kickstart a productive day, it won’t be as useful for your weight loss goals (or overall health) if you aren’t getting the proper amount of rest.
Poor sleep is a significant factor for weight gain — it can increase your hunger hormones (stimulating your appetite and cravings). Luckily, extra sleep has been shown to reduce cravings and encourage healthier eating choices.
If you’re having trouble hitting the snooze button, find the best hacks for a better rest in our Ultimate Guide to Sleep.
#2 Hydrate
Starting your morning with a large glass of room temperature water or warm lemon water is one of the best morning weight loss habits. Simply hydrating can help kickstart your digestion, boost your metabolism, and support your weight loss efforts.
Plus, research suggests boosting your water intake helps increase satiety levels and reduce the number of calories eaten throughout the day. One study found starting the morning with water resulted in healthier breakfast decisions and fewer calories consumed. Oftentimes we’re dehydrated upon waking, and it can be easy to mistake thirst for hunger — so, drink up!
RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Hydration
#3 Eat a Protein-Rich Breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and when it comes to supporting weight loss goals, research suggests that may be true! What you eat for breakfast can influence your eating habits throughout the day, which is why prioritizing our morning fueling is one of the best morning weight loss habits.
Eating a protein-rich breakfast can keep you feeling fuller for longer, preventing unhealthy cravings or the need to reach for a post-breakfast snack.
Need some high-protein ideas to make in a pinch? Try these satiating on-the-go breakfast recipes.
#4 Pack Your Lunch
When hanger strikes, don’t be unprepared! Taking a few extra minutes to pack a lunch or some healthy snacks can go a long way in supporting your goals. If you have healthy options prepped and ready to go, you’re more likely to stay on track with your weight loss goals. When we’re hungry without quick access to healthy choices, we’re more likely to make impulsive food decisions (if you’ve ever gone to a grocery store hungry… you know what we’re talking about.)
Planning ahead as one of your morning routine weight loss habits doesn’t have to be tricky or time-consuming either. If you’re limited for time in the morning, meal prepping throughout the week can ensure you have pre-planned options ready to grab as you’re heading out the door.
#5 Kickstart Your Metabolism with Coffee or Tea
Good news — you don’t need to give up your daily cup of morning caffeine. Research shows regular consumption of caffeine can increase metabolic rate. But beware of how you’re ordering your beverage of choice. A coffee shop latte can have lots of added sugar, even more than the recommended daily sugar limit. The American Heart Association recommends no more than nine teaspoons of sugar per day, so keep this in mind when it comes to how much sugar you are adding to your morning cup because, yes, a single latte can exceed your daily sugar dose. As you can see, the metabolism-boosting benefits of your daily cup of joe can be easily reversed.
Not a coffee drinker? Try green tea! The high levels of Catechins (potent antioxidants compounds in green tea) found in green tea have been shown to decrease body fat and reduce the risk for both obesity and heart disease.
RELATED: The Best Time of Day to Drink Coffee (It’s Not When You Think)
#6 Take a Moment for Gratitude
Before you let the chaos of the day take over, set aside a few minutes to give thanks and practice gratitude. Effective morning weight loss habits can be as simple as keeping a gratitude journal and writing down or repeating three things you’re grateful for.
Gratitude has been shown to increase feelings of happiness and self-love while reducing feelings of stress. Starting your morning with gratitude not only sets the tone for your day, but these positive feelings can lead to healthier lifestyle choices and increased motivation to accomplish your goals.
#7 Exercise or Schedule in Your Workout
While exercise is a known benefit of any effective weight loss routine, a morning sweat sesh is an excellent way to set the tone for the day. But if you can’t exercise in the morning, don’t sweat it! The most important aspect of morning weight loss habits is finding ways to stay consistent. So, if that means a morning workout isn’t in the cards, try using the morning to schedule in your workout instead. Maybe you call a friend and plan a virtual FitOn sweat sesh to stay accountable. Consistency is key here.
#8 Soak in some Vitamin D
Did you know a morning dose of sunshine can benefit your waistline? Vitamin D, the sunshine hormone, has been shown to support weight loss and decrease body fat. Studies suggest Vitamin D may decrease the formation of new fat cells in the body while also reducing fat storage.
Try taking your morning cup of coffee outside, practicing your meditation or workout in nature, or enjoying a neighborhood stroll. As you can see, establishing some simple morning routine habits can be just as enjoyable as they are beneficial.
#9 Do One Thing to Destress
While you may be tempted to reach for your phone upon waking, early morning screen time may be derailing your weight loss progress. Scrolling through social media has been associated with increased negative self-talk and comparison and has even been linked to depression. Rather than ramping up your fight or flight responses immediately upon waking, try one of these stress-relieving activities as one of your morning weight loss habits.
Roll out your mat for a FitOn morning yoga flow, try a calming meditation, journal or plan out your daily to-do list, listen to an inspiring podcast or play some mood-boosting music, walk your dog or take a peaceful walk in nature.
Develop a Morning Routine that Works for You
There you have it, nine morning weight loss habits to incorporate into your daily routine! Whether your goal is weight loss or you’re just looking to improve your health, consistently repeating these simple habits will give you the best results. Remember, the key is finding sustainable modifications that work for you and your long-term goals. Take it slow — try mastering one habit at a time, then move onto the next! This is your journey, there is no rush.
