Morning habits that can lead to weight gain

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Extract from the article: To avoid being overweight or obese, we need to eat a balanced diet and do the daily exercise we need. These two key factors act on metabolic and hormonal activity, positively influencing

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To avoid being overweight or obese, we need to eat a balanced diet and do the daily exercise we need. These two key factors act on metabolic and hormonal activity, positively influencing their ability to eliminate excess fat. Among other things, we often neglect these good morning habits that we consider harmless, but which in reality can lead to slight weight gain. Although we're not always aware of it, these habits can be the major obstacle to achieving our ideal weight.

Skipping breakfast

For a long time, it was thought that skipping breakfast was a way of ‘restricting calories’ to achieve significant weight reduction. However, this myth was contradicted a few years ago and we now know that this first meal is essential for the metabolism to function properly.

Consequently, people who skip breakfast, or replace it with options of low nutritional quality, tend to increase their body weight.

Breakfast is the main meal of the day and should not be replaced by a simple coffee with a few biscuits. Breakfast should not be reduced to a cup of coffee, but should include good nutrients to provide us with the energy we need to face the day at its best. It should contain sources of carbohydrates, fibre and amino acids. Its total calorie intake should correspond to 25% of the body's daily requirements.

Breakfast times

It's important to learn to respect our body's feeding schedule. Although we can vary from time to time, ideally, we should eat breakfast without waiting too long after waking up. The body needs sources of energy to keep its main organs functioning at optimum levels and, although it has some reserves, many of these tend to diminish during periods of rest. On the other hand, when the stomach feels empty, it increases the segregation of acidic juices and produces an inflammatory response.

To avoid this, breakfast should ideally be eaten within the first hour of getting up. In addition, before breakfast and a few minutes after getting out of bed, it is advisable to drink a healthy beverage such as hot water with lemon or herbal tea.

Eating industrial products

Industrial products have invaded the market under the pretext of being a ‘healthy’ snack to calm the hunger that usually appears mid-morning. Although some products are good, most contain chemical additives, sugar and other components that make you put on weight. Try to avoid packaged products and opt for organic alternatives such as fruit, vegetables or plain yoghurt.

Sleeping too much

A study published in 2014 suggested that people who sleep 10 hours or more a day are more likely to suffer from an increase in their body mass index. While it's not good to sleep less than 7 hours, staying in bed for too long could be the reason why the body has trouble eliminating fat. Good rest is achieved with an uninterrupted sleep period of 7 or 8 hours a day. The time we spend oversleeping could be used for good habits, such as exercise.

Poor hydration

Drinking water early in the morning is one of the essential practices to help our metabolism work at its best. Drinking little water, or even none at all, slows down the body's processes for eliminating toxins and burning fat.

We recommend starting the day with a glass of hot water, preferably with lemon. You can also opt for an herbal infusion or water with honey. In addition, after breakfast and during the morning, it is advisable to drink 3 to 4 glasses of water.

William O.