By Sophia Smith
Life has taught us that there’s no magic bullet to shedding those extra pounds. Alas, the miracle solutions advertised vigorously online and in magazines don’t do the trick, and no matter how much you keep investing in your gym membership – those weights won’t lift themselves. Now that it’s far riskier to abandon your humble abode and you’re likely even working from home, the sheer lack of socialization means your life has become even more sedentary, thus playing havoc on your metabolism.
When your metabolism slows down, that means that your body’s ability to burn fat effectively gets slower over time. Suddenly, you need to invest more vigorous effort and eat less to bring your physique to its former glory. Plus, age does its fair share of slowing down your metabolism, too. Luckily, your home workouts can be effective if you try to schedule them for your mornings and pair them with a solid diet plan to follow. Here’s what you can do!
Following your natural circadian rhythm
Although our circadian rhythm varies from one person to another, there’s an underlying pattern for us all. We rise with the sun and our energy levels fluctuate during the day (just in time for that afternoon nap, right?), and we grow more tired towards the end of the day. Leveraging this simple biological trait of our bodies means that you can further boost your metabolism by enforcing morning workouts.
Intensify your morning workouts
How likely are you to hit the gym or the yoga mat after eight hours of grueling work? Even when you work from home, the brainpower needed to focus and work hard is staggering, leaving you exhausted. Instead, introducing your workouts in the morning will have a twofold effect on your energy levels for the day. First, you’ll be able to use the restorative sleep of the previous night to truly boost your workout performance.
Second, you’ll elevate your energy for the rest of the day. You’ll be wide awake by the time you sit to work, and your appetite will be healthy, and you’ll be able to get properly tired in time for bed. Mornings allow you to make your workouts far more challenging because of these dynamics, so you can keep elevating your metabolism more easily.
Energize your body with nutrition
Let’s get one bit of truth out of the way immediately: no amount of regular training will replace a well-structured diet plan in your goal to shed weight and tone your body. Diet is key both for speeding up your metabolism and for keeping your body properly energized for those morning workouts. Rethink your menu before and after training to build your meals based on lean protein sources, nutrient-dense carbs from greens, and healthy fats.
Since many people have a hard time eating enough protein in their diet because it’s so satiating, you can rely on premium protein in the form of a supplement. It’s simple to make a protein shake to wait for you in the morning immediately after your workout, and you’ll give your body the protein it needs to speed up its metabolic rate.
Make sure to stay hydrated
Working out in the morning will leave you feeling energized, but also craving water. Plus, you’ll need to stay hydrated during the workout itself, meaning that your water intake throughout the day will be greater when you get active in the morning.
Proper hydration can help you boost your metabolism, as studies have shown that drinking ample water and keeping your body hydrated is a vital factor in burning calories efficiently. Make a conscious effort to drink enough water during the day, and never forget to use your water bottle during training, and you’ll rev up your metabolism.
Diversify your routine to stay consistent
One of the most common excuses people will use to skip their training is that they’ve grown tired of the same old movements. There’s a reason it’s called a routine: it’s meant to provide you with a consistent challenge and stimulus for your body, but it should also grow progressively as your endurance and strength improve. That is the only way to help burn off more calories and keep your metabolism fast. It’s easy to overcome such a challenge by never greeting your mornings unprepared.
So, make sure you have a few carefully-created exercise compilations at your disposal. It can be a follow-along YouTube channel to get your heartrate up in seconds, or you can do some morning yoga to stretch and strengthen your body at the same time. On other days, you can work with a kettlebell, add a HIIT routine, or jog in the park. Either way, your metabolism will benefit!
Morning workouts help you stay disciplined with your training, while they prep your body for the day ahead. Plus, if you know you’ll spend hours sitting down and working, this is a great way to get a head start that will prevent you from skipping your workout later in the day. Follow your body’s natural rhythm, and you’ll quickly help your body restore its metabolic rate to burn more fat and build more lean muscle, keeping your fit for as long as you’re active!
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