By Team Best Life
The simple choices we make day in and day out—such as when to exercise or what time to hit the sack—can have a huge effect on how many calories we burn, and thus, how much weight we lose. Read on to learn how to get the most out of your day.
Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Eating breakfast within an hour of waking will help jump-start your metabolism and sets the stage for a day of healthy eating. Get bonus points by pumping up the protein at your morning meal: Research from the University of Missouri showed that the more protein you consume at breakfast, the fewer cravings for processed foods you’ll have throughout the day. Even better? People who have a protein-packed breakfast (which increases levels of leptin, the hormone that triggers feelings of fullness) eat an average of 200 calories less during the day.
Work out first thing. When it comes to weight loss, it doesn’t matter what time of day you exercise. However, when you complete your workout first thing in the morning, you steer clear of any unexpected surprises that might cause you to push your workout to the back burner—or off the stove altogether. It’s no wonder studies show that morning exercisers have higher adherence rates than those who schedule their sweat sessions for later in the day.
Have an early lunch. People who consume a midday meal before 3 p.m. lost more weight than those who lunched later in the day, one study suggests. Researchers don’t know exactly why early lunches lead to more weight loss—but eating earlier may be a factor in keeping your metabolism humming.
Get some sleep. Researchers at Northwestern University found that people who went to bed late ended up consuming more calories at dinner than those who ate an earlier meal and hit the sack earlier. Getting a full night’s rest keeps levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers hunger, at bay, so you aren’t always looking for something to eat. Turn that TV off, power off your smart phone or tablet, and hit the sack so you’ll be prepared for another calorie-torching day tomorrow!
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