Morning weight loss regimes

There’s no denying it – losing weight is a struggle. If it were easy, no one would be overweight and everyone would look like Claudia Schiffer. But, alas, this is not the case.

However, this is no excuse to think “stuff it then” and give up on that weight loss goal of yours!

Slimmers often get disheartened when they don’t stick to their plans, so set yourself low targets, beginning with being on your best behaviour in the mornings.

Have a healthy start to the day

If you’re finding it difficult to be disciplined all day when it comes to eating, try to start off by making sure that you always have a healthy breakfast.

Many cereals have a huge amount of sugar and calories in them – way more than you would think – so make sure you check the nutritional information before you tuck in.

Instead of cereal, opt for a slice of wholemeal toast with low-fat spread or perhaps a bowl of mixed berries covered in natural yoghurt.

Another great breakfast option is eggs, as these contain a lot of protein and vitamins.

In 2008, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that eating two eggs for breakfast, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helped overweight adults lose more weight than those who ate a bagel breakfast containing the same number of calories.

“People have a hard time adhering to diets and our research shows that choosing eggs for breakfast can dramatically improve the success of a weight loss plan,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar, an associate professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Have a solid breakfast

Don’t just opt for a liquid breakfast of coffee, tea, smoothies and frappaccinos, go for a solid meal instead.

Back in 2009, researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center revealed that people consume fewer calories at lunch when they have eaten a solid protein-rich breakfast, rather than a protein-rich breakfast in liquid form.

The people involved in the study were less hungry after eating a solid breakfast than they were after the liquid morning meal, even though both contained the same number of calories.

Do a spot of pre-work exercise

Dragging yourself out of bed an hour early takes a lot of determination, but doing so and using this time to do a spot of pre-work exercise is one of the best ways to lose weight fast.

An easy way of fitting exercise in on a morning is to run or cycle to work, obviously, this isn’t an option for those who live miles and miles away, but for those who are a little closer – there’s just no excuse not to!

Going for a half-hour swim is another great way of not only burning a few extra calories, but waking yourself up and making sure you are energised for the busy day ahead.

Obviously it would be great, and most beneficial to your weight loss plan, if you stuck to health eating and exercising throughout the day, but even if you just eat well and exercise in the morning, you’ll be a big step closer to ditching your unhealthy lifestyle and achieving that killer body!

Also, once you’ve got the morning mastered, you can work on making your lunches healthier and cutting out those afternoon snacks too!