15 Often-Overlooked Morning Habits That Obstruct Your Weight Loss

It's no secret that a regular exercise and a well-balanced diet are two pillars of every successful weight loss. There is, however, a third, often overlooked factor, which might kickstart the whole process. We are, of course, talking about morning habits, a set of rituals we do as soon as we wake up. Do the right things, and you'll meet your weight loss goals in no time, but if you are continually making the same old mistakes in the morning, your weight loss could end before it even began.

So, knowing that the first step is, of course, recognizing the problem, we have composed a list of 15 often-overlooked morning habits that obstruct your weight loss.

1 You sleep too much

Sure, a good old sleep is crucial for your health, but you should not, by any means, overdo it. Unless, of course, you want to gain weight. Because, according to a recent study, sleeping more than 10 hours in a row can do you just as much damage as lack of sleep can. Whatever the case, the result is just the same: higher body mass index (BMI). Not to mention the fact that too much sleep increases your cortisol level. And releasing this stress hormone, as you probably know from experience, almost always leads to overeating.

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2You are not getting enough sunlight in the morning

Surprising as it may sound, not getting enough sunlight, especially in the morning, can stand in the way of your weight loss. A study, published in the journal PLOS One has shown that just 20 to 30 minutes of daylight is enough to boost your metabolism and affect your BMI in the long run. According to the results of this study, people who got to enjoy morning sunshine showcased a much lower BMI than those who were not exposed to the sun, no matter how much they ate. And if that's not enough for you, there was another study conducted in 2014 and published in Diabetes magazine that showed that ultraviolet (UV) radiation suppresses obesity independently of vitamin D.

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3Skipping the Weigh-In

If you are like most people, then you probably have a bit of love-hate relationship with your scale. When you are losing weight, it's your best friend and the source of your happiness, but if you by any chance gain weight despite all the effort, you would rather throw it out of the window. We've all been there. There is just one way to put it: If you want to keep yourself motivated, the best way to do that is to track your measurements. And you better do it first thing in the morning and be done with it. By keeping a constant check, you allow yourself to make necessary changes if you don't see the progress.

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4Skipping breakfast

If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less, so you might just as well skip one meal, and if it's one meal better make it the first one. Just skip breakfast, and the lunch will come soon enough. Right? Wrong. You shouldn't by any means skip breakfast because it's, by far, the most important meal. And many studies have confirmed that a healthy and a well-balanced breakfast stabilizes the glucose levels, as well as your cortisol thus preventing cravings later in the day.

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5You don't make your bed

You might be wondering what making your bed in the morning has to do with losing weight. It's not like it burns calories. As silly as it may sound, this seemingly unimportant activity can help you lose weight because it improves willpower, according to Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit.

Interestingly enough, the results of A National Sleep Foundation survey have also confirmed the importance of making the bed by showing that bed-makers are 19 percent more likely to get a good sleep that those who skip this activity. And a sound sleep, as we all know, often leads to a lower BMI.

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