Obesity specialist Craig Primack MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA and Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine gives his expert tips for four morning habits that can make a huge difference in you achieving your weight loss goals. From meal planning to getting up when the alarm goes off, these simple yet effective tips can allow any person who wants to slim down achieve their goals. It’s as easy as that!
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Get a good night's sleep
Dr. Primack says 7 hours are of restorative sleep is what's recommended for healthy adults. But it's not just about clocking the hours--it's about knowing when to wake up, too.
"Don't hit snooze," he advises. "After the first alarm goes off, you are no longer getting restorative sleep." Fascinating!
So, how should you use that information? "Set the alarm for the latest time you can, and train yourself to get out of bed when it goes off," he suggests.
READ MORE: Why People Who Don’t Get Enough Sleep Struggle To Lose Weight
Eat breakfast
Dr. Primack suggests eating breakfast to manage blood sugar--a key factor in weight loss and health.
"When we eat breakfast before 9:30 am, the genes that control our blood sugar go away from a diabetes slant and go toward more of a non-diabetes slant," he explains. "It also helps control our circadian rhythm with regards to blood sugar."
Looking for ideas for what to eat? Experts suggest balanced breakfasts like overnight oats with blackberries for weight loss.
Plan your meals
This is one of the things that healthy people do differently: they take the time to plan their meals.
"If you know what you are going to eat in advance, you will always make better choices," Dr. Primack advises.
Here are his concrete tips: "Pick a series of 5-7 different lunches and 8-10 different dinners and rotate them. Try to grocery shop on 2 days a week. Sundays to choose meals to Wednesday and Wednesday to choose meals to Sunday." Genius!
Additionally, meal planning will help you save money and minimize food waste, too.
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Plan your exercise
Similarly, you should plan when, where and how you'll get your exercise in each day.
"Exercise burns calories as well as improving mood," Dr. Primack explains. It can even ward off depression, and decrease stress eating and boredom eating. We want all three!
