5 habits to start your day

Written By F45 Grangegorman

1. Get up on your 1st alarm

Sleep science suggests that hitting the snooze button can not only disrupt healthy sleep patterns, but may leave you feeling drowsy for the rest of the day. Set your alarm for a realistic timeframe for you, and start practising snoozing less and less. Ultimately you want to train your brain to get to a point where when your alarm goes off you get up immediately.

2. Drink a glass of water

Drinking a glass of water on waking helps to rehydrate you after 6-8 hours of sleep. If you struggle to hit your daily water intake (2L on a day of no training, 3-4L on a day you train) then drinking a glass first thing can help you on your way.

Water stimulates your metabolism and promotes digestion - the temperature of the water can aid these processes in different ways. e.g. cold water triggers your body to turn on a mechanism called cold-activated thermogenesis," says Dr. William Li. "This means your body warms the water by turning on your metabolism, by as much as 30 percent, for about an hour.

Whereas "Warm water [in particular] has the potential to break down the food you've eaten at a faster rate than cool water," says Casey Kelley, M.D.. Therefore, if you're prone to constipation, drinking water when you wake up can kick-start the rehydration process and get things moving ASAP.

3. Verbalise 3 things you're grateful for

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Start the day reciting 3 things you're grateful for to set a positive tone for your day.

Examples:

  1. Thank you for the warm & comfortable bed I slept in

  2. Thank you for the hot water for my shower

  3. Thank you for the food in my fridge.

4. Move your body first thing

Get out for a 10-15 min walk, do some yoga, come to a F45 class - whatever you do, moving with purpose is an amazing way to stimulate your body, get you prepared for the day and even stimulate your digestion.

Exercising in the morning will encourage you to eat healthier, boost your energy throughout the day, improve your focus and cognition and put you in a better mood.

5. Eat a nutritious breakfast (ideally high in protein)

Protein is one of three macronutrients, the others being carbohydrates and fats. Protein at breakfast helps keep blood sugar and energy stable. Adding protein to your breakfast, along with healthy carbohydrates and fats, will provide a more steady, prolonged energy boost, in part by regulating your blood sugar.

Protein is responsible for building and repairing your tissues, such as skin, hair, organs, blood haemoglobin and muscles. When it comes to building and maintaining muscle mass, protein is vital. And that muscle mass is crucial for a well-functioning metabolism, healthy aging and overall daily body functions.

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Try F45 today! 〰️

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