Old habits die hard. While some might seem harmless, others can really get in the way of your health and wellbeing. We do some things without even thinking about how harmful they are — especially in the morning when we don’t have time to spare. Do you drink a cup of coffee every morning or have cereal with milk for breakfast? These may not be the best ways to start your morning.
Here are a few common bad habits that you should stop immediately to enjoy a happier and healthier life:
- Skipping morning workouts
We know mornings are not for everyone. But if you work out in the evening or if you avoid working out altogether you might want to consider setting an alarm clock. Getting your blood pumping first thing in the morning is actually a great way to boost energy levels – sans caffeine. Unfortunately, evening workouts can lead to tossing and turning if you’re hitting the gym too close to bedtime. But switching to a morning sweat session can lead to deeper, higher-quality sleep.
- Having dessert for breakfast
Your first meal of the day is what kick-starts your metabolism and replenishes blood-sugar levels, so you can focus and be productive throughout the day. When blood sugar levels are low, it's much harder to focus and you're more likely to feel tired, irritable, and impatient. Starting your day on the right foot is all about balancing high-fibre carbohydrates with lean protein. While all carbohydrates raise your blood sugar levels, high-fibre carbs like fruits and whole-grain products do so at a steadier pace than sugar and low-fibre carbs like processed grain. We’re not saying that you have cheesecake for breakfast but having your daily dose of early morning waffles or pancakes isn’t the best way to start your day!
- Eating if you’re not hungry
While eating may make us feel better at times, it is not advisable to eat when you are not hungry. Unfortunately, the extra calories you eat when you’re not actually hungry add up quickly. Sometimes mindless snack calories add pounds of weight over the course of a year. Instead of beating yourself up over not loving breakfast, a better option might be intermittent fasting (IF). In addition, to be a more palatable option for non-AM eaters, intermittent fasting benefits include weight loss, reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and stabilizing blood sugar.
- Enjoying lattes all day long
Having lattes right after waking up makes your cortisol levels high which leads to anxiety. And if you drink lattes when you’re hungry, you can get gastritis. The best time for drinking your first cup of latte is 3- 4 hours after waking up. However, if you can’t resist drinking latte in the morning, add a little milk or cream to it. This way you will decrease the harsh effects of the drink on the stomach.
Despite what you might think, bad habits aren’t impossible to break. If you are guilty of one or more of these common bad habits, try working on breaking one at a time and replacing it with a healthy habit. It’s never too late to reverse a bad habit!
What bad habits have you kicked for a happier, healthier life?