This post has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
You’re not even out the door yet and you might already be setting yourself up for a ruined metabolism. Morning is the best time to affect one’s metabolism process. Specifically, over-restricting your calorie intake and not drinking enough water first thing in the morning can have a detrimental effect on your metabolism. Read on to see what Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements, and Emily Tills, a registered dietitian, nutrition coach, and founder of Nourished with Emily, have to say about these common dieting mistakes.
1. Over-Restricting Calories
It's relevant to know what goes in your body. Having an accessible food diary where you can list down what you had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a great way to monitor your diet. Organizing your schedule and figuring out the best time to eat in a day is just as important, too. These habits are well and good, but a leading health expert points out that thinking too much about your diet is actually keeping you from the essential nutrients your body needs.
According to Best, "Each person has a unique metabolism, the rate at which they burn calories, and for most individuals, this is around 2000 calories per day." Just to be clear: your body needs calories. Maintaining a good amount of it in your body allows your organs to function properly and therefore, survive. Anything more than this ideal amount corresponds to weight gain, and anything fewer results in weight loss.
When you over-restrict calories, Best explains, your body "will slow down the number of calories it needs in order to conserve energy and avoid starvation." Once this happens, it "essentially means you are slowing down your metabolism." Best adds that when you go back to consuming the normal amount of calories, you'll eventually experience weight gain because "the body is now storing the excess as fat more efficiently." Noted!
2. Not Drinking Enough Water
Drinking enough water is an important part of a healthy diet---especially when it comes to a strong metabolism. As the old saying goes, the average adult should drink around 8 cups a day. Water can contribute to better skin, regulate body temperature, and even promote heart health. But most importantly, drinking water in the morning will help you rehydrate your body from the night before.
"Water is needed in every reaction that happens within our bodies. If we aren't drinking enough throughout the day, especially starting the day with water, we can have issues with the detoxification process with our kidneys and liver causing low energy, and impaired digestion as coffee before water can affect the digestive enzymes and give a false sense of fullness," Tills says. "Waking up and drinking water can help with starting your day, increasing energy, and bettering digestion."
Similarly, sleep is another huge factor in our overall metabolism health. Tills says that getting enough sleep is just as crucial as how much you eat and drink first thing in the morning. "Staying up later will also trigger more hunger signs and cause an increased risk of overeating. Being in bed, for at least 8 hours, can be very helpful with managing metabolism and preventing overeating," she explains. Not only does a lack of sleep leave you feeling completely exhausted the next day, but it can ruin your metabolism, as well.
You always want to make sure that when it comes to losing weight, you're doing it the right way. Don't deprive yourself of the nutrients that are essential for your body and make sure you're drinking enough water. When in doubt, consult health experts and seek advice from your physician, dietitian, or nutritionist.
