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How you start off your morning is pivotal in determining your success in maintaining healthy habits. Beginning your day with a well-rounded breakfast and solid routine will help kickstart weight loss, and the more you establish patterns that you can sustain, the more you will find long term success. As you enter into the new year, take a step back and evaluate your morning routine as it works to propel you towards your goals, because there is one morning drink that could be setting you back, making it harder to lose weight and keep it off.
Sugary drinks, such as coffee and tea, are the worst culprits that could be stalling your weight loss progress according to registered dietitian Megan Wong. While the habit may seem harmless, an influx of sugar in the morning is the last thing your body needs to run smoothly. Wong explains, “Specialty tea and coffee beverages can sneakily pack on extra pounds because they’re loaded with sugar. Drinks like caramel macchiatos, hazelnut lattes, or even seemingly innocent London fogs and green tea lattes can have several teaspoons of added sugar.”
Sugar is notorious for impeding on healthy weight loss as it can increase blood sugar, put you at risk for heart disease, and be stored in your body as fat when consumed in excess. Starting out your morning with an overload of sugar hidden in your drinks will also set you up for a crash of energy later in the day. Wong notes, “Added sugar is definitely not helpful for weight loss goals! After all, any sugars that aren’t needed for energy end up being stored as fat.”
If you’re having a difficult time considering a morning without sugary drinks, Wong recommends trying a traditional latte or cappuccino. “If it helps, start by asking for your drinks half sweet and work your way to ¼ sweet, then fully unsweetened. You can always add flavor by sprinkling spices like cinnamon and nutmeg,” she says.
Healthy weight loss comes from making small, manageable changes in your diet and everyday routine that will amount to large results over time. Sugar is one of the primary roadblocks of weight loss, so cutting back on sugary morning drinks will make a huge difference in reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself for healthier habits. It may be tough in the beginning, but your body will thank you once you’ve shaken the hold that sugar has over feeling your best.
