Some easy moves you can practice in the morning to boost your metabolism. Perfect for small spaces, these require no equipment and take little time.
The optimal functioning of metabolism plays a significant role in converting calories into energy, enabling the body to support the functioning of the cellular and nervous systems. It also helps with other bodily functions such as growth and repair, detoxification, temperature regulation, immune functioning, hormone regulation, and maintenance of homeostasis.
As we age, our metabolism naturally starts to slow down. According to WebMD, a 5% to 7% decrease in muscle mass per decade starts from 30 onwards. This also depends on several factors, including genetics, health conditions, lifestyle, and environment. This makes it difficult to lose weight and gain muscle. It slows down the body, requires more effort to be active, and creates hormonal imbalances.
This is a natural process that every man and woman go through; however, some lifestyle changes can help manage this process and create sustainable energy levels at every stage of life according to each individual’s capacity.
Remember that your metabolism is working for you and not against you; consider it as the engine of your body that produces fuel, and just like your automobile, you need some movement to get this engine running.
Here are some easy moves you can practice in the morning to boost your metabolism. You can dedicate 15 minutes on a daily basis to this practice as your morning wellness routine. These moves are perfect for small spaces. They require no equipment and take little time.
Lateral Raise
Start with sitting or standing straight.
Lengthen your spine and engage your core.
Hands by your side, fingers pointing towards the ground.
With a deep inhale, raise your arms up to your shoulders level.
With a slow exhale, bring your arms back to the starting position
Repeat the exercise 10-12 times, 3 sets total
Tip: You can try this move with dumbbells, which will also benefit you to enhance your strength.
Variation without Dumbbells:
Once your arms are at shoulder height, draw small circles with your hands clockwise and reverse. This will help you to work on your mobility.
Mountain Climbers
Start with a strong plank position
Shoulders on top of your hands, head, back, and hips in one line, core engaged
With an exhale, empty your sternum and bring your right knee to your chest
Breathe in and take the right leg back to the starting position
Exhale, bring the left knee to the chest
Repeat for 60 seconds
This exercise is perfect for generating heat in the body and waking it up.
Variation:
If you want to challenge yourself, try this in a plank position on your forearms.
Downward Dog Hip Opener
Starting position: downward facing dog
An inverted V position
Plant your hands firmly on the mat or floor, shoulder width apart, all 5 fingers spread like a bird
Feet hip-width apart, about 3-4 feet away from the hands, heels pressing towards the ground
Hips pointed towards the ceiling
Gently press your chest towards your knees
With an inhale, raise your right leg towards the ceiling, your foot firmly pointed
With an exhale, bring your right foot down towards the starting point
Repeat on the other side
Repeat 10 times
Variation:
To make it more challenging,
Once the leg is lifted, bring the knee to your chest and round your spine
Hold for 3 seconds (similar to mountain climber)
Take it back up towards the ceiling
Bring the foot back to the ground, the starting point
Press Up Cobra
Start with lying on your belly
Lengthen your spine, the tops of your feet pressing into the ground
Place your hands next to your chest, elbows hugged to the sides of the ribs
With an inhale, press your hands firmly into the floor and raise your shoulders and chest
Keep your bottom ribs and belly touching the group
Focus on your lower back and sacrum
Keep lengthening your feet towards the back of the room
Exhale; come back down
With your next breath, press yourself up in a plank position
Hold for 3 counts
Exhale; come back down to the ground to the starting position
Repeat 5 times
This move is excellent for waking up the back muscles and opening the front body.
Variation:
To make this more challenging,
Raise your shoulders and chest while elbows are hugged into the body
Lift your feet off the ground
Deepen your backbend
These moves are well-rounded and straightforward to practice. You can start small and increase the repetitions incrementally. Boosting metabolism in the morning can benefit you in many ways, including higher energy levels, enhanced mood, and less lethargy.
We hope that you will enjoy practicing these exercises.
If you are a HerMeNow participant or alumni, book your free coaching session now through the HerMeNow website https://www.hermenow.com/wellness.
 | Anam Anjum Wellness Consultant +971 52 629 9656 anam@hermenow.com almawellbeing.com |