5 Moves To Boost Metabolism in the Morning

There are a lot of compelling reasons to get some movement in when we wake up. (That sound you hear is all of us night owls snoozing our alarms for the eighth time.) Not only does getting our heart rates up in the a.m. help increase energy and lower stress for the rest of the day, it also helps kickstart our metabolism.

A metabolism working for us, not against us? Big fans. So we turned to Jackie Lloyd, instructor at The Pilates Class, who made us a quick, 5-move morning workout to help boost our metabolism.

Press play on the video, and follow along with the step-by-step instructions below.

Downward Dog Leg Lifts to Knee Tuck

How to:

Start in a plank. Keep hands planted on the floor, and shift hips up towards the sky into downward dog. Stretch heels towards the floor, try to flatten out the back, and keep the head hanging between arms.
Lift your right leg up to the sky, keep hips squared off and legs parallel. Dig the opposite heel deep into the floor.
Start to shift into a plank as your raised leg threads through. Bring knee to chest in between your hands, keeping knee at a hover.
Shift back, taking your working leg back up to the sky. Lower your leg down to meet the other. Find downward dog before switching sides.
Switch sides.
Repeat three to five times each leg.

Bicycles

How to:

Start by laying on your back with legs in table position: knees stacked over your hips with ankles, knees, and thighs energetically pressing into each other. Cradle your head with your hands, keeping your elbows wide on the floor.
Come into a curl, making sure to pull your belly button down towards your spine, keeping your chin off your chest and your elbows wide.
Extend your right leg long to a 45-degree angle, and twist to energetically reach your right armpit across your body and towards your left knee.
Keeping elbows wide, roll through your shoulder blades to switch sides. Continue at a nice pace.
Repeat for 10 times each side.

Roll Down to Plank/Cobra

How to:

Start by standing very tall with your feet directly under your hips. You should have a slight bend at the knees, with your glutes engaged, your ribcage in and down, and your shoulders rolled down and back.
On an inhale, reach arms out to the side and overhead. On an exhale, start to round forward, pulling your belly button into your spine until your hands come down to the mat. (Option: Bend your knees to reach the floor with your hands).
Walk your hands out to plank without shifting your hips side to side. Place hands directly underneath your shoulders, pressing the mat evenly through both hands. Squeeze your glutes, and keep a long line of energy from heels of your feet out the crown of your head.
Lower the hips so they hover over the floor, while pressing into the floor to avoid shoulder shrugging. Keep your toes tucked, your thighs at a hover, and your belly button pulled back to protect your lower back. Find a range of the back extension that works for you.
Lift your hips up through plank position to pike hips up to the sky. Shift back into downward dog. Walk hands back towards feet without shifting hips side to side. Hang your head heavy. Bend your knees and slowly raise your upper body by stacking your spine, bone by bone, until your head comes up last.
Repeat three times.

Hundreds

How to:

Start by laying on your back with legs in table position: knees stacked over your hips with ankles, knees, and thighs energetically pressing into each other. Hands should be up to the sky, stacked on top of shoulders.
Lift your head off the floor into a Pilates curl, keeping your chin off your chest while your hands reach towards your hips to a hover. Hold.
Extend legs out to a high 45-degree angle with your heels together and toes apart, externally rotating from the hips and keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.
Start to pump your arms up and down as if slapping water. Inhale through the nose for a count of five and out through the mouth for a count of five.
Continue this movement and breathing pattern for a total of 10 times.

Lateral Lunges with Leg Lift

How to:

Start by standing tall with your legs wider than shoulder width apart, feet flat on the ground, toes facing forward, and hands at heart center or on hips.
Step out to the side with your right foot, keeping your toes pointed to the front.
Bend your right knee and lower into a lateral lunge as your hips move back. Keep the knee over your foot, making sure your hips are squared off to the front, your spine is long, your chest is proud, and your shoulders are rolled down and back.
Press off the right foot to balance on the left leg, and lift the right leg off the floor to a pulse. With control, place your foot down rolling through the toe, ball and heel.
Repeat 10 times. Switch sides and repeat.