Walking in the morning helped regulate my appetite—and it could be because it increased my GLP-1 hormone levels naturally

I’m not really a morning person, but getting up early and doing something productive before work makes me feel more positive about my day.

In the past, I relied on a good cup of coffee to tempt me out of bed before 7am. But a few months ago, this stopped working—and I realized I needed a new incentive to wake up.

I decided to set myself the challenge of going for a walk first thing instead.

The purpose of this was threefold: I wanted to give myself more mental space before work, I wanted to spend more time outside and I wanted to exercise more.

After a few days of forcing myself to get outside early, it became my favorite morning routine. It also offered a surprising benefit: it helped regulate my appetite.

Taking a walk first thing meant eating my breakfast a little later than usual (usually around 10am). After this, I felt more satiated throughout the day and craved fewer—and healthier—snacks.

I asked Sophie Medlin, a registered dietitian at CityDietitians, to explain what was happening.

Three reasons why walking in the morning can regulate your appetite

1. It increases appetite-suppressing hormones

“There is some evidence to suggest that walking in the morning [and all exercise] can regulate appetite hormones,” Medlin says.

“It may reduce our hunger hormone [ghrelin] and it may increase appetite-suppressant hormones like GLP-1s.”

You might have heard about GLP-1s in the form of prescription drugs designed to reduce appetite. But they are actually naturally occurring hormones and our lifestyle choices can impact their prevalence in the body.

Although Medlin says that exercise can impact these hormones, she caveats that “there’s no evidence that it helps with weight loss specifically”.

2. It could decrease emotional hunger

One of the reasons I started walking in the mornings was to improve my mood and stress levels.

According to Medlin, this can have a big impact on appetite.

“A gentle walk in the morning might help you feel more mindful and regulated in your nervous system and that might help you to feel less emotional hunger,” she says.

“You might feel more in control of your appetite throughout the day and make better decisions for yourself if you’re feeling better in your body and your mind,” Medlin adds.

3. It can improve your circadian rhythm

The circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock, which controls your sleep cycle and various hormones. Medlin says it has a significant impact on our appetite.

“Morning exercise can help us to have a better sleep-wake routine, which may biologically support appetite regulation,” Medlin says.

“When we’re sleep-deprived, we know that we eat [more calories] compared to when we’re well-rested,” she explains.

“So indirectly, morning exercise may improve sleep, which may then improve appetite regulation.”