Have you tried to get into the habit of regularly exercising, but find that after a few weeks you become “too busy,” “too tired,” and just plain unmotivated? By prioritizing your workouts and committing to making them happen first thing in the morning, you are much more likely to be able to stick with them for the long haul.
As a former “couch potato” myself, and now someone who has successfully established a morning workout schedule that I’ve stuck to for over 5 years, I know the benefit of working out as soon as I wake up.
Here are the reasons I keep coming back for more almost every morning and why you should give morning exercise a try for yourself.
#1 Your Willpower Is Strongest In The Morning
Willpower is not infinite; every person only has so much of it to expend each day.
After a long day of working hard at the office, dealing with family needs, and putting up with the frustrations of the little things that make us tick (commuting on the subway, anyone?), exercising can seem more like another obligation than the reward & relaxation we are yearning for.
By working out when your willpower is at its peak – right when you wake up – your workout won’t need to compete with all the other things that require your attention and effort throughout day.
#2 Other “Last Minute” Distractions Don’t Get In The Way
You might think you have time to work out after work, but then your boss needs you to work late, your children need a ride somewhere, and your friends make awesome plans.
Instead of assuming you will have time later, use the time you already know you have; for many of us, this is the couple of hours before work starts.
Prioritize workouts in this way so you guarantee you will have time to get it done. Plus, the rest of your day will be more open and flexible for whatever happens to pop up.
It’s a nice feeling coming home from work knowing that your night is open – or at least that one less thing needs to get done because you already knocked it out in the morning.
#3 Your Mood Is Boosted For The Rest Of The Day
Exercise releases powerful endorphins that make us feel happier and calm; some even compare the feeling to that of taking mood boosting drugs.
When we workout, we feel a sense of accomplishment. Feeling confident and proud that you did something positive for yourself, you are immediately in a better mood that carries over to the rest of your day.
By the time you get to the office, you’ve been up for hours, had a good sweat and worked up an appetite for a good breakfast.
You will find that you are much more productive in the early hours of work as a result, which could relieve your stress/workload for the rest of the day.
The more you feel the positive effects that exercise has on your performance elsewhere and your outlook, the more you will want to keep doing it.
#4 You’ll Be Motivated To Eat Better Throughout The Day
Knowing how hard you worked in the morning makes you want to avoid “blowing it” throughout the day by eating junk because you won’t want to undo all of your effort.
One of my tips for staying motivated to eat well is to think about how many miles you’d have to walk to burn off the unfavorable food in question. Want another slice of pizza? Well you’d have to walk more than 4 miles to make up for it.
Using a heart rate monitor to track how many calories you burn during workouts can make this motivation even stronger since you have an actual number to attribute to how hard you worked.
#5 You Will Adapt To a Better Sleep Schedule
Knowing you are going to be working out in the morning is good motivation to get to bed on time. I know that when I personally have a 7am yoga class to look forward to, I make sure I’m asleep by 10 or 11pm.
By waking up earlier to fit in a workout before work, you are likely to be tired earlier in the evening and, in turn, able to fall asleep more easily and rest well throughout the night. A deeper sleep cycle and a routine sleeping schedule allows us to have more stable energy throughout the day overall.
While it initially may take some getting used to exercising in the morning, especially if you aren’t a morning person, committing to working out at this time can reap huge benefits. Give it a try for a few weeks and see if you start feeling like many people do: Motivated, energized, well rested, and happier after your morning workout.
Add Comment