Eight Reasons to get your rear up in the morning and Exercise!
Good Morning, Steemians!
After taking the pill myself, I thought I'd pass on some of the reasons I think working out in the morning is the best. Now I know everyone can't make this a reality because life happens, but there are some real benefits to be had by starting the day off kicking your own butt.
This is really something I learned about in the army, not really by choice. I know I always hated getting up so early, but by the time we were done working out I felt great. I didn't know why at the time, But I got some ideas now and I'm passing them on to you.
1 Testosterone is high in the morning
I know this only really works for guys, but... Well, I'm a guy. There is a hormone cycle for men, and it turns out that testosterone is at it's highest point early in the morning. That really makes sense to me because the early morning is when I'm usually most apt to be cranky and overreact to stress. Working out in the morning gives you an outlet for that manly aggression and puts your body under stress at the same time your best muscle building hormone is kicking in high gear! https://www.myhormonology.com/male-hormone-cycle/
2 You spend the entire day in super metabolism mode
When you exercise, especially intense exercise, your body actually starts ramping up the engines and the effects can last all day. After lifting weights, or doing intense HIIT cardio, your body stays in an elevated energy consumption mode that can last 14 hours! Add to that all the activity you'll be doing throughout the day and you'll be a calorie burning machine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21311363
3 You'll start sleeping better
I'll tell you, there were times in my life when I would have given anything to sleep better. This one can be huge. Exercising in the morning puts you into a natural rhythm where you are ramped up during the day, and gradually your activity levels go down and your metabolism winds down as well. This might be linked to blood pressure...
4 Early morning exercise can lower blood pressure
Studies have been conducted to see if the time of exercise has an impact on blood pressure and it turns out that does. While the mechanisms aren't completely knows, it seems that exercising in the morning has a lasting effect on blood pressure, so much so that participants in the study were experiencing improved sleep quality at night. There wasn't as positive an effect on exercise performed later in the day. - http://www.news.appstate.edu/2011/06/13/early-morning-exercise/
5 There will be fewer excuses and distractions in the early morning
Ever have great intentions to hit the gym on the way home only to have a family member call needing help? Every drove by the gym on the way home and, seeing it was crowded, you talk yourself into some couch time instead? Well, if you get up and make it the first thing you do there will be less demands on your time. Most family emergencies happen later in the day when everyone is up and around, and most gyms are less packed early in the morning. Also, you won't need to worry that working late is going to make you skip leg day. (You can't skip leg day!)
6 You'll face the day in a better mood
Though intense exercise can make you want to throw up, after you're done you feel great! This is because your body unleashes a bunch of natural feel-good chemicals giving you a natural high. You can use this natural high to battle the urge to strangle Nina, from corporate accounts payable, as she drones on and on... https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/influence-of-physical-activity-on-mental-wellbeing/3C363AEECE5C8CAC490A585BA29E6BF8
7 Exercise relieves stress, so you'll handle tough mornings better
Not only are you going to be in a better mood overall, you'll handle stress like a T-1000! It's common for people to feel stressed about going to work and facing the day, morning exercise will help you handle that. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/influence-of-physical-activity-on-mental-wellbeing/3C363AEECE5C8CAC490A585BA29E6BF8
8 Exercising before breakfast can burn more fat
While you sleep at night, something magical happens to your body: it goes into a fasted state. This is why breakfast is so titled. It turns out that if you exercise while in this fasted state you will burn more fat. This is primarily because your body is using its own stored energy for fuel which is exactly what you want to happen if you got a little carried away last month when all micro-brews were 20% off at the local liquor store. For this to work, though, you can't be drinking gatoraid of coffee with a ton of sugar in it. Fasted mean fasted. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130124091425.htm
There's some motivation for you. If it's morning when you read this then take it as an invitation to go to the house of pain. Right now.
I really like this. I was expecting to see something about the heat outside, I guess youre talking about the gym, but working out in the heat of summer is no joke, heat exhaustion kills. Thx
Actually, I usually work out at home, outside so this is a factor for me! It just didn't make the top 8.
Thanks for reading.
I've never been under any illusions regarding the benefits of working out (as well as the benefits of doing things in the morning), but my issue is consistency. How can you keep yourself working out early, especially on mornings where you feel like crap?
It can be tough at first but you build momentum. The key for me is to put the alarm clock across the room, and once I get up, I just start moving. Don't give yourself time to think about it.
Yabbadabbadoo!!!! Every day, smashing it st 4am!!! 17 years and counting.
That's great! You got me beat.
I'm usually an evening workout man, but might give the morning thing a try.
It's not for everybody, but if it works for you, you'll love it.
Thank you! I am inspired! Will do :)