If I had to pick a single factor that I thought
was most important in a successful exercise or
weight loss program, it would be to exercise first
thing in the morning - every morning! Some mornings,
you may just be able to fit in a 10 minute walk,
but it's important to try to do something every
morning.
So why mornings?...
1. Over 90% of people who exercise *consistently*,
exercise in the morning. If you want to exercise
consistently, odds are in your favor if you exercise
first thing in the morning.
2. When you exercise early in the morning, it
"jump starts" your metabolism & keeps it elevated
for hours, sometimes up to 24 hours! That means
you're burning more calories all day long just
because you exercised in the morning!
3. When you exercise in the morning you'll be
*energized* for the day! Personally, I feel
dramatically different on days when I have &
haven't exercised in the morning.
4. Many people find that morning exercise
"regulates" their appetite for the day - that they
aren't as hungry & that they make better food
choices. Several people have told me that it puts
them in a "healthy mindset."
5. If you exercise at about the same time every
morning, & ideally wake-up at about the same
time on a regular basis, your body's endocrine
system & circadian rhythms adjust to that.
Physiologically, some wonderful things begin to
happen; A couple of hours *before* you awaken,
your body begins to prepare for waking & exercise
because it "knows" it's about to happen. Why?
Because it "knows" you do the same thing just about
everyday. You benefit from that in several ways..
a) It's MUCH easier to wake-up. When you wake-up
at different times everyday, it confuses your
body & thus it's never really "prepared"
to awaken.
b) Your metabolism & all the hormones involved
in activity & exercise begin to elevate
while you're sleeping. Thus, you feel more
alert, energized, & ready to exercise when
you do wake-up.
c) Hormones prepare your body for exercise by
regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood
flow to muscles, etc.
6. For many people, that appointed time every
morning becomes something they look forward to.
It's time they've set aside to do something
good for themselves - to take care of their body,
mind, & soul. Many find that it's a great time
to think clearly, pray, plan their day, or just
relax mentally.
7. Research has demonstrated that exercise
increases mental acuity. On average it lasts
four to ten hours after exercise! No sense in
wasting that brain power while you're sleeping. :)
8. Exercise first thing in the morning is really
the only way to assure that something else won't
crowd exercise out of your schedule. When your days
get hectic, exercise usually takes a back seat!
9. If finding time to exercise is difficult,
anyone can get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier to
exercise (if it's a priority in your life). If
necessary, you can go to sleep a little earlier.
Also, research has demonstrated that people who
exercise on a regular basis have a higher quality
of sleep & thus require less sleep!
10. You'll feel GREAT! DO IT! :)
copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S.
Author & exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,
offers free weight loss & fitness success stories
& targeted, highly effective weight loss programs
for women, men, type 2 diabetics, & people with
slow metabolisms & hypothyroidism.
