Self Care- To 10 Reasons to Exercise in Morning

Top 10 Reasons To Exercise In The Morning!

Copyright 2002 by Greg Landry, M.S.



                      

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 and 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 and 

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 and 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, and ideally wake-up at about the same 

time on a regular basis, your body's endocrine 

system and 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 and 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 and thus it's never really "prepared"

      to awaken.

  b) Your metabolism and all the hormones involved

      in activity and exercise begin to elevate

      while you're sleeping. Thus, you feel more

      alert, energized, and 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, and 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 and thus require less sleep!  



10. You'll feel GREAT! DO IT!  :)



Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,

offers FREE weight loss success stories and his

"Fast, Healthy Weight Loss" newsletter at his site:

<a href=" http://www.Landry.com ">Fitness</a>



copyright 2002 by Greg Landry, M.S.