“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”―Henry David Thoreau
Yes, really. Your mornings are probably cray—involving a lot of drinkable food, dry shampoo, and outfit changes. (This Organic Valley ad = life.) But your day will be so much better if you make time for a morning sweat session. Here’s why.
No surprise here: trudging to the gym after hours of work is a pain. You can spend your entire day dreading the deadlifts to come. Plus, excuses build up: a friend invites you over for drinks, you have to stay late at work, etc. Morning exercise ensures that life’s pesky distractions don’t interfere with your fitness goals.
You can use it as an excuse to drink more coffee
Studies show that caffeine consumption before exercise can up your workout speed and quality, and it can even help you power through a tough sweat session. Ergo, you deserve one or two cups of coffee before your morning exercise.
You can humblebrag all day long
Trust me—talking about your workouts will make your co-workers love you. You can say something like this, for example: “Sorry I’m late! Getting to work on time is a bit harder when I run my morning 10k.” #sorrynotsorry
One study suggested that you can burn up to 20 percent more fat by exercising first thing in the morning, before you’ve eaten breakfast. Surprisingly, researchers found that this didn’t increase participants’ appetites later in the day.
You’ll probably eat healthier for the rest of the day
I don’t know about you, but I always feel extra virtuous after working out. No way am I going to ruin that feeling by sneaking snacks from the office cookie jar. Research also confirms that morning exercise curbs your daily calorie intake more than afternoon exercise.
Working out increases your alertness, warms up your body, and speeds up your metabolism. That’s fantastic in the morning. But in the evening, right before bed? Well, some people find that they toss and turn more after invigorating evening exercise. Most research, however, concludes that regular workouts in general will do wonders for your shuteye.
The link between exercise and mood is hardly new. Even five minutes after your workout, you’ll feel energized and ready to take on the day. Plus, daily movement is one of the best things you can do for your stress levels. Research even shows that people who find time to exercise tend to feel that they have better work-life balance.
The managing editor, digital, at alive, Colleen likes baking healthy(ish) desserts and cooking up a good pun.
Michelle von Hahn
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