Top 10 Reasons To Exercise in the Morning

Top 10 Reasons To Exercise In The Morning!
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, and physiologically,
some wonderful things 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,
it 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 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! :)

About the Author:

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, offers
free weight loss and fitness newsletters and articles,
and the "Metabolism Challenge" at his site..
http://www.Landry.com/ Join the club - the "Weight
Loss & Fitness Insiders Club".. mailto:Club@Landry.com