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Morning training

Intro

The most important factor in a successful exercise program is 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 is important to try to do something every morning.

Why mornings

• Over 90% of people who exercise consistently do their exercise in the morning.
• When you exercise early in the morning, it "jump starts" your metabolism and keeps it elevated for hours.
• When you exercise in the morning, you will be energized for the day.
• Many people find that morning exercise "regulates" their appetite for the day. They are not as hungry, and they make better food choices. Several people say it puts them in a "healthy mindset."
• If you exercise at about the same time every morning and ideally wake-up at about the same time regularly your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms adjust. A couple of hours before you awaken, your body begins to prepare for waking and exercise because it "knows" it is about to happen.

• This means it’s much easier to wake-up. When you wake-up at different times every day, it confuses your body so it is never is "prepared" to awaken.

• Your metabolism and all the hormones involved in activity and exercise begin to elevate while you are sleeping. Thus, you feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake-up.

• Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc.

• For many people, that appointed time every morning becomes something they look forward to. Many find that it's a great time to think clearly, pray, plan their day, or just relax mentally.
• Research has demonstrated that exercise increases mental acuity and it lasts four to ten hours after exercise.
• Exercising first thing in the morning is the best way to ensure that something else will not crowd exercise out of your schedule.
• If finding time to exercise is difficult, anyone can get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier to exercise (if it is a priority in your life). If necessary, you can go to sleep a little earlier. Also, research has demonstrated that people who exercise regularly have a higher quality of sleep and thus require less sleep!

As the old saying goes, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

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