Why You Should Get Active in the A.M.

David Gelfand – The alarm clock blares, startling you from a dream-filled, quiet sleep. You unhurriedly make your way to the alarm clock to shut off that dreaded noise. At a snail’s pace, over the course of the following hour or two, you make your way from the door of your home to the door of your car. Barely awake and not 100% responsive at this point, you drive to work where a demanding day awaits.

morningFeelings of lethargy, lack of energy, grogginess, etc. are common among anyone familiar with the above-mentioned routine. Rather than improve these feelings through some natural, positive and health-focused approach, more often than not, people succumb to the use of caffeine and nothing more to get their “up” feeling in the morning.

Recent commentary within the medical community suggests that physical activity in the morning can be beneficial to one’s physical health and mental alertness. A study published by the British Journal of Nutrition found that working out in the morning on an empty stomach allows for 20% more body fat to be burned.[1]

While physical results are the goal for some, they are only the beginning in a long list of both physical and mental benefits associated with an active-filled morning routine.

1) If you don’t do it now, you may not do it at all.

Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise in San Diego explains that, “Research suggests in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do it better. The thinking is that they get their exercise in before other time pressures interfere.” Continue reading