Learning to love that A.M. workout
By: Kenzi Weidman
I am not a morning person, nor have I ever been one. I cherish every second of sleep I can get, so I could never imagine waking up early to go work my butt off when I could be sleeping! All summer I worked until 5PM every weekday and it hit me that I needed to change my normal workout schedule in order to have a social life and still fit my work out in.
So then I made a huge decision. One morning I set my alarm for 6:00A.M. I thought it was going to be one of the worst decisions I have ever made, but wow, was I wrong! Rolling out of your cozy, warm, soft bed is definitely hard to do, but the results and feelings afterwards are beyond worth it. Here are some reasons why it’s TOTALLY worth dragging yourself out of bed early to sweat your butt off!
#1. It boosts your metabolism! Waking up early and getting your blood pumping and heart beating fast jump starts your body for the day. It also helps you burn more calories throughout the day, all because you woke up early and already worked out!
#2. It has been proven that working out early can lead to increased mental acuity. Whether it is a big test or just a long-day of work coming up, try working out before and your brain will be ready to tackle anything you hand it.
#3. If exercise is already part of your daily routine, then after a few early morning runs, your body will get use to it. Some days you might wake up before your alarm. It’s not about getting less sleep, its just about changing your routine. Even if you start small and slow and work your way to an earlier time, your body will start to get use to it and it wont be so hard to crawl out of your cozy cotton tundra.
#4. Working out in the morning gives you time to think more about what you’re going to do that day. It allows time for you to plan and think about what is ahead, rather than working out later at night and wishing you would have done something different that day. You are more prepared and ready to make healthy choices because you had time to get excited about them and program those choices into your day.
#5. You’ve heard the famous saying “workout in the early morning, before your mind realizes what you are doing.” This is true! You might be tired running on that treadmill or riding the bike, but time will go by faster and before you know it you will be done!
Trust me; this was my new summer resolution. I wanted to turn myself into a morning person and I did whatever it took to accomplish that. In order for me to have a social life and still maintain my healthy lifestyle, a few changes were needed and I bet some of you can relate to my situation as well.
I can relate to all of those reasons as to why you should wake up early to workout. I feel more focused for my day, I make healthier choices, and I also am more energized and I love myself more. Give it a try and I bet you will realize that it is SO worth it!
“Always remember that it doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you keep on going”
~Kenzi Weidman
Sources: Spark People Built Lean