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I know what you’re thinking, working out in the morning? Does it really wake me up and give me more energy then coffee does? Well, it’s all about the science, in fact, I watched a video the other day that talks about why exercise is more than just for weight loss.
Studies show that it’s actually great for the brain as we will cover in this post, so if its better for the brain then its great for early morning to get you started on your day. It really opened my eyes to what exercising and moving your body really means and I would like you to experience the same thing. It will make you feel awake, energized and honestly just beautiful. You see everything in a new way. In fact, I ran this morning outdoors and it was absolutely amazing. I prayed on my walk, listened to some inspiring Christian music and got to be outdoors before it became blistering hot!
Okay, so enough about me and my experience, I am going to name these benefits for you because they will blow your MIND!
Why you need to work out in the morning
Why You Need to Work Out in the Mornings
1. Gives you more energy in the day
Working out sends endorphins to the brain throughout the day and also decreases cortisol levels, so you will be less stressed and happier while experiencing increased energy. I feel energized after a morning run and am able to get more done in the day because I feel motivated- give it a try you will be thankful.
2. You can create better habits
When you make this a habit, you will be making better choices throughout the day. It sends a signal to your brain that says,
“you feel amazing right now and think of the progress you’ve made already! Don’t give up now by eating a bunch of junk food”.
This will become a habit because you will be associating waking up with working out, making a normal part of your day! Heather Milton, a senior exercise physiologist at New York University’s performance lab says this about healthy habits,
“It is a good way to get in a habit because you always associate the workout with getting up,”
3. You will lose fat faster
Working out in the morning increases the rate in which we burn fat if we exercise before eating breakfast! (1) However, the same study also states that no matter what time you exercise, it’s still great for your body.
The only reason why you would lose fat faster is if you are doing the workout fasted! So make it a point before breakfast or with your coffee in hand, to go for a walk around the block to build stamina, increase energy and lose fat.
RELATED: Fat Burning Workout Plans to get you Fit!
4. Improves learning and decreases stress
According to a study done in 2007, they found that students learned 20% faster after intense physical exercise compared to those who did no exercises (2). This is BIG, people! This means that anytime we do any sort of ‘learning’ or working, we can get it done FASTER we can do more fun things in the day, make wiser decisions and be the best of the best at work. No more feeling sluggish or that afternoon coffee crash! Lasting energy is key to success.
In the incredible book Spark, it talks about the benefits of exercise on the brain, which I highly encourage you to pick up today, but they say that because of the BDNF effects, you will learn content etc. faster!
Here is what the study in 2007 also said: More sustained BDNF levels during learning after intense exercise were related to better short-term learning success (2)
RELATED: Fat Burning Workout Plans to get you Fit!
TIPS FOR SUCCESS!
You need to have the right gear to encourage you for the best workout of your life. So here are some extra tips for success that will help you when you get moving early.
Fanny pack– this absolutely changed my life! I don’t have to wear a day back just to hold my keys phone gum or a card! I can just throw my keys, and phone in this and it fits nice and snug without being heavy or making me super hot (another benefit of running in the morning-the heat!). My fanny pack 🙂
Good Running shoes– Everyone’s feet are different when it comes to running and what works best for them. These are some shoes that have worked incredibly for me because of the arch support and how light they are which is great for running or another intense exercise! My shoes 🙂
Heaphones– you don’t have to listen to music or podcasts while you exercise or run BUT IT WILL keep you motivated to keep going! Its also nice to listen to the birds and other nature noises though too if you are outside. My headphones 🙂
Jump rope– this is another great form of exercise that will help you with your morning exercise when you don’t have a lot of time to drive to a gym or take an effective run outside. This will get your heart rate going just long enough to see and feel the results it has on your brain! It will get you energized in an easy, quick and affordable way! Best Jumprope
HIIT– This is a great hiit workout that I really like that targets all areas of the body, is only 15 minutes, and will increase blood flow (good for the brain and body!) and make your stress levels WAY lower throughout the day! Check it out here. (video)
Inspiring video for brain and exercise– please watch this video that inspired me to write this post which has some extra studies and benefits of exercise on the brain in general- you don’t have to work out in the morning to get these benefits but it is more helpful if you do so you can experience them throughout the entire day! Check it out here.
I really hope you got some motivation out of today’s post and will take the plunge with me to workout in the morning! In fact, it’s a new habit I am going to start implementing because I love the way I feel right now as I feel energized and ready to go for the day. I feel like I can do anything, especially because I was outside!
Want to get started but you aren’t sure how? Take our FREE HEALTHY HABITS CHALLENGE TODAY!! It will help you establish healthy habits for the long term so you can have a healthier lifestyle!
Take our FREE 14-day Healthy Habits challenge to KICK those BAD HABITS TO THE CURB!
If you loved this article, check out these ones too! They are pretty cool ?
>>>The Truth About Intermittent Fasting
>>>6 Lazy Ways To Build a Bigger Booty
>>>10 Easy Ways to Lose 10 Pounds
Check out my favorite app where you can take the guesswork out of meal prepping and other life-draining healthy activity with the Jillian Michaels fitness app!
Love you all,
Now go outside for a walk! Life is to short not too 😉
xoxo,
Dacia
