The Benefits of Morning Exercise

For as long as I have been an athlete* (if you have a body you're an athlete) I have always preferred to complete a workout in the crisp cool air of the morning. While my body and my sleep schedule may have not always agreed with me on this statement, my mind always proves to be happiest when I wake up and get myself moving before I realize what I'm even doing.

As I live across town from work, it's easiest for me to leave my house in the wee hours of the morning to get to work, secure the best parking spot, go for a 6 mile run, take a shower at the gym and step into the office with a fresh outlook and a well tuned machine.

My preferred method of extracting sweat in the morning is by running, but if you don't have the right reflective gear or cold weather clothing for the fall and winter months, find an easy at-home workout that you can do anywhere with just your body weight and some self-motivation.

A Shout Out to Benefits!

• Once you're done, you're done for the day! No excuses for when plans pop up in the afternoon that would have otherwise knocked your workout off of the priorities list.


• Your morning shower is not so much a routine, but now something that you earned!


• If you work out before you eat, your body will be burning off fats instead of the food that you ate earlier in the day.


• You will fall asleep earlier at night once you've worked into a routine - the morning comes quick!


• There have been studies on how morning exercise can help your career and help you sleep better. What's not to love?


• Increased motivation to eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast - you will be ravenous after a good workout!


• Reason to drink more water in the morning to quench your thirst, resulting in more H2O throughout the day!


• You really don't have to worry about your makeup or your hair at the gym or out on the streets. #longhairdontcare

Ways to Help Yourself Get Up in the Morning:

• Lay out the clothes that you plan to work out in (or sleep in them) so that you can just step out of bed and be on your way.


• Get a great night's rest! I make sure to be lights out by 9:30-10pm every night.


• Set a music alarm that forces you to get out of bed to turn it off and that pumps you up and makes you want to get out of your tracks.


• Schedule plans in the afternoon, this forces you to realize that you either work out in the morning or no workout at all terrible things will happen.


• Find a partner in crime who is willing to get up before the sun with you to sweat. Teamwork goes a long way!

And there you have it, why you should challenge yourself to get out of bed early and with conviction!

<3 JE