5 Reasons To Workout Right After The Alarm Clock Rings

Laying around?Snuggling with your honey?

That’s what I used to do, until I got smart. The following might sound painful (like fingernails on a chalkboard), but I’ve got to share it – If I didn’t you’d be missing out on one of life’s big secrets.

The Secret to Productivity

So what’s this amazing secret? Something you must pay for before finding out? Of course not… it is simply that – I have learned that AM exercise is one of the largest boosters to productivity!

A morning workout wakes you up fast and sets the stage for the rest of your day.

You’ll want to shovel a healthy breakfast into your mouth first for added energy, but as soon as you’re done – pump it up!

Too early for the gym?

Don’t worry about it.

Don’t have an hour of free time in your morning routine?

That’s okay.

You can get the added benefits of sunrise exercise just by doing something for 20-30 minutes. Jog around the block, do tae-bo with Billy Banks, or a simple push-up/sit-up/pull-up routine will suffice.

The idea is to shorten the amount of time from when you wake up and when you start to groove it! It takes most people 55 minutes or longer to wake up. Being sleepy is unproductive – you can minimize that time by quickly getting your heart pumping and blood flowing.

It has been proven that people who workout in the morning are more likely to stick with it. While exercising in the afternoon might sound like a good idea – once the working day is over, do you really feel like exercising?

5 Reasons to Workout in the Morning

1. You get to feel proud all day long. This is much better than the alternative of dreading working out all day. It also increases your daily self-esteem which results in higher motivation to get things done.
2. You’ll have more energy. For those of you who don’t know – when you finish working out your body continues to burn calories – especially if it was a muscular strength or endurance activity. Your morning movement gets your metabolism spinning and removes your body from “idle” mode.
3. If you do go to the gym in the morning – it’s peaceful! That’s right, no waiting in lines at the elliptical, no getting sweat on (like what often happens in the afternoon hours). It is so quiet that you could read a book on the treadmill or listen to podcast while lifting weights. Plus you get to meet some really cool people that are as conscious about life as you!
4. It gives your subconscious mind a reason to get out of bed the first time the alarm goes off. Do you often find yourself smacking the snooze button one too many times? Don’t worry – I know the feeling (and have broken one too many alarm clocks). If you give yourself a reason why you must get up upon the first morning bell – then you are much less likely to lose time in morning doze zone.
5. You’ll feel smarter. Have you ever heard of the brain gym? It is a program used by elementary schools to get kids moving in order to help them perform better academically. This routine is your version of the brain gym. Research shows that mental acuity is highest 8-10 hours after exercise.

What’s Next?

So if you’re convinced by now, good! Set the alarm for 4:30 am, hop in bed and have at it! No… I’m just kidding… that’s not how it works.

At least not for me – if you want to start incorporating a morning workout into your schedule, I recommend you do it gradually and take things one step at a time. Start by waking up 30 minutes earlier each day – then doing the workout every other day – then finally going into the full fledged routine.

When I started doing this I found two things to help the most.

1. Putting my alarm clock away from the bed. It forced me to get up and didn’t allow my “sleep mode” robotic arm to turn it off.

2. Having everything ready – it is just so much more motivating knowing your shoes, water, towel, and speedos (just kidding) are all laid out and ready to help you greet the day.

Being productive ensures you get the most out of every day you live. If your mornings are slow – I encourage you to evaluate your waking routine and see if you can incorporate a jolt of exercise energy!

Are you lazy in the morning? – Or do you currently experience the productivity boost from an AM workout? 

Share your experience and tips below!

Written on 10/10/2012 by TJ Chasteen. TJ is the founder of How-toBeHappy.com. He believes that nothing is more important than living a life full of daily happiness. He helps his followers (and himself) design a life that easily produces happy moments everyday through his website. You can learn more about TJ here, and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.

Photo Credit: John