8 REASONS YOU’LL NEVER GO BACK AFTER WORKING OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING
The Benefits Will Surprise You
KEY POINTS
Finding consistency and building discipline
Increased metabolism, energy, and weight control
Better sleep, stress management, and improved performance
When I first started working out in the morning I hated it. One year later, I still hate it, but I’m never going back to working out at any other time of the day. When you start working out consistently, you develop a love hate relationship. You hate that feeling of having to find that initial push to get going, but you love the fact that you accomplished something hard. It’s that hit of dopamine you start to crave.
People say there is a thin line between love and hate, but that never made any sense to me. Is it really two sides of the same coin? I don’t think there is a thin line between the two, I think you find joy and gain satisfaction through the hard things. You can’t appreciate a good day without the bad, and you don’t appreciate your health until you lose it. I don’t think working out or doing the hard things is on opposite sides, I think they coexist together. The two aren’t mutually exclusive and its only through the difficult we find joy. Just like Ryan Holidays book “The Obstacle is the way”, only through challenges we find peace.
The very thing we think of as obstacles are usually the places we can improve. It’s through these challenges we grow, and we come to find that these obstacles are really advantages. They are the hurdles and roadblocks that keep others from improving. Life is hard, but the good news is we get to choose our hard. You can choose to live an easy life now, not exercise, eat junk food, and sit on your couch, but your life will be hard later. You’ll be overweight, sick, on medication, and have a poor quality of life. Your other choice is to do the hard things now, and consistently do the hard things today. Both decisions suck, but the benefit is that “You get to choose your hard”.
Working out first thing in the morning offers several benefits, including physical, mental, and lifestyle advantages:
1.Improved Consistency and Discipline:
Establishing A Routine:
Exercising in the morning will help establish a consistent routine, making it less likely for other daily obligations to interfere. Ever since I started working out in the morning, it has been the only way I’ve been able to consistently not miss a workout.
Building Discipline:
Regular morning workouts can build your discipline, as starting the day with a healthy habit sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. When you start out with a win, it will carry over into other areas. You get the momentum, and it’s much easier to stay in motion once you get going.
2. Increased Energy and Alertness:
Energy & Endorphin Boost:
Morning exercise releases endorphins, which can enhance mood and energy levels throughout the day. Whenever I start a day with a workout in the morning, I always feel better about the rest of the day. I take rest days to recover, and I usually feel sluggish during those days.
Better Focus:
Physical activity first thing in the morning increases mental clarity and alertness. I feel sharper, and I am more alert as the day goes on. Working out seems to “clear my brain fog” and has provided me more clarity of mind. Strong body will also translate into a stronger mind.
3.Better Metabolism and Weight Management:
Metabolism Kick Start:
Morning workouts can boost metabolism, helping burn more calories throughout the day. The number of additional calories burned will depend on your intensity, what type of workout you do, and how long you do it.
Appetite Control
Exercising in the morning helps moderate appetite, and helps regulate hunger hormones, potentially leading to better food choices and portion control. Getting in shape is hard because it’s not one big change, it’s many small choices throughout the day.
4.Enhanced Sleep Quality & Stress Reduction:
Regulates Sleep Cycle:
Regular morning exercise helped me regulate my body’s sleep-wake cycle and helped me get better sleep. Waking up early has gotten me into a better sleeping pattern, and now I go to bed at 8:30pm every night. Sounds early, but I usually waste time after 8:30pm or do unproductive activities, so I’d rather be sleeping.
Stress Reduction:
Physical activity can reduce stress and anxiety, contributing to more restful sleep. When you do something hard first thing in the morning you feel proud of yourself and get the satisfaction of doing something difficult. Most things don’t seem as tough, and problems don’t seem as significant.
5.Mental Health Benefits:
Mental Health:
Mood Improvement: Exercise releases neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which can improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Regardless of how I start the day, I’m always in a better mood after I work out. We all feel a little crazy sometimes, and after I work out, I almost always feel more at ease or at peace.
More Stress Reduction Through Meditation:
Starting the day with physical activity can help reduce stress levels and improve overall mental well-being. Working out will help you look and physically feel better, although for me it has almost become a sort of meditation. Our lives are chaotic and busy, and taking out time in the morning to workout not only helps me physically, I use it as a time to be mindful and as a sort of meditation.
6.Increased Productivity and Time Management:
Increased Productivity:
Completing a workout early frees up the rest of the day for other activities, reducing the feeling of time constraints. When I wake up early, I feel I have so much more time than everyone else. The world is quiet and asleep, and I’ve accomplished more in the first 4 hours of the day than most people do all day.
Better Time Management:
Everyone has the same amount of time each day, and some of us use it better than others. When I start working out as soon as I wake up at 4am, I have less time to think, worry about the day, or get distracted. All my other activities within the day also seem to get done faster as I leave the gym more focused and sharper.
7.Social and Environmental Benefits:
Less Crowds:
Whenever I work out in the morning, I love the fact that there are very few people at the gym. I used to work out in the evenings after work, and I don’t miss the chaos. Gyms are crowded, and it can be frustrating to wait for machines and weights.
Less Traffic:
There is something very serene about being one of the only few cars on the road at 4:30am. There is a peacefulness about being the only one on the road, and it also reduces my stress levels and I start my day more calmly.
8.Improved Physical Performance:
More Confidence:
The sense of accomplishment from completing morning workouts gives me confidence and motivation to tackle other work. A body in motion stays in motion, and once you get moving it’s much easier to maintain that momentum.
Better Workouts & More Energy:
Even the days I feel like I’m struggling to make it to the gym, I somehow manage to get a good workout in. After a good night’s sleep, my energy and willpower will be at the highest during the morning. The longer I wait, the more potential it will be to drop.