We all know that regular exercise is good for us. In fact, there’s no shortage of scientific studies that show the benefits of exercise, both at the moment and long term as our bodies age. But, while we know it’s good for us, it doesn’t mean we like it or that it’s easy to find the time or motivation. A lot of times, by the end of a long day at school or at work, we find we simply don’t have the energy to get to the gym. And, then there’s the unexpected things that come up in our days that all of a sudden are more important than exercise. Between being tired and being busy, it seems like a lot of times, we simply end up skipping the evening work out. But, have you ever considered a morning workout instead?

I know many of you are thinking that getting up 40 minutes earlier to exercise sounds like pure torture. But, if you are still reading, you must be at least a little curious so we’ll lay out for you the reasons that morning exercise is good and we’ll give you some pointers about how to establish and maintain a morning routine.

For starters, morning exercise burns more fat than exercise done at other times during the day. Researchers in Japan found that fat oxidation occurs if exercisers work out before breakfast. Fat oxidation is the process by which fat molecules are broken down. Also, science tells us that exercise releases endorphins (known as ‘feel good hormones’). So, by exercising early in the morning, you release feel good hormones early which is a good way to boost your mood in preparation for the work or school day ahead.

So there’s a good bit of scientific research behind the benefits of early morning work-outs. But, if you don’t belong to a gym, or you simply know full well that you aren’t heading to Planet Fitness at 5:00 a.m., can you still get the benefit of early morning exercise? The simple answer is yes. To get the benefits of exercise, your time commitment doesn’t need to be great. And, if you don’t have any exercise equipment, you needn’t worry. There are no shortage of links on the web that outline basic work out plans, so just do a search and find the one that’s right for you. Here’s one that outlines the exercises and also has video demonstrating proper technique:

20 minute not equipment full-body workout

So, if you’re looking to get fit in the coming new year, consider setting the alarm a little earlier and starting your days by doing something good for yourself.

Sources:

“9 Really Good Reasons to Exercise Early in the Morning.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, www.nbcnews.com/better/health/9-really-good-reasons-exercise-early-morning-ncna795656.

Marturana, Amy. “20-Minute No-Equipment Total-Body Workout You Can Do Anywhere.” SELF, SELF, www.self.com/gallery/20-minute-no-equipment-total-body-workout.