Last night at 10:17 p.m., a lot of people were probably boozing it up for Thirsty Thursday. Me? Oh, my body was begging for some shut-eye. I was already in bed, finishing up the page in my devotional before turning off my lamp and calling it a night. I know, I know, I’m a grandma. But I’m also dedicated to working out in the morning.
Believe it or not, I used to be (and on some days, still am) the most anti-morning person ever. I’m just as madly in love with my “snooze” button as you are! And as much as it sucks to set my alarm for 5:45 a.m. (read: actually getting out of bed at 5:50 a.m.), nothing compares to that post-workout high. I mean, that post-workout high feels amazing at all times of the day, but in the morning… wow. It’s on another level.
Before I go any further, I want to acknowledge something: I know morning workouts aren’t for everyone. I know our lives are delicately carved from certain routines and lifestyles that suit us individually, and that’s great! I have no idea what it’s like to take care of a three-year-old or juggle multiple demanding jobs. You do you, boo. You must do what works for you and you only.
On the other hand, I do encourage you (if possible) to jump out of your bed comfort zone and try exercising in the morning. One day is awesome, but you probably won’t love it right away. I pray that you’ll try for at least a week—come on, a week is not that bad—before deciding you hate it. Heck, I bet if you enlist a friend or coworker to embark on the challenge with you, you’ll stick it out. Competition is healthy and motivating!
Still not convinced? What if I told you that…
Morning workouts= being as lazy as you want after work. Would you rather change into a baggy (braless) shirt and sweats, or yank on some yoga pants and a tank? We both know the answer to that.
You beat the evening gym crowd. Who wants to make passive-aggressive eye contact with Bruce, who’s been hogging the leg press for twenty minutes? And who wants to be stuck with that one squeaky treadmill because all the others are taken?
You get your shower out of the way. Like jumping into a pool when you want to cool off, but more purposeful. And not to go there—but totally going there—it’s bound to be a total turn-on for your significant other. (To be perfectly honest, that’s just an educated guess… I’m single, so… LOL!!)
You start the day hydrated. I’m one of those people who doesn’t drink enough water throughout the day, but getting my a.m. sweat on nearly forces me to guzzle down that H20.
Suddenly, there’s a lot less room for excuses. You know how it goes: some days you have to work later than usual, or your friends invite you to a last-minute happy hour, or you put off going grocery shopping/laundry/whatever until tonight. Life happens, but it doesn’t have to get in the way of making your health a priority.
It’s much cooler in the morning than at night. Especially with these brutal summer heat waves, this is a no-brainer for outdoor exercisers.
It’s motivating to see other people out and about. This might apply slightly more to my city friends, but nevertheless, I can almost guarantee that you’ll see other go-getters like you. They’re walking their dogs, taking their kids to the bus stop, unloading the delivery truck at the storefront. Join the morning grind.
You could put the Energizer Bunny out of business. “But won’t I be even more tired afterwards?” Unlikely, because that blood-pumping will jolt your brain and body awake. Seriously, you might not (physically) need your morning coffee! Mentally and emotionally though, of course we do….
You’re going to torch more calories! Whether you know it or not, your body continues to burn calories long after you’ve left the gym. This is my favorite benefit because it makes me feel less guilty about sitting at my desk all day.
And last but not least—since this one tends to be controversial—you’ll likely be more mindful about what you eat. I say this is controversial because often we justify big splurges by saying, “Well, I did work out today already, so… why not?” And if you follow my blog regularly, you know that I don’t believe in swearing off indulgent foods. Life is too short to do that! But aside from the occasions when you rightfully give in to that slice of cake or basket of cheese fries, in the big picture, your morning workout will more often than not prompt you to think twice about eating junk.
OK, final bonus reason: you’ll witness breathtaking sunrises, like the one I used for this post. And then on Insta, you can brag about how/why you were there to see them 😉
I could list several more, but I thought the above 11 would be the most compelling. Feel free to add on in the comments, and thanks for reading!
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