20 Oct The AM effect

Find out why working out in the AM should be apart of your morning routine!

If dragging yourself out of bed for an early morning sweat session sounds like the end of the world, then you’re definitely not alone! It’s almost unanimously agreed upon that being a morning person takes stamina, commitment and obvious determination (traits that can often be hard to muster when tucked up in bed on a chilly morning!) But working out as the sun rises can actually have immense values for your body, from increased mental clarity throughout the day to vast improvements on your metabolism. Practicing yoga in the morning particularly enhances focus and clears away excess fatigue – or monkey mind as the Buddhists like to call it! Warrior One offers a number of different early classes to suit your daybreak routine, ranging from Align to Power Flow to get your body moving and prepared for the rest of the day.

But firstly, how do you actually find the motivation to get to a morning class? Motivation levels are usually the common issue when it comes to committing to an early bird exercise habit. Perhaps you’re too tired in the morning, you’re super hungry when you wake up or your body just feels stiff and unwilling to participate in any sort of activity that doesn’t involve pressing the snooze button on your alarm twelve times. The excuses come in all shapes and forms, but the reality is that once you break the cycle of sleeping in, your body clock naturally adjusts to an early start. Incorporating some sort of exercise at the very beginning of the day will help you build a healthy and consistent routine.

There’s no doubt that work, family and general responsibilities swamp most of us every day and finding time to workout is sometimes impossible. However, allocating 30-40 minutes early in the morning means that you can have your workout done and dusted by 8am. What’s more, the endorphins released during morning activity will have you positively pumped to take on the rest of the day, acting as a healthy caffeine alternative! Once you become accustomed to a sunrise routine, even if it’s just an early walk a few times a week, you’ll be surprised how quickly your body adapts. Rather than waking up and feeling sluggish and drowsy, you’ll find yourself embracing an overall increase in energy and vitality.

Another benefit of committing to the early grind is the dramatic improvement on your quality of sleep! Although it might be a struggle in the morning at first, by the end of the day you’ll notice a healthy sense of fatigue and an instinctive necessity for your body to rest. Starting the day with a workout might leave you feeling totally zonked by bedtime but it essentially promotes a deeper sleep cycle, and totally gives you a sense of accomplishment for having worked your butt off all day long.

Eating a healthy, balanced meal after a morning workout is the best way to kick-start your metabolism for the day, effectively aiding in weight loss and even potentially lowering your BMI (body mass index.) When we eat the body has three different uses for the food that we put into it: use it as a source of energy, use it to replenish the body OR store it for later use (aka FAT!) However, exercising – particularly high intensity training – requires the body to be fuelled and replenished immediately. By working out in the morning and then devouring a delicious and nutritious brekkie you are naturally consuming the fuel to keep you healthy and energetic!

Still not convinced that the AM is the time to shine? Here are some other handy hints to help you make the most of your morning:

• Lay out your exercise clothes the night before, that way when you wake up you’re already halfway to your workout!
• Starrrrrving? If you’re feeling hungry or weak in the morning prior to working out then eat something small to give you a boost of energy. A banana, protein bar or even a cup of coffee are all great early snacks. Studies have also shown that consuming caffeine before exercising not only gives you a hit of energy but can potentially isolate your fat stores to be used as a primary source of energy – helping you burn more calories!
• Sign up for a class and lock in an early time to exercise. Book your mat for a 6:15am Power Flow at Warrior One and you’ll have more reason to get into gear and make it to class on time in the morning!