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Morning exercise sets the tone for a healthy day.

Have you ever wondered why athletes often make sure they get in an early morning workout or training session? When it comes to sports training, early is better.

As an athlete, I know that an early morning workout will positively affect my performance and attitude. Getting up early requires discipline and disciplined athletes are successful. After adjusting to a new schedule, I realized I achieved more during my early morning training sessions. I wanted to know why.

Scientifically it makes sense that our body is more efficient after a good rest, and most people get their largest dose of rest and recovery at night; the morning is a time when your body is firing on all cylinders. You may also find you are more focused early in the morning before you face the challenges of your day-to-day task list. As a competitor, I also wanted to train my body to be ready if I ever had an early race.

While you may not be preparing for your next race, there are good reasons for setting your alarm early and jump-starting your day on a positive step.

Five early morning workout tips to help you get up and get going

Focus

An early morning workout will free up the rest of your day and allow you to focus on the things you need to achieve. I find that the clear mind I get from jogging gives me the peace and quiet I need to plan my day and to make sure nothing is forgotten. Try using part of your exercise time to decide how you will spend your day so that you can make the most of your time.

Prioritize

I hear from so many people who say they always plan to workout but, over the course of each day, their time just fills up and they don’t prioritize exercise over the hundreds of other things they need to do.

How many times have your good fitness intentions gone to waste because your day became hectic, leaving you with no time or energy to take care of your body? By getting up early and starting your day with a workout, your plans can’t be derailed.

Be Positive

Improve your mood with a natural rush of healthy hormones. Exercise promotes the release of happy endorphins in your body. Starting your day with an early morning workout will generate a happy, positive feeling that will impact your own life and the lives of people you come into contact with all day long.

Achieve

Success and the feeling of achievement will help you to build confidence. There are few better feelings than accomplishing a goal, both in sports and in life. By setting good habits and working out early, you are achieving a goal of being active.

Metabolize

Morning workouts can help you to burn extra fat throughout the day. By kick-starting your day with exercise, you are also boosting your metabolism and forcing your body to use energy to regenerate during the day. Exercise can improve your resting metabolic rate, which can make your body more efficient at burning calories.

I know there are a multitude of reasons why an early morning workout may not be for you. Starting your day positively by taking care of your body can boost your performance in other areas of life. By making your workout one of the first things you do each day, you sidestep the risk of exercise becoming a chore.

However, as I always say: Some exercise is better than no exercise. And, really, whatever time of day you can squeeze in a workout is fine. Just be sure you do make time to be active in some way every day. Make an effort to be consistent and don’t let excuses stop you from being the best you can be.