Morning Workout

With so much fun happening all Summer long, it can be easy to fall into a workout slump. Between family BBQs, concert goodness, and afterwork sunshine, it can be all too easy to say those famous words: "I'll go tomorrow instead." However, there's a far better and less guilt-filled way to get the most out of the longer days. The prospect for an early-morning workout may make you a little squeamish, but it's really the ideal way to make the most of all the fun that Summer has to offer.

• Get a bigger calorie burn: One of the biggest motivators for revamping your Summer morning routine? Early-morning exercise is actually better for you. Research has shown that morning exercisers tend to work out harder and longer and burn more calories than those who exercise later.
• Don't sweat it: Hot Summer days can make workouts a little tougher. With cooler temps earlier in the day, you'll be able to stay charged up and motivated for longer than you would once the sun seriously heats up.
• Enjoy more playtime: Getting your workout out of the way in the early a.m. means you have the rest of the day for work, friends, and social engagements. Even if waking up early isn't your thing, there are simple steps you can take to help you on your morning mission. Laying out an outfit the night before and finding a buddy to kick off the workout with are both easy-to-follow early-morning exercise tips that offer some much-needed inspiration.

Keep reading for more reasons to wake up and beat the heat.

If your schedule is so jam-packed that it's tough for you to squeeze in a workout, it's best to get it done in the early morning. If setting your alarm early to exercise before heading to work seems cruel impossible, here are some tips to get you moving in the morning.

1. Lay out your outfit and all the fitness gear you'll need the night before so when you wake up, you won't waste time searching for a matching pair of wicking socks, a clean sports bra, or your headphones. Also charge any gear you might need, like your iPod.
2. Be sure to hit the hay early so you're well rested, and set your alarm to wake up to your favorite peppy song. Lately I've been rousing from my slumber hearing Rihanna singing "Where have You Been." I'm practically dancing out of bed. If you tend to hit the snooze button way too many times, try putting your alarm clock on the other side of the room.
3. Make a date with a friend or fitness trainer. If you set up a time to meet in the a.m., you'll feel obligated to go, even if your mind and body tell you otherwise.
4. Schedule something exciting and inspirational to look forward to for your morning workout. A 6 a.m. Zumba class with your favorite instructor, sunrise yoga in a heated studio, or a new workout playlist to run to is sure to pull you out of bed.
5. Eat something quick before you workout, but plan a special breakfast to eat after your workout as a reward for your efforts. Nothing make me run home faster than the thought of a nice warm cup of coffee.

When's the best time to exercise? Of course, it depends on your individual energy levels and habits, but as long as you get in a good work out when you need to, when it happens is not important. But there are some pros and cons for working out in the morning or at night.

Morning
Pros: Often touted as the best time to work out, a dawn exercise session is great for so many reasons. By exercising early you leave your schedule open for other plans, feel energized the rest of the day, and are more likely to keep an exercise habit.
Cons: If you're not a morning person, staying motivated to wake up in time to work out can be hard (and lead to slacking off).

Afternoon
Pros: It can combat an afternoon slump, and not only that, exercising in the afternoon may be the best time to do so, energy level wise: your body will have a faster reaction time, muscle strength, and cardio efficiency around late afternoon.
Cons: If you work all day, getting in a midday workout can be a little harder to do, and you may have to cut your workouts short to factor in changing and shower time into your lunch break.

Evening
Pros: You can spend longer on your actual exercise time since you won't have work hanging over your head. You can also fuel up and hydrate well before your workout (which may be harder to do if you exercise early in the morning).
Cons: No spontaneous social plans for you if you want to stick to your gym routine, and you also may be finding yourself combating the feeling of wanting to skip a workout in favor of an evening on the couch.

What's your favorite time to work out?

I don't know about you, but these dark Fall mornings are making it tough for me to climb out of bed. When I should be at the gym getting my workout on, I'm hiding under the sheets waiting for the sun to pluck me from my slumber. With daylight saving ending this weekend things should get a bit easier, but I know I've still got a battle ahead of me. I'm pulling out all the stops with these tips and hoping they can help my fellow not-so-morning people, too.

• Before you go to sleep, set out your gym clothes in your bed so you don't even have to get out of bed to get dressed.
• Do some stretches in bed to get your body breathing.
• Keep a bouquet of flowers on your bedside table. Research shows that people feel energized by the scent of fresh flora.
• Skip the gym altogether and pop in a DVD for a personal exercise routine in your own living room.

Want to see the rest of the tips?

While working out in the morning is a great idea, what do you do if you just can't make it happen?

I have a friend — who lives alone, which means no angry roommates! — whose alarm wakes her up to loud, toe-tappin' tunes. After a light breakfast, she proceeds to dance her way through her morning routine of making breakfast, putting on makeup, blow-drying her hair, and getting dressed. She even throws in some squats while she brushes her teeth for good measure.

Instead of suffering through crunches or forcing yourself to run outside on a nippy morning, why not ease into the early day activity by dancing? It's a fun, no-effort way to get the blood pumpin' in the a.m. Do you get your groove on in the morning? Do you have other tips for morning workout motivation?

And if you need some playlist inspiration, check out Whitney Port's Summer mix and my recent running tunes. Are you a soon-to-be bride? Here's a wedding workout mix just for you!

Even though the daylight has shifted one hour, many of you may still be in the habit of running in the morning before work. If you're having a hard time motivating because it's a bit darker, here are some things you can do to prep for that run the night before.

• Eat a dinner that contains whole grains. These carbs will break down much slower than say white rice, pizza, or sugary dessert. This type of hearty dinner will give you the get-up-and go you need in the morning to feel energized for your run.
• Get your outfit ready and everything you need for your run, so you're not racing around in the morning for 20 minutes trying to find the lost mate to your favorite wicking socks. Set out your running clothes, sneakers, sunglasses, tissues, iPod case, and headphones, charge your iPod, and finalize plans with your running buddy.
• Get the ingredients for your breakfast ready as well, making sure it's low in fiber (to avoid digestive issues), and a good combination of protein and easily digested carbs. Nut butter on toast, granola with yogurt, and eggs are great choices.
• Get to bed early enough so that you can get a solid night's sleep, at least seven or eight hours. Make sure your alarm clock is set.

Tell me, do you prefer running in the morning even if it's dark outside?

When your alarm goes off in the morning, do you curse its very existence and hit the snooze button eight times before you actually pull yourself out of bed? If you're not a morning person, there's no way you could begin to understand how other people can wake up early and fit in an hour workout before getting ready and heading off to work. Yes, some people are just naturally perky in the morning and prefer sweating it out in the a.m., but then there's the rest of us who make a point to work out in the morning because it's the only time we can fit it in.

If you find that you're skipping out on exercise altogether because you're too busy, have meetings, have family obligations, or are just plain exhausted, then morning workouts might be just the thing you need. How can a non-morning person turn into a morning exerciser? Learn a handful of ways to become an early riser when you read more

Whether you're a fan of daylight saving or not most of us have to live with that fact that it gets darker much earlier. That means if you used to sweat it out after work, you may have to rearrange your schedule and make time for it before your nine-to-fiver. Not too motivated to set your alarm early? Here's something that might perk you out of bed and help you deal with the new studies on exercise and weight loss. Researchers at Bangor University in the United Kingdom discovered that a.m. exercisers work out harder than those who exercise at other times during the day. That translates to more calories burned. Why is that? People tend to be more energetic and alert in the morning, and may also feel less rushed than those who squeeze gym time into the middle of their busy schedules.

That's not to say that morning exercise trumps exercise at other times of the day. If you're not a morning person or can't fit it in at that time, don't force it. The most important thing is to fit exercise in, period, whenever you can.

Tell me, have you switched to morning workouts because of daylight saving time?