FitSugar

5 Reasons to Exercise Before Work

FitSugar — Sat, 05 May 2012 19:30:38 PDT

I know that exercising in the early a.m. before you head to work can be a real challenge. If you aren't a morning person, missing out on sleep can seem very unappealing, but here are some reasons you may want to set your alarm for an early morning workout.

It's usually a peaceful, quiet time of day, so it can be a great opportunity to think and get some time alone.
Exercising in the morning wakes up your brain, clears your mind, and helps you organize your thoughts or your mental to-do list, preparing you for the day ahead.
If you get it done first thing, then you won't have to worry about trying to squeeze it in to your busy schedule, especially if you have kids. Plus, studies have shown morning exercisers are more consistent.
Exercising helps get things moving, digestively speaking, so working out early can prevent getting backed up later on in the day.
Since working out on an empty stomach can cause you to lose muscle, morning workouts will encourage you to eat breakfast, which has been proven to boost your metabolism, which helps to burn calories.

Wake Up Early and Get Motivated to Move

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:38:20 PST

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Namaste to Start Your Day: Yoga Poses to Do While Getting Ready

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:19:15 PDT

You slept through your alarm and don't have time for your morning yoga session. You can still fit in a little stretching and relaxation by doing these yoga poses while you get ready for work.

The Pros and Cons of Exercising Mornings, Afternoons, or Evenings

Leta Shy — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:03:13 PDT

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?

Tips to Drag You Out of the Dark Morning Bed

Michele Bell — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:30:29 PDT

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?

Do You Always Work Out at the Same Time of Day?

Michele Foley — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 04:30:11 PDT

My workout schedule is on the fritz. I'm pretty much a night person, and same goes for working out. I almost always go to my climbing gym at night, hang there (literally!) for a few hours, and have dinner around 9:30. But my workout partner is working late for the next few weeks, which leaves me stranded. (My gym is only accessible by car, and I don't have one.)

To remedy the problem, we've been trying to go to the gym before work - it's not exactly panning out. I'm not really a morning person and I can't seem to wake up enough to get the kind of workout I want. I know that if I stick with it, I'll come around, but since my climbing partner's schedule is back to normal in two weeks, I'm opting out. Instead, I signed up for a temporary membership and I'm doing midday workouts at the gym by my work. I guess when it comes to working out, I am a creature of habit. How about you - are you chained to a schedule or do you play it loose?

Dance Your Way Through the Morning Routine

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:00:06 PDT

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!

Checklist For Your Early Morning Run

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:47:46 PDT

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?

Wake Up and Work Out

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:00:21 PST

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

Get to bed early the night before. Even if you're one of those rare people who can survive on less than five hours of sleep that is not enough snooze time if expect to wake up and have energy for a morning workout. That means you can't go to bed at midnight and expect to rise and shine at 5 a.m. Get into the habit of going to bed early enough so you get at least eight hours of zzz's.
If you're not sleepy at night, try limiting your caffeine during the day, and be finished with your last caffeinated bev by 4 p.m. Warm baths, a cup of tea, and ditching the TV and computer use before bed can also encourage you to relax and fall asleep more easily.
Creatively motivate yourself. When you're cozy under your sheets telling yourself you feel great after you exercise will probably not help you jump out of bed. Get creative with your means of motivation. Make a new workout playlist, or get excited to wear your new sneaks. Conjure up the image of that cute guy you've seen at the gym lately. Get psyched about a tasty new breakfast idea. If you have something you're looking forward to once you wake up, you'll find it impossible not to get out of bed.
Make a date and set a time. You know you love Zumba and your gym only offers it at 6 a.m. Make an appointment with a trainer or plan to meet a fitness buddy at the park to go for a run. Scheduling morning workouts is a surefire way to get you there.
Reward your morning exercise efforts. Either give yourself a little treat after each morning workout or make a goal to exercise every day, Monday through Friday and on the last day, buy yourself a new fitness top, get a pedicure, or go to the movies with a friend. Rewards are huge motivators, and thinking about the pleasure that comes after your hard work may give you that emotional push out of bed.

Do you work out in the morning? Is it easy or hard for you?

Morning Exercisers Burn More Calories

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:55 PST

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?