5 Benefits of the "Rise & Grind"

Getting up on a cold, dark winter morning is not always very easy and it does take a few weeks to get your body into the habit of waking earlier and getting moving early but it is worth it for many reasons.

I have been a morning exerciser for many years now and on the days I don't do it, I feel a bit "off" all day. Some mornings the driving force in getting my butt out of bed and to the gym (or my garage) is that I know I will feel better all day - mentally and physically - if I get my workout on early.

The list of reasons to get up and work out is long but these are my personal "Top 5" benefits of the "Rise & Grind."

1. Metabolism Boost - morning is the best time to get moving. Exercise always boosts your metabolism, but when you exercise in the morning it gives you a metabolism boost for the entire day. 
2. Focus - my morning workouts are my time to set my priorities for the day and get myself in the right mindset to have a great day. It helps me focus throughout the entire day when I've had a chance to clear my mind first thing in the morning and really give intention to how I want to shape my day. 
3. More Energy - if I do not workout first thing in the morning, I have noticeably less energy than I do on days when I workout early. Energy begets energy. Getting moving early gets your body and your mind geared up and will give you the energy you need to power through your busy day.
4. Empty Gym - if you've ever been to the gym between 5-7pm you know it is nuts! It's rush hour and it's difficult to get the equipment you want and sometimes it's so crowded it makes it challenging to get your workout done the way you want. Early in the morning the gym is empty. It's a great time to do circuit training, supersets, giant sets, etc. 
5. No Scheduling Conflicts - when you workout later in the day it can be easy for other things to come up - happy hour, unplanned appointments or meetings or maybe at the end of the day you're just too tired and don't feel like working out. When you do it first thing in the morning, it's done and you don't have to worry about it the rest of the day. And it's a great sense of accomplishment. 

If you are thinking about making morning workouts part of your day, I'll warn you, it's tough to get in the habit of getting up in the cold and dark but it is worth it. And I promise that you will find once you are in the habit, you really like starting your day with a good sweat!