If I had to pick a single factor that I thought

was most important in a successful exercise or

weight loss program, it would be to exercise first

thing in the morning - every morning! Some mornings,

you may just be able to fit in a 10 minute walk,

but it's important to try to do something every

morning.

So why mornings?...

1. Over 90% of people who exercise *consistently*,

exercisein the morning. If you want to exercise

consistently, odds are in your favor if you exercise

first thing in the morning.

2. When you exercise early in the morning, it

"jump starts" your metabolism and keeps it elevated

for hours, sometimes up to 24 hours! That means

you're burning more calories all day long just

because you exercised in the morning!

3. When you exercise in the morning you'll be

*energized* for the day! Personally, I feel

dramatically different on days when I have and

haven't exercised in the morning.

4. Many people find that morning exercise

"regulates" their appetite for the day - that they

aren't as hungry and that they make better food

choices. Several people have told me that it puts

them in a "healthy mindset."

5. If you exercise at about the same time every

morning, and ideally wake-up at about the same

time on a regular basis, your body's endocrine

system and circadian rhythms adjust to that.

Physiologically, some wonderful things begin to

happen; A couple of hours *before* you awaken,

your body begins to prepare for waking and exercise

because it "knows" it's about to happen. Why?

Because it "knows" you do the same thing just about

everyday. You benefit from that in several ways..

a) It's MUCH easier to wake-up. When you wake-up

at different times everyday, it confuses your

body and thus it's never really "prepared"

to awaken.

b) Your metabolism and all the hormones involved

in activity and exercise begin to elevate

while you're sleeping. Thus, you feel more

alert, energized, and ready to exercise when

you do wake-up.

c) Hormones prepare your body for exercise by

regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood

flow to muscles, etc.

6. For many people, that appointed time every

morning becomes something they look forward to.

It's time they've set aside to do something

good for themselves - to take care of their body,

mind, and soul. Many find that it's a great time

to think clearly, pray, plan their day, or just

relax mentally.

7. Research has demonstrated that exercise

increases mental acuity. On average it lasts

four to ten hours after exercise! No sense in

wasting that brain power while you're sleeping. :)

8. Exercise first thing in the morning is really

the only way to assure that something else won't

crowd exercise out of your schedule. When your days

get hectic, exercise usually takes a back seat!

9. If finding time to exercise is difficult,

anyone can get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier to

exercise (if it's a priority in your life). If

necessary, you can go to sleep a little earlier.

Also, research has demonstrated that people who

exercise on a regular basis have a higher quality

of sleep and thus require less sleep!

10. You'll feel GREAT! DO IT! :)

copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S.