THE BENEFITS ARE AMPLE, SO HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO GET IT DONE EFFICIENTLY...
A workout at any time of the day is better than no workout. Still, if you prefer morning workouts to working out before bed, there's way to maximize the benefits. Here are a few tips to help you get from the wake up to post workout.
Turn up the heat...
A warm house gives you greater motivation to slide out of bed in the morning. So if you have a programmable thermostat, try setting it to be just warm enough before your alarm goes off.
Start off with a cup of coffee...
Starting your morning off with a cup of black coffee helps you naturally achieve and maintain your energy levels throughout the day. Getting a boost of caffeine in your system before a workout has been proven to increase your endurance and quality of the workout. Further, exercise combats fatigue through increased metabolism, blood circulation, and release of endorphins. A morning workout can be the ultimate way to start your day off right due to its ability to improve your mood, focus, and mental capacity.
Eat an apple or a banana...
You've got to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas. If you grew up watching Barney, you know exactly the tune that was playing in my head when I typed that. Therefore, we're kindred spirits.
Apples and bananas are prepackaged carb loads for a quick pre-workout meal. They each provide on average about 30g of carbs which is the perfect amount to give you an energy boost for your morning workout.
Sneak your warm up in...
Time is precious in the morning, so efficiency is a must. While you're watching your morning jo brew, do some stationary lunges to get the blood flowing and warm up the muscles. Do arm and back stretches while you're putting on your sports bra and top. Roll and stretch your ankles while you're catching up on your Facebook feed.
Stick to compound movements and circuits...
Compound movements like squats and deadlifts provide a full-body workout to help you maximize calorie burning in the least amount of time. Circuit training reduces your rest periods and increasing exercise variation for a full body workout as well. Both workouts grant an after-burn effect that causes your body to continue burning calories well into the day. I'm sure you don't mind burning an extra hundred calories while sorting your emails from RESPOND ASAP to IGNORE INDEFINITELY.
Drink a protein shake on the way to work...
Cap your workout off with a high protein snack protein on the way to work. Protein shakes are a quick and easy option, and there are plenty of other lean protein snack choices that offer the same benefit. For example, protein is satiating and helps your muscles recover from the stress of exercise. Feeling more satiated means less snacking, which means better control over your diet. It's a win-win situation.
