8 Totally Awesome Reasons to Workout Before the Sun Comes Up

Let's face it, not everyone is a huge fan of working out, especially early in the morning.  Getting up to participate in vigorous physical activity before the sun is even up may not be your cup of tea (or coffee in this case), but there are actually some great benefits to working out in the wee hours of the morning.  Of course you have all the same wonderful benefits of physical activity, but below are a few extra special ones that specifically apply to early morning workouts.  So even if you're not a fan of working out at all, by making early morning exercises a part of your routine, you may not only grow to love exercise, you may just actually begin to love those early AM workouts too!

More Energy: Exercise releases endorphins that improve your mood and energy levels, an effect that can last well into the afternoon if you get your workout in early.  So early morning workouts will not only make you feel more energized, you'll be in a better mood throughout your day, boosting productivity and making you a much more pleasant person to be around.

Brain Booster: Exercise has been proven to increase mental focus and acuity for up to ten whole hours post-workout.  Take full advantage of this benefit by working out nice and early.  This way you'll have plenty of hours of brain power as opposed to evening workouts when you'll be asleep for most of that brain boosting time period.

Better Metabolism: Just like brain boosting powers, the benefits of exercise on your metabolism linger on after exercising and you will continue to burn calories even after your workout is done.  This is best to maximize on while you are awake and eating, rather than sleeping, so that your metabolism can work to its full potential.

Healthier Approach: If you can commit to waking up over an hour earlier than you normally would to drag yourself to the gym and work hard while you're there, you are more likely to make healthier choices throughout the day.  You will be so proud of yourself for getting up early and burning all those calories, you'll think twice about sabotaging all that hard work with unhealthy food choices.

You're Done for the Day: One of the most beautiful things about early morning workouts is not having to worry about working out any more for the rest of the day.  How many times have you brought your gym bag to work with intentions of working out during your lunch break or after you get off, and it never happens?  You get "too busy" at work or "too tired" from the day that all you want to do is go home and relax.  By working out before you even have time to make an excuse not to, you won't have to worry about it looming over your head the whole rest of the day, because you already did it!

You'll Stay Committed: We are creatures of habit, our bodies and minds thrive on routine.  Once you have committed to something for several weeks, it really becomes a part of your lifestyle.  Although difficult at first, the more you do it, the more likely you are to adhere to it.  Before you know it, those early morning workouts will not only be a part of your routine, but something you may actually look forward to!

No Time Conflicts: Life gets busy.  We have jobs, families, home projects and hobbies we want to be involved in.  As the day goes on, it seems like more commitments pile up on our plate.  The easiest, and for some, the only way to carve out time for fitness, is before we even tackle our day.  Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment.

You're a Bad A$$: Oh yeah, I said it.  You're one bad mama jama for hitting up the gym and working hard before the sun and practically everyone else is even up.  You're part of an elite group of people who not only value your health and well-being, but have the dedication and commitment to making it a priority before anything else in your day.  Next time you think about hitting that snooze button, think about how awesome you are instead of how tired you are, and give yourself a huge pat on the back for hopping out of bed and getting your early morning workout in!