Do you rise and shine? Or battle to get out of bed?

Scientifically it makes sense that our body is more efficient after a good rest and, as most people get their largest dose of rest and recovery at night, the morning is a time when your body is firing on all cylinders. You may also find you are more focused early in the morning before you face the challenges of your day-to-day task list.

Five early morning workout tips to help you get up & get going

Focus
An early morning workout will free up the rest of your day and allow you to focus on the things you need to achieve. I find that the clear mind I get from jogging gives me the peace and quiet I need to plan my day and to make sure nothing is forgotten. Try using part of your exercise time to decide how you will spend your day so that you can make the most of your time.

Prioritise
We all have good intentions and I hear from so many people who say they always PLAN to workout but, over the course of each day, their time just fills up and they don’t prioritise exercise over the hundreds of other things they need to do.

How many times have your good fitness intentions gone to waste because your day became hectic, leaving you with no time or energy to take care of your body? By getting up early and starting your day with a workout, your plans can’t be derailed.

Be Positive
Improve your mood with a natural rush of healthy hormones. Exercise promotes the release of happy endorphins in your body. Starting your day with an early morning workout will generate a happy, positive feeling that will impact your own life and the lives of people you come into contact with all day long.

Achieve
Success and the feeling of achievement will help you to build confidence. There are few better feelings than accomplishing a goal, both in sports and in life. By setting good habits and working out early, you are achieving a goal of being active. Confidence is a terrific byproduct that comes from determination and success.

Metabolise
Morning workouts can help you to burn extra fat throughout the day. By kick-starting your day with exercise, you are also boosting your metabolism and forcing your body to use energy to re-generate during the day. Exercise can improve your resting metabolic rate, which can make your body more efficient at burning calories.

Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.