Kick Start Your Day With Morning Workouts

The benefits of morning workouts

Do you still feel tired after getting up? Early morning workouts are a real wake-up call! Even a short exercise program in the morning helps to get your circulation going. Morning exercise stimulates blood circulation in the body and also gets the metabolism going. This gives you a much more active start to the day. The positive effect of an early workout can even last throughout the day. Exercise is an excellent counterbalance to stressful everyday life and helps you cope better with stress in the long term. If you get up early in the morning for a workout, you will also start the day with a good feeling, as exercise releases happiness hormones. Sounds good, doesn't it? 

If the workout has already been completed in the morning, you also have the evening "off". This means you can use your evening to play with the children, laze around, or pursue another hobby – without having to worry about your exercise falling through the cracks! 

Incorporate early morning exercise into your morning routine

Your inner couch potato is against exercise, no matter what time of day? You're not alone! To help you motivate yourself to exercise in the morning, you should establish a fixed routine. If morning workouts become a habit, you'll find it much easier to get up for exercise over time.  

Get your workout clothes ready in the evening so that you're ready for your session in the morning without too much effort. That way, you won't lose motivation easily! Also make sure you give yourself enough time for your morning workout and getting ready afterwards. If you're rushed and constantly looking at your watch, training will be a lot less fun, and it will be difficult to make a routine out of it.  

Do you struggle with getting up early? Our tip: Don't start setting your alarm clock two hours earlier overnight. Gradually start by setting aside a few minutes for gentle stretching and steadily increase the time for your early morning workouts. This will gradually get you used to getting up earlier and exercising in the morning. 

Morning workouts for morning grouches

Morning exercise often seems difficult to implement, especially for morning grouches. Does going to the gym early in the morning sound daunting to you? There is another way! Morning grouches can simply integrate a few physical exercises into their morning routine at home. There are no excuses anymore. 

After getting out of bed, start by stretching a little. Stretch your arms upwards as if someone is pulling you up like a marionette on a string. Then clasp your hands behind your back and stretch your arms as far as you can. Stretching exercises help you to shake off tiredness and loosen up your limbs.

When brushing your teeth, you can also do a few squats and calf raises. Both exercises strengthen the calves and thighs. Do the exercises for two to four minutes – this will also make sure you brush your teeth thoroughly 😉. 

You can then continue your early morning workout at the breakfast table. Sit upright on a chair and clasp your hands behind your head. Now tilt your upper body to a maximum of 45 degrees to the left and repeat 15 to 20 times. Then move on to the right side. This exercise is good for the lateral abdominal muscles. Continue with elbow presses. Rest your elbows on the kitchen table and clench your hands into fists. Open your legs hip-width apart. Now press your elbows hard against the tabletop for about 15 seconds and repeat the exercise three times. This will help strengthen your back. 

More energy from fresh air

It's not just exercise that invigorates your body and mind, fresh air also gives you a boost of energy. Early morning outdoor workouts are therefore a great way to start the day fit and do something good for yourself. Jogging or cycling are great for this. Take a different route every now and then to keep your morning exercise varied. You can decide for yourself how long you want to run or cycle, depending on your mood – or stamina. 😉 If you find you can't get out of bed one day, simply shorten the route. 

Another good idea is to cycle to work or walk part of the way. All you have to do is get up a little earlier to get moving every morning before work and get some energy for the day.  

Breakfast before or after a workout?

Should you have breakfast before or after exercise? An empty stomach during morning workouts is not advisable because the body then draws energy from the protein reserves in the muscles instead of the fat reserves. We want to avoid this! You should make sure you eat protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates in the evening. A balanced dinner will also give you energy in the morning. You can also have a snack in the morning before your early morning workout. A banana or some muesli, for example, are suitable as a basis for training. 

The real breakfast is served after your morning exercise! It's not good to train on a full stomach, as the body needs its energy for digestion. A healthy breakfast with vitamins and protein replenishes the body's energy stores without being heavy on the stomach. Greek yoghurt and porridge with fruit and a handful of nuts, for example, taste delicious and give you the energy you need for a successful day after training. So get out of bed and get training.