Why Should We Work Out In Mornings?
- It keeps our body healthy.
- It helps to eliminate toxins from the body that have built up and accumulated overnight.
- It rejuvenates and recharges our body, gearing it up for maximum performance.
- Studies show that people who exercise in the morning burn up a higher percentage of fat.
- Exercising
in the morning increases our core temperature for the rest of the day.
That means that you not only burn fat during your workout but also
throughout the day.
- When we do something early in the day, we
are more likely to be consistent about it as nothing can come between us
and our fitness goals. Right?
1. Go for a Run or Walk:
Though
you can run on the treadmill, try going outside as the fresh air, free
from pollution provides good things for your heart, lungs and mind. It
helps you to connect with nature.
2. Biking:
This
is another cardio exercise to burn calories. Biking helps not only to
burn calories but also gives effective endurance training to those leg
muscles. While running affects mainly your calf muscles and shins,
biking works well for the thighs. You can vary your speed between normal
and all-out. It helps in building endurance. It is best to go for
cycling in the morning to avoid traffic.
3. Circuit Training:
This is another cardio exercise to burn calories. Biking helps not
only to burn calories but also gives effective endurance training to
those leg muscles. While running affects mainly your calf muscles and
shins, biking works well for the thighs. You can vary your speed between
normal and all-out. It helps in building endurance. It is best to go
for cycling in the morning to avoid traffic.
It is basically a form of body conditioning that targets strength
building and muscle endurance through high intensity aerobics. The idea
is to do all the exercises that complete one circuit and then repeat the
circuit again, taking time only to sip water between the circuits.
There are many circuit examples available in the form of DVDs and
YouTube videos. The Jillian Michaels’ DVD for
circuit training, cardio videos of Cassey Ho and the workouts by Bob
Harper, all available on YouTube.
Some
of my favorite exercises for circuit training are burpees, squat jumps,
plank lifts, and hand walks. Circuit training burns 30 percent extra
calories than normal workouts. Mornings are the best time to do circuits
as you are full of energy to put all of it into the exercise. This will
help to burn those calories away.
4. Kickboxing:
Training for kickboxing is beneficial enough to make you stronger. It
also burns fat and gives you real good moves to use in self-defense.
There are many fun kickboxing workouts available online. It is best to
join a kickboxing class for initial training.
5. Yoga:
It is a known fact that the best and also the most appropriate time
to do yoga asanas is in the morning, preferably before or at the time of
sunrise. It should always be done on an empty stomach. Practicing yoga
not only tones the body externally but also helps in the healing and
strengthening of the internal organs.
6. Surya Namaskar:
A single Surya Namaskar burns 13.91 calories approx. If you practice
Surya Namaskar for 30 minutes in the morning and complete about 15
rounds, you burn nearly about 278-280 calories. This is more than what
one normally might burn during a 1 hour cardio session. As there are
many versions of Surya Namaskar to suit one’s fitness level, choose one
for yourself. Surya Namaskar is suggested to be performed at the time of
sunrise. It is not only about burning calories but also about the
overall well-being of a person. Try to complete as many Surya Namaskar
as possible. Do not overburden yourself at one go. Start with 6 or 8 SN,
and keep increasing the number as you get comfortable.
7. Stretching Exercises:
Stretching exercises are a must in your daily routine. Even on your
rest-days, do try a few nice stretching exercises. Studies suggest that
overnight proteins get collected in the joints. It is important to
stretch your muscles and work your joints to prevent diseases like
arthritis. Further, these stretching exercises tone your muscles. It is
important to add toning to your workout regime. After burning the
calories, it comes to toning it all up. Yogasanas like Downward-Dog,
Cobra, Virasana variations and Cat-stretch combine toning and
stretching.
8. Pranayama:
Image: Shutterstock
It has been a long time since Yoga guru Baba Ramdev popularized
Pranayama among the masses, and it is still a craze. Pranayama has the
power to keep you fit and young. This too must be practiced on an empty
stomach.
9. Kapalbhati Pranayama:
It is one cure for everything and one of the simplest techniques to
deal with all types of diseases. It helps to lose fat from the stomach
area (the most stubborn fat too). If you are a beginner, do this
exercise for 3 minutes and then keep progressing up to 10 minutes. That
is the maximum limit for Kapalbhati. The ideal way is to do 700 counts
of Kapalbhati every day
10. Nadi Pranayama or Anulom-Vilom:
Nadi Pranayama or Anulom-Vilom is another common Pranayama which can
be done by anyone from a little child to your 80-year old grandma. The
most important thing about Anulom-Vilom is that it helps in regulating
breathing. The breathing technique is important during all kinds of
exercises, especially while doing cardio and yoga. This can affect your
weight loss and toning. Breathing exercises forms an important part of
Anulom-Vilom.
Tips:
- It is good to do your AM cardio workout on an empty stomach. Make
sure you stay hydrated all the time! You can use water, infused water,
coconut water, whichever you find healthy.
- If you are doing weight training after your cardio sessions, make
sure you grab some protein beforehand like a banana or some almonds.
- Try doing Abhyanga (self-massage with oil) before your morning
workout. It is an Ayurvedic ritual that helps in the removal of toxins
and keeps your body moisturized throughout the workout.
- Since your beauty is as important as your fitness, make sure to
apply sunscreen lotion if you are heading outside for a run or biking.
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