The 2017 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report revealed that the UK health and exercise industry continues to grow with 1 in every 7 people owning a gym membership. There are, in total, more than 9.7 million wellness members in the UK with the report highlighting an impressive growth across all sectors of the fitness industry. In 2017 there are more exercise choices than ever before and with just a bit of effort, you should be able to find a fitness angle that works best for you.
When you exercise is as important as how you exercise, although personal preference does play a big part in deciding whether you train in the morning or later in the day. Due to the fact that working out can clear your mind and boost your mood for up to ten hours post-workout, more and more individuals are opting to start their day with some form of exercise. When it comes to early-morning exercise it is important to follow a few guidelines that will enable you to get the most out of your start-of-day exercise routine.
Pick a realistic time
It may be tempting to set your alarm clock for 4am so that you can have your workout done and be showered by 6am but it may not be realistic or sustainable. Find a time that you can stick to without trying to impress anyone, including yourself. If you pick a time that is too hard to stick to you will find it extremely difficult to create a routine around it. Once you decide on a time, stick to it as it is very easy to get distracted by doing other things. If you assign a certain time to your exercise requirements make sure nothing else takes priority and remember to set aside 5 to 10 minutes to stretch and warm-up.
Enjoy a good night’s sleep
Sleep is vitally important for just about all areas of our lives. If you go to bed too late you will not be able to get up early enough to exercise and if you do manage to drag yourself out of bed you may feel groggy and unmotivated. As humans, we need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to function at our very best. While we often like to think of ourselves as superhuman we need to realize that our aim is to thrive not merely survive and in order to do so, we need to sleep.
Put out your clothes and sneakers the night before
This is a huge and handy preparation tip. The last thing you want to do after waking up early in the morning is search for your workout clothes. Having everything you will require ready at night will put you at least 10 steps ahead in the morning. It also helps to get changed as soon as you wake up as it tells your mind that you are now ready to exercise, which in turn prepares your body for what is coming.
Plan your workout ahead of time
By the time you wake up in the morning you need to know what your exercise routine for the day entails. Having a plan in place helps you to get started and remain focused on your workout. Not having such a plan can see you wasting a lot of time in the morning trying to figure out what to do. If a time constraint is preventing you from exercising in the morning create a home workout plan instead of going to the gym.
When starting a new exercise routine it is key to do it often until it becomes a habit and you no longer have to force yourself to do it. Early-morning exercise may not be for everyone but the benefits of starting your day with physical activity are endless. Experiment with different starting times and routines until you find the one that best works for you.
Contribution by Jane Sandwood.