{"id":3574,"date":"2017-11-02T16:05:54","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T16:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/blog\/own-the-a-m\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T18:59:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T18:59:09","slug":"own-the-a-m","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/blog\/own-the-a-m\/","title":{"rendered":"Own the A.M."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm\u2014or, in this case, the awesome workout. There are a multitude of science-backed reasons to exercise first thing in the morning: lower stress, higher energy, even the ability to ward off weight gain after over indulging at dinner the night before. Morning workouts can lead to a more restful night\u2019s sleep and lower blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, working out at any time of the day is better than not working out at all, and not everyone\u2019s schedule can accommodate a morning gym session. But if you\u2019re on the fence and need a push to throw off the covers and elevate your heart rate, Gold\u2019s Gym Fitness Institute experts Adam Friedman and Robert Reames tell you how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Work Out in the Morning<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More fat burning potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent study found that doing a cardiovascular workout on an empty stomach can force the body to burn more fat than it would after a meal. \u201cIt gets your body to utilize fat for fuel,\u201d says Friedman. \u201cThe research is really good on this,\u201d adds Reames. \u201cThat\u2019s the best time to do it, in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A.M.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer excuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easier to hit the gym in the early morning, when you don\u2019t have errands, last-minute work, or happy hour pulling you away. \u201cI work with a lot of really busy people, and most of them work out in the morning because they get it over with,\u201d says Reames.  \u201cStuff comes up during the day. If you\u2019re running a business, if you have a family, there are a lot of things that can alter your workout time if you wait.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easier to stick to an exercise plan if you\u2019re doing it at the same time every day\u2014say, 7 a.m.\u2014than a variable time like whenever you leave the office. \u201cYou\u2019re less likely to have life show up and distract you from working out,\u201d Friedman says. Also, be sure to set reminders or alarms in your phone to bring your session front of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A revved up metabolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While exercising at any time of day will speed up your metabolism, \u201cyou really get a jump start to your metabolism with a morning workout,\u201d Reames says. \u201cDo HIIT<\/a> training or cardio in the morning, and you have hours of benefit that carry you throughout your day. You\u2019re kick-starting the engine of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Become a Morning Workout Person<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Banish blue light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set yourself up for early morning success by powering down well before you hit the hay. \u201cShut down your computer and phone, get rid of all blue light an hour before you go to bed,\u201d says Friedman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get enough sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours per night for adults. That means \u201cyou\u2019ve got to get to bed early,\u201d Reames says. \u201cIf you want to work out at 6 a.m. and you go to bed at 2, that\u2019s not happening.\u201d Try sticking to a strict sleep schedule so you can keep your body\u2019s sleep-wake cycle consistent. This means going to bed and waking up a the same time everyday. Your diet also effects how you sleep, so watch your intake before bed and stay clear of nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let yourself adjust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not going to go from hitting the snooze button to bounding out of bed overnight, and that\u2019s okay. \u201cThe good news about working out in the morning, you will adjust,\u201d says Friedman. \u201cIt takes a couple of weeks. It can be really difficult for people to make that change if they haven\u2019t done it before, but they can change their circadian rhythms over the course of a few weeks. It will get easier and easier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A.M.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make a date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re less likely to hit the snooze button if you make plans to meet someone at the gym. \u201cGet someone to hold you accountable, whether it\u2019s a workout partner or a trainer appointment or a group class that starts at a certain time.\u201d Friedman says. Also, be sure to set reminders and alerts on your phone to make sure your session is front of mind when you wake up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If necessary, fuel up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re wary of working out on an empty stomach, try a snack. \u201cBe clear about what you need in your stomach beforehand,\u201d Friedman says. \u201cMaybe you need that cup of coffee or a little bit of something easily digestible, like some whey protein powder and water, or a small piece of fruit.\u201d Having something in your system will help keep your energy post-workout and into your day. Try preparing your snack the night before so that it\u2019s ready to go when you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep it simple and have a plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s smart to have a  plan for when you get to the gym so you maximize your gym time. Try our treadmill workout for beginners<\/a> next time you\u2019re in the gym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack your bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your gym bag by the door. Lay out your gym clothes the night before, or maybe sleep in your gym shirt if it means that you\u2019ll rise amped to work out. \u201cI pack my car at nigh so I don\u2019t have to do all that loading in the morning,\u201d Reames says. \u201cThat way I can maximize my sleep, and in the morning I\u2019m ready to rock.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<p>Why morning workouts rule\u2014and how to make them a habit.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":6672,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_post_subtitle":"Our experts share why (and how) to become a morning workout person.","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[117,186],"class_list":["post-3574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-goal-setting","tag-improve-cardio"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3574"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3574\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10123,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3574\/revisions\/10123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goldsgym.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}