Why I Choose Morning Workouts
“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t.”
Over the last few years, I've been more and more interested in personal fitness. I've loved not only the ways it has changed my body, but I appreciate the lifted mood, increase in energy, and health benefits I'll receive long term.
In my previous job, I would get off work at 4pm and head straight to the gym. Now that I've switched jobs, I figured I would do the same. After all, I was working until 5 now, which is only one hour later. My gym is located in the same building as my parking garage, so this should be simple, right?
Boy, how that one hour can change a girl's energy. When traveling through Chicago's rush hour traffic day in and day out after a full working day, I had low energy. Still, I persisted on. After the rush of people who decide to work out after work, though, my basement gym was humid, hot, and uncomfortable. With other people sweating all over the place, I was turned off.
My ideal gym experience gives me plenty of space to move, even if I'm on a stationary machine. I like open spaces, few people around, and the ability to completely zone into the exercise at hand. In Chicago, this type of experience is hard to find. At rush hour, it's damn near impossible.
With this in mind, I decided to try going to the gym in the mornings when I wake up. Since my work day begins at 9AM, I have plenty of time in the morning to fit a solid AM workout in (providing I get up at a decent hour and don't hit snooze too many times 😂). Although I don't love the idea of waking up before the sun, I gave it a go.
Turns out, I LOVE my morning workouts. It gives me a good reason to get out of bed in the morning when work doesn't seem to be the driving force. I get to wake up, move around, and have my "me time" as soon as my feet hit the ground. I'm more motivated since I'm up and moving. I have time to lounge in the morning before work. My mood is overall better when I step into the office each morning.
I love that I have no excuse to not work out. Before, if I had a work event, a friend in town, or needed to travel after work, exercise was out of the question. With morning workouts, there amount of times I have skipped sweat sessions is near none.
I also enjoy that I have a healthy outlook to start my day. I come home from my workout and want to eat something healthy to fuel my body. Throughout the day, I drink water and move around more often than before. I make more health-conscious choices as a result of beginning my day with a fitness routine.
If you're looking to truly commit to working out and/or living a more healthy lifestyle, I have found success in starting each morning. You never know what lies for the day ahead!