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?
What Should My AM Workout Comprise Of?
Your morning workout routine to lose weight could be anything starting from running to swimming, dancing, skipping, HIITs, jogging, walking, anything! It is all about that as a fit girl what do you feel like doing that morning. But for those trying to lose weight, you have to be a little more concerned about what will burn off the most calories and how. So here is a guide to your AM workout for weight loss.
Cardio
Cardio exercises are the most important when one is trying to lose weight. The first step to weight loss is burning calories, right? It is a fact that doing cardio first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, helps your muscles to oxidize the accumulated fatty acids in the body. In simple words, you will burn the stored fat off the body and not the calories that you have just consumed.
10 Best Morning Exercises for Weight Loss:
Here is given 10 best cardio exercises to do in the morning, which in turn will help you to lose weight for a healthy and fit body.
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:
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. Personally I like doing 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. This is one of the best morning exercise for weight loss.
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 combines toning and stretching.
8. Pranayama:
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.
Set your alarms ladies and get into your fittest best! Can we exercise at 10 am? Yes. You can work out at 10 am. However, the key is to maintain the routine to gain good results. Is 30 minutes of exercise a day enough? It depends on your health goal. For beginners, 30 minutes of daily exercise is fine. However, It is best to engage in moderate-intensity physical exercises for 150-300 minutes per week for better results (1). Should you exercise on an empty stomach? No. You must consume carbohydrates before exercising to improve performance and stamina.
