As most of us know, regular exercise is essential for improving and maintaining overall health. Regular exercise not only helps you to maintain or lose body weight, exercise is extremely important for enhancing the performance of all of your bodily systems. For instance, exercise helps to regulate blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Exercise increases the body's metabolism, immune system capabilities, cardiovascular function, brain & neurological function, and bone density. In addition, exercise has a positive effect on a person's mental outlook. The body produces certain hormones during exercise that elevate mood and emotional well being. Not to mention that exercise is the perfect way to reduce the negative effects of stress. The biggest problem with exercise is, not so much exercise itself (exercise is as simple as walking), it is allotting the time to do it. Fitting an exercise program in an already hectic and busy day can seem impossible. Juggling kids and house work, long hours at work and doing errands and chores always seem to put exercising on the back burner. According to Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, Chief Exercise Physiologist of the American Council on Exercise, one of the best times to exercise is first thing in the morning. "Starting your morning with physical activity, you set the day's pace," Bryant says. "Morning exercisers tend to stick with their exercise habit," he says. "By doing the bulk of exercise first thing in the morning, you get your exercise in before other distractions can intrude. We can all relate to that because once the day gets going, it's hard to get off the treadmill called life." According to Bryant, research suggests that morning exercise improves sleep, a benefit that could also promote weight loss. One study of overweight women between the ages of 50-75 showed that those who engaged in consistent morning exercise (about four hours a week) slept better than those who exercised less. In addition, exercise in the morning has a profound effect on the body's metabolism. Studies show that the body will continue to burn an excess of calories hours after the exercise session, promoting further weight loss. Often the biggest concern among people who do not exercise is that they have too much to do in the morning before getting out the door. They feel they don't have time to fit in an exercise session. The solution to that problem is to wake up 30-40 minutes earlier, just for the exercise routine. Get out of bed, freshen-up and exercise. The first few sessions may be tough, and you will be more tired at the end of the day, but guess what? You'll sleep better through the night and may even end up going to bed a little earlier. A little more quality sleep, coupled with your new exercise routine can only mean one thing... a healthier, happier life!
