Efficient Workouts During January Part 1: Early AM Workouts

January is the time of the year when many health club members get frustrated trying to workout when gyms are busier than normal because of the New Years rush.

One way to get around this problem is to
schedule your workout first thing in the morning.

In addition to most health clubs being less busy than afternoon/evening times, there are some additional benefits:

• The workout is done before work starts.  You don't have to worry about coming to the gym after a long day of work which reduces stress.
• Members working out first thing in the morning usually have good gym etiquette - they want to get in and out of the club and don't stand around socializing.
• After a person gets used to waking up earlier to train (takes 2-3 weeks to adapt), energy for workouts is usually higher as people should have higher cortisol in the am (high cortisol is good prior to a workout).
• More calories (mainly carbs) can be consumed earlier in the day around your workout (depending on body type) allowing you to taper calories the rest of the day.

Even if you are not a morning person I have had numerous fitness enthusiasts switch to early am workouts because of the above benefits.

The next post will discuss the benefits of working out during lunch hour.