Fall in love with taking care of yourself - your body, mind, soul
When that early-morning alarm goes off, and all you want
is to roll over and stay snuggled in your warm bed. Well, just in case you need
a little more motivation, this blog post is for you!
Every night, before going to bed, you never forget to set
your alarm to 5 a.m. in the morning. You might have set the alarm with the
expectation of a sunrise run, but you end up snoozing your alarm 5 times, and
when you finally woke up and came out of bed, it’s already late. Forget about
exercise, you don’t have time to take shower properly and have a complete
breakfast.
Does this happen to you! If yes, you are just like what I
used to be a few years ago! Trust me, there is nothing wrong in admitting, as
this is the truth no one can deny, if they are doing so. And, yes, don’t think
you are alone, there is an entire brigade of young adults standing behind you
to echo with you, “yes, me too!’
Better late than never, when you have admitted that you are a
late riser, you have the conscience of rising early. And you subconscious mind
tells you constantly that early riser has got some benefits to reap! Isn’t it?
But most of us don't exercise early, despite our best
intentions. So today, let us talk about one benefit of rising early in the
morning, and that is to have a ritual of morning exercise.
Why Morning?
Exercise physiologists say any time of day is valuable for a
workout as long as you do it, but the fact is, only a handful do. The majority
of people seem to work out later in the day because that’s when they think they
have time, which never comes till you go to bed at night.
Exercise in the morning sets the tone for the day. It gives
you time to set goals and reflect on the ways you'll deal with challenges posed
by your family, friends and co-workers. If you can manage to squeeze in a
practice in the morning, you're also more likely to get it done that day. The
later you push it, the more conflicts that come up, derailing your best
intentions.
Getting up and out
earlier in the morning makes sure that a workout happens. It is much easier to
keep to a morning schedule. You very seldom have early morning conflicts to
cancel your run.
Sticking to an absolute time for practicing exercise enhances
the health benefits you reap out of it. If you get stressed out trying to
squeeze your exercise schedule in at an unnatural time for you, you lose some
of the relaxing benefits of the practice. Forcing the practice at a time that's
not convenient also makes it more likely that its regularity will suffer — it's
hard to keep up a practice that just doesn't fit your lifestyle.
Practicing exercise first thing in the morning offers you a
way to clear your mind and get your body ready for the day. Energizing poses,
such as backbends and sun salutations, feature prominently in a morning
session.
The morning is often the coolest part of the day, especially
if you live in a warm climate, making it a good time to exert yourself. Many
people wake up feeling stiff, and an early morning practice can help get the
kinks out.
If you practice before eating, you'll also benefit from
having an empty stomach. Twists and challenging arm balances come easier when
you're not competing with digestion.
For me, practicing first thing in the morning when the house
is still quiet makes me feel like my mat time is extra sacred. I feel like
connecting with my own body/breath/mind/soul all alone in the wee hours of the
morning sets my day on a very special note.
Why Exercise
One-fifth of us get the recommended amounts of exercise
needed for a healthy body and mind, although only 15 minutes of daily exercise
has the potential to change your entire day.
And when continuously done for a yes and made a habit, it has life
changing results.
Today I will do what others
won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t
No matter what you do, here are half a dozen reasons to
kick-start an early morning exercise schedule, which can be “life-changing”.
Lose fat faster
Researchers in Japan
have found that fat oxidation occurs if exercisers work out before breakfast.
There’s only good to be said for fat oxidation, the process by which large
lipid (i.e. fat) molecules break down. Exercising before breakfast mimics the
fasting state and can help kick start weight loss. If you have low blood sugar,
eat a banana or a small energy bar 10-15 minutes before exercise.
You'll protect yourself
from diabetes
Hitting the gym in the morning on an empty stomach has also
been shown to protect against glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, which
are trademarks of type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the
Journal of Physiology. During the six-week study, participants who exercised
without eating first, compared to those who ate carbohydrates before and during
the workout, showed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, on top
of not gaining any weight.
You'll build muscle and
strength more efficiently
When you wake up in the morning, your testosterone levels are
at their peak, according to the National Institute for Fitness & Sport.
That makes morning the ideal time to knock out your strength-training workouts
since your body is in prime muscle-building mode.
It sets your breath for
the day
Starting your day in with morning exercise means that you are
starting your day cultivating breath awareness. When you do this first thing in
the morning, you are very likely to keep your breath on your mind for the rest
of the day. You may have a million things going on, but by setting the tone
with your morning practice, you are more likely to tune into your breathing for
the rest of your day. They say that the slower and deeper you breathe, the
longer you will live. Yoga can enhance this effect may times.
It sets your mental tone
Mind is always steadier and calmer after morning practice of
physical exercise. If you start your day by calming your body and your mind
through different asanas, there is a
greater chance that you will maintain a calm mind throughout your day.
It also means that if you stray from your serene mindset, you
are more apt to notice the contrast and can then go about reconnecting with
your soul. Setting the tone first thing in the morning means that you are less
likely to be swallowed up in the wave of thoughts that can normally start a
person’s day.
Keeps you in good
posture and pain-free throughout the day
The practice of exercise is wonderful for correcting posture,
and for maintaining optimal posture as well. If you have poor posture, you may
experience back, neck and shoulder pain. You may also find yourself with a
tension headache by the afternoon. If you practice morning exercise, you can
set yourself up for good posture throughout the day.
Exercise is more than just
physical, it’s therapeutic! Michelle Obama
Exercise or yoga
From CrossFit to Insanity workouts, exercise has lately
trended toward the extreme. But physical activity doesn’t always have to be
vigorous to be effective. While it may seem mellow compared to most training
programs, yoga’s health benefits keep pace—and often outdistance—what many
people would call “traditional” forms of exercise.
For starters, research shows regular yoga practice lowers
your risk for heart disease and hypertension. Yoga may also lessen symptoms of
depression, headaches, diabetes, some forms of cancer and pain-related diseases
like arthritis.
Yoga is a discipline aimed at integrating a person’s
physical, mental and spiritual fitness. Exercise means any physical activity
that stimulates the vital organs of the body, nourishes them and strengthens
them. Yoga involves many sitting and standing exercises that have breath
inhaling and exhaling activities as their focus. Exercise can be defined as any
physical activity which contributes in maintaining the physical health and well-being
of a person.
Unlike yoga, which is aimed at the physical, mental and
spiritual growth of a person, exercise is concerned only with the physical
aspect of the human body. According to experts, many internal body organs and
systems such as the digestive system, respiratory system, cardiovascular
system, etc. are enriched and boosted by exercising regularly. Yoga and
exercise are separate entities, but do resemble each other in that they contribute
to the physical health of people.
Yoga also seems to combat weight gain. A recent study found
middle-aged adults who practiced yoga at least once a week gained 3 fewer
pounds than those who stuck with other forms of exercise. The same study found
overweight adults who practice yoga lost 5 pounds, while a non-yoga group
gained 13 pounds. Those results held even when the authors accounted for
different eating habits.
How can a little bending and stretching do all that? Unlike
exercises like running or lifting weights—both of which crank up your heart
rate and stimulate your nervous system—yoga does just the opposite. It puts you
in a parasympathetic state, so your heart rate goes down and blood pressure
goes down. The types and varieties of movement involved in yoga stimulate
pressure receptors in your skin, which in turn ramp up your brain and body’s
vagal activity. Your vagus nerve connects your brain to several of your organs,
and it also plays a role in hormone production and release. Stress hormones
like cortisol decrease as vagal activity increases. At the same time, this
uptick in vagal activity triggers the release of the hormone serotonin, which
helps regulate everything from your mood and appetite to your sleep patterns.
All of this may explain yoga’s research-backed ties to a
healthier heart, as well as its ability to slash your stress, improve your
mood, quell your appetite and help you sleep more soundly, Field says. When you
consider the health perks linked to each of those brain and body benefits—lower
inflammation, lower body weight, lower disease risk—you could make an argument
that few activities are as good for you as yoga.
One thing yoga doesn’t do, though, is burn loads of calories.
While more and more research suggests calories shouldn’t be your sole focus
when it comes to diet and exercise, there’s no question that running, swimming,
lifting weights and other more-vigorous forms of exercise are also great for
your brain and body.
Yoga is unquestionably good for you, but it should be done in
tandem with traditional forms of physical activity—not in place of them.
To sum it up
Starting in mindfulness can lead to a whole day of
mindfulness. It activates your health all day.
Once you have done your morning exercise practice, you will
most likely be feeling good throughout the day. You will be more tuned in and
connected with your body and with your mind. You feel more empowered and in
control of your life.
This means that you will be starting your day off with an
awareness of how you feel and how you want to feel. With this, you will be more
likely to make healthy choices in your eating, drinking, sleeping, thinking,
and in your speaking because you will have set that tone first thing in your
day.
I have personally noticed a dramatic difference in how I
treat myself after I started practicing exercises in the morning. Knowing I
have taken the time to care for myself in such an awesome way means that I want
to continue that trend for the rest of the day.
Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.
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