5 ways to make your morning routine more active

Find time for fitness with our 5 ways to make your morning routine more active.

The alarm clock buzzes, rousing you from the happy warm nest of the bed. Instinctively you roll over, smack the snooze button and close your eyes for five more minutes. While a hot cup of coffee and a shower eventually help the eyes widen to face yet another morning, the body still seems to resist the task of moving ahead with the day.

For those who don’t fit the category of the ‘morning person’, this time of day can feel like a waking nightmare. Simply climbing out of bed is an exercise of the greatest endurance, so the idea of actually working out bright and early seems insane.

However, exercise is one of the best ways to start the day. Physical activities encourage the body to produce endorphins, which make us feel happy. Exercise also increases energy and that extra energy power helps improve productivity. Studies have even shown that exercise positively affects mental acuity.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and morning exercise is the most productive movement of the day. Start the morning off right by skipping the snooze button and hit the ground running… or walking. Get inspired to begin an AM fitness journey with these activities.

Go for a brisk walk

If the body isn’t used to running, opt for a brisk walk around your neighbourhood. Skip the shower, throw your hair up or pop on a hat, toss on some comfortable clothes and hit the pavement. Aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking or use a pedometer to count steps (try to hit 5,000 at first). A hot shower afterwards will feel so invigorating!

Run

For those who feel up to the task, go for a run. If the body is a bit out of shape, begin at a jogging pace. Remember to stretch before running to get muscles prepared. To get the body moving, bring along some earbuds and a favourite playlist.

Hula hoop

Kelly Osbourne is a fan of hula hooping for fitness, and the hoop has become all the rage among many exercise enthusiasts. Hooping is fun and brings back childhood memories for many avid hoopers. The movements of the body to keep the hoop in motion also provide quite a workout. Hooping helps tone the core and strengthens about 30 other muscles at the same time.

Crunch time

Are you time poor in the morning? Take a few minutes to do a quick ab workout with crunches. To further strengthen abs, switch up the routine with a few leg lifts. You should feel the burn in the core after a few reps of each.

Jump rope

Jumping rope is great cardio. A jump rope is also cheap and requires little to no space. You can jump rope anywhere, and the movement will wake you up in a heartbeat. See how many skips you can accomplish in a 15-minute span. Pace yourself, and take a break if you feel too worn down.

Get moving in the morning by waking up to a new fitness routine. A quick workout in the morning opens the eyes to the day ahead. The body feels energised, awake and more than ready to conquer the world. Best of all, working out during the day helps you sleep even better at night!