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CHANGE YOUR LIFE BY GETTING UP EARLY

By Kirit Thakore on January 24, 2023, 3:40 pm

EARLY MORNING WORKOUTS

WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

When I was in my 20’s, I used to wake up at 6pm and goto the gym over the road from my workplace to have a workout before starting work.

When I was in my 30’s, I used to got the park at 5.30am to do my martial arts training.

When I was in my 40’s, I used to goto a gym which had a swimming pool for an early morning dip.

Now in my fifties, I work out online, on my home bike with lots of other early birds.

 

When I was in my 20’s, I used to work for a sales company. I noticed that all the successful people, who earned the most money, used to come in with a spring in their step. They would be looking fresh and smelling good. They always seemed to be in such good positive mood. Whereas me, and a few others, would drag ourselves in. We would still be smart but not on the same level. It would take me a while to get into it all, faffing about with getting a coffee, preparing my calls, tidying up etc. While doing this, the successful people would already be on it.

I soon found out that they were all going to the hotel gym, over the road from the office. It was open at 6am. It had squash courts, gym, swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms too. It was EXPENSIVE. I was very hesitant as I was not really earning that much. Then a real good person, who was  very successful said to me

“Invest in yourself Kirit, invest in your mind and body, it will repay you multiple times over”

He explained that the early hours are the most productive. That you can be up and about before the rest of the world has even opened its eyes, it gives you a head start. He went on about the feel good hormones released that sets you off to a good positive start. That’s why they all looked so happy coming into the office after the gym. He told me that the cost of the gym was expensive but NOT going to the gym will cost me even more in the long run. Finally, he said that without commitment, most people never do it. By committing to the membership (which had a 1 year contract), would mean that I would take every opportunity to make use of the facilities. On top of this, everyone else would be there, so I would be accountable to the group.

I need not have worried about making use of the facilities or being accountable because I loved it. I am so grateful for the advice given to me as a young man because the rest of my life has grown around my health and fitness.

I'm in my late 50’s now and I still feel fit as a fiddle. I can still run up a flight of stairs without feeling breathless. My body has retained it's flexibility as it has been constantly moving. I can run around with my grand children and still give my adult children a run for their money when it comes to exercise. My skin is in a good state (although my hair has gone lol) and often get commented on that I look younger that my years.

All this and more from just exercising in the morning? Absolutely 100%.

Do I enjoy waking up early? Absolutely not. I want to stay in bed as much as you, but I don’t. It’s a life discipline. I have not got used to it and I doubt I ever will, but I know how amazing I feel once I’ve done my little bit. I workout with others so that I am accountable. I don’t do this 7 days a week. On weekends, I stay in bed till about 8am lol, but by Monday, I’m ready to get back on it.

Before I go onto the benefits of morning exercises, let me share a quick story with you.

During my martial arts years, I would be in the park, every morning at 5.30am, regardless of weather. Some friends would join me, but on many days, it would be just me. During a daytime class, a student martial artist asked “How do you get up so early, in these cold days, and goto the park to train”. I replied, without thinking.

“It’s not HOW I do it, it’s WHY I do it”

You see, I was never the most muscular or biggest person in the class. I knew the only way I was going to overcome my martial arts opponent was to be better skilled. I wanted this so bad. This was my WHY. This was WHY I got up early and trained. This was WHY, it didn’t matter about the weather. This was WHY, it didn’t matter if I was alone. I ended up being one of the most senior members of that martial arts school.

 

If you don’t have a why, let me give you a few suggestions.

 

ARE YOU GETTING OLDER - USE IT OR LOSE IT

YOUR HEALTH - IMPROVE IT

YOUR CHILDREN - DO IT FOR THE ONES YOU LOVE

CHANGE YOUR LIFE - SET YOURSELF THIS CHALLENGE AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS YOU

YOUR OVERWEIGHT - STAY IN BED AND STAY OVERWEIGHT OR GET UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

YOUR ALWAYS TIRED - THIS SIMPLE THING WILL GIVE YOU BAGS MORE ENERGY

 

There are so many benefits but here are the benefits that I have experienced with early morning exercise.

  1. It’s done - it’s the first thing I do, so it’s not on my mind. I don’t have to think about doing it later. Especially if I have had a hard day at work. The last thing I want to do is workout.
  2. It releases feel good hormones - I feel so good after my workout. Motion changes Emotion is the BLazeFit tagline and it is so true.
  3. You are working out after a fast - you have not eaten for hours, so your body has very little fuel in it, so it will utilise more of your body fat for fuel, meaning more efficient fat/weight loss.
  4. Healthier choices - When you get up and exercise, you establish a healthier mindset, which makes you more mindful of what you eat during the day.
  5. After my workout and shower, I feel I have lots more energy and I’m walking with an extra spring in my step.
  6. If I wake up with early morning aches and pains, these disappear after a workout, whereas If I didn’t workout, then these would stay with me for most of the day.
  7. Regular sleep pattern - if I know that I have to be up at 6am, I will make sure that I go to bed at a good time. I definitely cannot burn the candle at both ends.

Come and try our Wake Up Workout. It’s at 6.30am every morning. If you have any home cardio equipment like a home bike or treadmill then that’s perfect. If you don’t then that’s perfect too as you can do simple exercises with same effect.