Mark Twain once said: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”
By that, Mark was trying to get across that the very first thing you do when you wake up should be the most challenging task of the day. This is because it is scientifically proven that a human’s willpower and determination is at its highest when we wake up and gradually diminishes as the day goes on.
This is why so many struggle to get to the gym after a long day of work at the office. When you begin your day with exercise, your mental capacity for handling stress nearly triples. As our brain recognizes exercise as an outlet for stress we hold on to it less resulting in boosted morale.
Our brains then produce two chemicals, BDNF, and endorphins:
BDNF “Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor”:
- Protects and repair your memory neurons
- Acts as a reset switch, thus clearing your mind and helping you make positive decisions.
Endorphins:
- Minimizes the discomfort of exercise
- Relieves the sensation of pain
- Released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters
BDNF and endorphins are the physiological reasons exercise makes you feel so good. The somewhat scary part is that these chemicals are highly addictive, like morphine, heroin, or nicotine! The only difference is that they’re actually good for you and these positive mental effects have been shown to last throughout the entire day.
Starting the day with a solid workout leads to:
- Better diet choices
- A faster metabolism
- More energy
- A sense of accomplishment.
A morning ritual can be any physically stimulating activity like a trail run, a bike ride, yoga, or even as basic as a dog walk around the block. There’s no gym membership needed and there’s absolutely no excuse not to!
So next time you wake up, don’t start your day by checking your email or drinking coffee, get up and immediately start moving! You will find that this is the first step in improving your life in every single area.
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