Goodmornings and A.M. workouts

It is only 7:00 am and it has already been a good day.  Today was the day I look forward to every year, the morning when I get up, get my coffee, go to take the dog out and as I open the door......NO cold air rushes in.  To me it means that morning walks will be more fun, morning workouts will be more enjoyable and most of all, with warmth in the air, I am way more likely to do both.  It is hard to get going when cold winter nights carry over into the morning, and before the sun comes up, who wants to be outside?  Well consider that over with.  I was so excited I forgot to grab a bite to eat and my dog Basden and I headed out on a walk.  40 minutes later, here I am feeling awake and refreshed.

Mornings are a golden opportunity that I think everyone should take advantage of.  I like the quiet, and the calm, but the benefits are endless for people who are getting out and getting moving in the a.m.  Maybe the best benefit of all is, you have got some exercise in and your day practically hasn't started yet.  A time you normally watch the news or check facebook has become an activity time.  Good luck convincing me thats not good for your body and overall health.  I think everyone should plan at least one day a week to get out earlier than normal.  Tell yourself, "On Fridays, I am going to get out and walk before work" or "I am going to go for a run every Wednesday before the kids wake up." Tell yourself whatever you need to, just do it!
As for morning exercise goes, there are some misconceptions about how you should treat meals with regards to the morning time and exercise.  It was believed by many for quite some time that if you worked out before breakfast that you would burn strictly fat and that your benefits from the workout would be much better.  Thats not exactly true, without the food intake, like myself this morning, you will not have as much energy during the walk, run, or workout.  Which could mean, you can only walk 20 minutes instead of 35, or you can only run 1 mile, instead of two, or even less reps on the squat or deadlift.  This is not a good thing, and could lead you to feel drained from your a.m. exercise instead of energized.  So here is a tip that can help you with that problem.  Eat before hand, but skip the carbs.  No biscuit, no toast, no cereal, etc.  Something like eggs is a much better choice.  You will have some food in the tank for reserve, but you still be burning what is around your belly, not carbs you just put in it.