How do you become a morning exerciser?

Research shows that exercising in the morning is good for you, but do you get out of bed for it? Well, if you follow our tips!

Most of us would prefer to exercise in the morning, but often we can't… because of children, work or (usually) simply because we can't get out of bed. Still, working up a sweat in the morning turns out to be good. "If you exercise with a fresh mind, before it is engulfed by the day-to-day issues, your performance will be higher," says Cedric Bryant, chief of science at the American Council on Exercise . 'In addition, an early sports session increases the release of neurotransmitters in your nerve cells, which makes you sharper and fitter during the day.'

Now that the sun is up earlier, you should do the same. Give it a try with the tips below (while thinking about all the free hours you have left in the evening).

Make sure your bag is ready

When you come home from work in the evening, put your dirty sports clothes in the laundry basket and immediately put a new set in your sports bag. Having to look for a sports outfit at six in the morning can be enough reason to turn around one more time. So make sure that your sportswear is ready so that you can put it on while you are sleeping.

Force yourself out of bed

Put your alarm clock or telephone on the other side of the room. That way, you'll be less likely to snooze through your morning sweat session. If you have to get up to turn off the alarm anyway, you might as well stay out and get some exercise. Not then?

Eat a light snack

To avoid nausea or side effects, don't eat a complete breakfast before exercising. Stick to a light snack (a banana, muesli bar) that keeps you going during your workout and eat something small afterwards.

Leave alcohol alone

A few glasses of wine are a great way to wind down the day, but remember that you may even feel a small amount of alcohol the next morning. If you're going to have a drink the night before, make sure you drink extra water after that before you go to bed. Because exercising with a dried out mouth is not pleasant.

Set sail early

Once you get used to getting up early, you will naturally go to bed earlier. But in the beginning, that probably requires an extra incentive. Try valerian tea (eg Yogi Tea Bedtime), which promotes natural sleep through its calming effect.

Find a buddy

After fanatically working out a few mornings a week for some time, there is bound to come a time when you suddenly notice that you haven't been for a week (or two). And the threshold to start again is getting higher and higher... What you need is a sports buddy who motivates you. Find someone at the gym or persuade a friend to go for a run together. And make clear agreements: if you know that someone is waiting for you at 7:30 am, you will think twice before ignoring that alarm clock.

Plan your workout

The night before, think about what you are going to do for training. Are you going for a 5k run, hit the gym for cardio and strength exercises, or join the early spin session? Register for a class if possible, then you have to go.

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Strike a pose: The Handstand

Do you remember how to do the handstand? This yoga pose improves circulation and strengthens your shoulders, arms, abs and chest muscles and legs. In short: not a simple but an effective exercise!

The Handstand (Adho-Muka Vrksasana) is not only a well-known gym exercise, but also a tricky yoga pose. It takes some practice, but with the step-by-step plan below you will succeed. And always remember 3 things: turn your triceps in, keep your neck relaxed and look no further than your fingertips.

Step 1

Stand with your back and heels against a wall. Place your hands shoulder-width several tens of inches in front of you, push your hips up and straighten your legs as you come into Downward Facing Dog (an inverted V). Place your right foot on the wall; your leg is straight and your thigh is parallel to the floor. 

Tighten your abs and place your left foot next to the right one. Now, with your legs straight, shift the weight until your shoulders are above your wrists (you should be making an L-shape now). Hold for a moment, bend your knees and slowly bring your feet to the floor one at a time.

Step 2

Repeat step 1, then lift your right leg off the wall and raise your heel toward the ceiling. Your left leg is still parallel to the floor, your left foot is flat against the wall. Keeping your core muscles engaged and your arms extended, slowly bring your right foot toward the wall and switch legs. To stop, bring both feet back to the wall, bend your knees and bring your feet back down one at a time.

Step 3

Stand facing the wall and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor. Come into Downward Facing Dog and without moving your hands, walk slightly forward so that your shoulders are under your wrists. 

Tighten your core muscles and lift your left heel toward the ceiling with your leg extended. Keep your hips straight, your arms straight and your neck relaxed. Hold this, looking at your fingertips, then lower your leg and switch sides.

Final Steps:

Come into Downward Facing Dog with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs straight. Walk slightly forward with your feet, shifting the weight to your hands, until your shoulders are directly over your wrists. 

With arms extended and abs tightened, extend your right leg above you. Now bend your left knee and lift your leg toward the ceiling with a gentle kick, aligning your hips with your shoulders. Hold this for a moment and then come slowly, leg by leg, around again

Hope you get some understanding by reading this post and benefit by implementing under expert yoga instructor. As always wishing you good health, be fit and healthy :-)

Do let me know your valuable comments below.

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Herbal Tea To The Rescue Tonight !!

Stress is something that we all deal with to some degree. For some, ending the day with a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage helps to defog the brain from a day of meetings, kids and other stressors. Daily use of alcohol can create dependence and even weight gain over time. Consider ending your next stressful day with a cup of herbal tea instead.

In addition to relieving stress, herbal teas provide relief from a large variety of ailments such as upset stomach, high cholesterol and even anxiety!

Herbal teas are made from fresh, nurtured plants that are all natural. Teas produce a substance that flush toxins from your body, which explains many of it’s healing properties.

The various blends of herbal tea not only tantalize the taste buds and provide you with an endless variety of flavors. Make sure you don’t add sugar or other stimulant like ingredients to your tea. A little honey will sweeten it up nicely; don’t overdo it.

Some examples of tea varieties and their health benefits are:

Lavender: This tea is great for tension, headaches, or stress. If you need to relax, light some candles, have a hot bath and brew a delicious pot of lavender tea.

Jasmine: This tea helps lower cholesterol and aids digestion. Studies indicate that it may also protect you from cancer.

Ginger: This herbal tea is well known for giving comfort to an upset stomach, as well as dealing with dizziness and motion sickness.

Chamomile: Chamomile tea assists in getting a good night’s sleep and relieves stress.

Kava Kava: This herbal tea is used to relieve depression and tension. Tea has been used for thousands of years to relieve anxiety.

Peppermint: This one is known to be soothing to the body. It also helps with digestion problems, such as nausea.

Lemongrass: In the Marathi language, lemongrass tea is called Gavati Chaha, or “grass tea”. It is used in a traditional herbal soup for relieving a cough and nasal congestion.

Raspberry: Many midwives have suggested raspberry tea for helping pregnant women by relieving the pain of labor. Most teas are safe for pregnant women to consume. Many pregnant women find that there is little medication they can take for things like anxiety and stress, sleep and relaxation but teas are effective and safe to relieve symptoms.

If you’re looking for a refreshing drink, you’ll love herbal teas for both taste and the benefits they provide. If you would like to learn more about the relaxing powers of herbal teas, check out this awesome post >> 4 Teas for Relaxation.