Should You Skip Your Morning Workout?

Three important questions to ask yourself before you hit snooze.

by Nicole Stenberg

Morning workouts are the epitome of a love/hate relationship. The alarm goes off and most days you think of every possible reason to stay in bed. When you do make it out the door, you get mixed results. Sometimes, the days you stick to your commitment to sweat can leave you so endorphin-rushed and fresh-faced that your coworkers wonder what you put in your morning coffee. But on other days that same workout can leave you cranky, craving carbs and wearing your sweaty sports bra to work because you forgot to pack all of your dress clothes. So what gives?

Physical activity is just one pillar of Wellness: the state of being in good health.

Wellness is a balance between fueling well, managing stress and sleep, and caring for your relationships.

Morning exercisers tend to be more consistent than evening exercisers because there’s less room for obstacles between them and their workout. But sometimes, it’s hard to recognize when an excuse is valid or just an excuse to stay in bed a second longer. Know how to tell the difference by asking yourself these three simple questions.

Are you overdue for a night with friends?
Its girl’s night but you have yoga at 6am tomorrow… but you haven’t seen your friends in weeks. A night socializing can sometimes do the body more good than any workout can. People with more social support tend to live longer than those who are more isolated. So go ahead, opt-out from your class tomorrow and bask in the mental and physical health benefits of laughing with friends.

Are you physically exhausted?
You’re tired. Like, really tired. Sleep is essential to a healthy metabolism, your mental health, and has a significant impact on your dietary choices. Plus, your body needs rest to repair your hard-working muscles. Too many nights in a row of not enough sleep will set you back, even if you are consistent in the gym.  Some days you need to hit snooze and let your body and mind re-coop, otherwise, you may get your steps in, but you’ll likely be reaching for sugary foods all day to keep your energy up. Sounds counter-productive doesn’t it? Sleep in tomorrow and hit the hay early tomorrow night to get back on track.

 Does the idea of going to the gym fill you with dread?
You just don’t want to go. Hold on now- this is not an excuse you get to use every day, but sometimes you’re just not feeling it. It’s important to stay in tune with your body and your mind and know that a structured workout isn’t always mandatory. Stressing out and feeling obligated to show up every day can do more harm than good. Consider skipping the gym and opting for a hike or bike ride instead. Sometimes the best workouts are the ones that don’t feel like workouts at all.