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Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you

Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.

Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep.

When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because:  Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.) Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc. Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.  Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods.  People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.  Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)  More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.  Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!  

Based on the findings of this study, exercise early in the morning leads to better sleep.

Another common idea is that because heart attacks and other cardiac events occur more frequently in the morning, people who are at increased risk should exercise vigorously only in the afternoon.However in a 2007 scientific statement, the American Heart Association said cardiac events during exercise were relatively rare.

Research shows later in the day, when our body temperature and muscle strength are at their peak tends to be best for exercises that require substantial physical effort. But skill-based exercises, or ones that require fine motor control, are better performed in the morning.

Wake up at the same time every day (and ban the snooze button)

Don't leave enough time to dilly-dally

Experiment with your pre-workout food. Figure out how little you can eat and still fit in a solid workout.

Find a friend or group to keep you accountable and motivated.

Explore different activities, then alternate your workouts to keep things fresh, but consistent.

Create an exercise plan or fitness goal so that you know what you're working toward.

2. Jumping Jacks / Pushups

Do 10 jumping jacks / 10 pushups and repeat the non-stop cycle 5-10 times depending on your fitness level. This takes 3-5 minutes if you push all 10 sets.

3. Replace Pushups with Squats

If you want to add in a leg workout try replacing pushups with squats above.

4. MJDBs - Multi-Joint Dumbbells Exercises

With a set of dumbbells mix in a few exercises into one movement: - Bicep curl, military press, tricep extensions - do 10-15 reps - Squats, bicep curl, military press, tricep extension - do 10-15 reps - Squat thrust, pushup x 5, stand up, bicep curl military press, tricep extension - 5-10 reps

5. CARDIO Option

You can skip all the above and just run, bike, walk, elliptical glide, or row for 15-20 minutes or you can add in a quick burst of cardio for the remaining time you have.

adults need 8 1/4 hours.

How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect the Teen-ager?

Sleep deprivation can impair memory an

inhibit creativity making it difficult for sleep deprived students to learn.

endanger their immune system and make them more suceptible to serious illnesses

Stay away from caffeine

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing. Avoid arguing with your adolescent just before bedtime. Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room. Avoid bright light in the evening, but open blinds or turn on lights as soo

Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room.

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing.

Note: Sleep experts consider adolescents to be between the ages of 11 and 22.

Studies show that the changes taking place in their bodies requires more sleep and they may be physically challenged to getting up early in the morning.

Egg Protein This is the most old school type of protein. Surely you remember the movie Rocky where he drinks the eggs before training. This is actually very dangerous to do as it can lead to several illnesses and poisoning.

Fortunately there are egg white protein products available and of course you can separate the yolks and cook the whites so you can get your egg protein this way. It's a rich source of BCAA's and arginine.

Milk Protein comes from cow's milk after the water has been removed and most of the carbs and fat have been taken out. Milk protein is actually the source of two other proteins we covered earlier; whey and casein. You have had milk since childhood unless you are lactose intolerant.

here are two forms of milk protein. The first is Milk Protein Concentrate. When the whole milk is filtered most of the carbs and fat are removed. The process that does this is known as ultrafiltration. The second type is Milk Protein Isolate. When the milk is processed even more, this leads to the isolate. The milk protein isolate is 85% protein. Despite the fat and carbs being taken out, much of the whey and casein remain.

Soy Protein Soy Protein is derived exclusively from soy beans. Soy protein provides a healthy way to get non-animal protein into your diet. They're great tasting, natural and can have a plethora of healthy effects on the body. It is ideal for high protein/low carbohydrate diets. Soy protein is approved for those who are lactose intolerant, and can be used as a meat substitute for vegetarians. Much more than just an ingredient for a protein shake, Soy protein can be used for cooking instead of flour, producing high protein foods that are extremely low in fat - a bodybuilder's dream come true!

Beef Protein The protein that is derived from beef after the cholesterol and fat has been removed is known as Beef Protein. This one has really grown in popularity over the past couple of years and is relatively new when it comes to protein supplementation.

The only type of beef protein available is Beef Protein Isolate. This type has been broken down from larger fragments into smaller ones like both whey and casein isolate. It is best to take beef protein in the morning or around your training.

Doing your grocery when your stomach is empty would definitely tempt you to buy anything that catches your fancy.

It is best to do your grocery shopping after you have eaten your breakfast in the morning or your dinner in the evening.

Choose Canned or Bottled Products Carefully

do not buy those that are packed with oil.

Do not buy products that are labeled “hydrogenated”

This is one way to make sure that you only end up with healthy food choices.

avoid products with high fructose or glucose content

This is why it is very important that you first check product labels before you buy anything.

Buy Organic Meat and Poultry

it is better to buy them locally.

additional bonus you get from making healthy food choices.

Make Wise Grocery Product Choices

opt for low sodium prepackaged foods.

Making these simple healthy food choices will ensure that you will avoid various illnesses like hypertension or cardiac problems.

opt for food alternatives like broccoli.

When buying breads and cereals, you should opt for whole grain foods.

You need to make sure that every food that gets into your grocery basket is healthy for you

A lot of times we think a chicken sandwich is better, or a fish sandwich is healthier, but a lot of times those chicken or fish sandwiches are fried and not always the better choice,

Go green. Give some thought to ordering a side salad instead of the fries.

Skip the mocha-frappe-espresso-cino-with-whipped-cream coffee drink.

To increase your intake of other food groups at coffeehouses, try ordering some 100 percent fruit juice or fat-free milk, or try having a protein-rich egg on your bagel instead of cream cheese.

Step away from the soda.

account for as much as 10 percent of the typical teen’s daily calories.

When placing your order, consider water

Sleep experts say the amount of sleep each person needs is largely dependent on the individual: Some people can get by with only five or six hours. The National Sleep Foundation says adults need seven to nine hours a night.

A study this summer in the journal SLEEP examined the heart conditions of 39 adults, ages 22 to 45, whose heart rates were tested twice — the morning after a 10-hour sleep and then again after five consecutive four-hour sleeps — using a portable monitor.

Many students believe that it's a "rite of passage" to stay up all night during college and that "it's kind of fun," Thacher says.

if you use all-nighters, your GPA is slightly lower on average,

"You can't do your best work when you're sleep-deprived

"It's not common knowledge, because if people understood how much of a difference (getting more sleep) could make athletically," they'd incorporate it more into their lives and not focus solely on nutrition and exercise.

avoid all products containing caffeine (including soda, chocolate, etc.) after 4:00 p.m.

avoid alcohol.

avoid smoking

Keep your teen away from stimulating activities in the late evening such a heavy studying

computer games

violent or frightening television shows

calm family atmosphere surrounding bedtime.

Do not let your teenager fall asleep while watching television or videos.

establish a regular exercise routine and healthy diet.

avoid late afternoon and evening bright light,

If allowed to "sleep-in" on the weekends, your teen's body clock will be disrupted, and he or she will have a very hard time waking up on Monday morning.

avoid napping

a short nap is okay, but limit it to 30 or 45 minutes.