What are the benefits of exercising before breakfast?

Insulin is a hormone used to bring blood sugar lower by placing glucose molecules from the blood to go into the cells. Insulin is usually lowest in the morning, for there is a greater span of time where we have not eaten anything from the night before. Besides moving insulin into our cells, insulin is very good at helping our body pack away fat - so the lower your insulin is, the greater the weight loss effect. If you exercise in a lower insulin state (like the early morning), you will have a better weight loss effect by burning fat, instead of the carbohydrates from the food recently eaten.

A strategy of early morning outdoor exercise in the cold may also help kick up thyroid function - the thyroid increases your metabolic rate to keep you warm, and will also help the calories burn as a result.

There are many health benefits of exercise and physical activity such as reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of heart disease, and maintaining an ideal bodyweight. The psychological benefits of exercise are well documented as well. Some of the proposed psychological benefits of exercise include promoting a positive mood, reducing stress, and reducing depression and anxiety. New research has also shown exercise to help improve cognitive function and memory. Exercise may also boost serotonin levels in the brain resulting in a calming, soothing affect. Combining all of these benefits before your day begins may be the recipe you need to be your best at school or work.