Although I enjoyed working out in different gyms during the Hurricane Matthew Shut Down, there is nothing like returning to your home gym. At noon today, University Recreation opened back up. That meant our super nice gym at Coastal Carolina University was back in business.

It was nice to walk back inside my home gym today.

I used my lunch hour to visit the place I spent a week away from. It felt great to use the equipment I am comfortable with, enjoy the amenities that the CCU gym provides, and see familiar faces. Tomorrow the facility will go back to operating on regular hours and while I enjoyed today’s experience, I am very glad for one big reason…

Working out in the early morning is simply the best.

Trust me, I can speak on this. I have gone through stages in my life where I worked out at all different times in the day. In fact, today’s noon workout used to be the normal for me. I spent my last couple years working at the University of Montana by exercising right when my lunch hour hit. Because I worked so much basically seven days a week, I could take a longer lunch, thus enabling me to work out beyond the standard 60 minutes.

When I first started working after graduating college I opted to get my workout in once I got off. It made for some late nights but I was single and it didn’t matter what time I arrived home. For the first couple years of high school, I lifted in both the mid-morning and the mid-afternoon, depending on when my weights class was scheduled.

However, throughout my whole life I have always gone through stages where I worked out bright and early in the morning. It started with zero hour weights during the latter part of high school and translated to college where I worked out at 6 a.m. all four years. When I started working professionally, although I mainly exercised after work or at noon, I would still get my pump on in the morning if I had a day off or if I was visiting my family in Spokane. When I arrived at Coastal almost two and a half years ago, I decided that I would revert back to always working out in the morning.

I don’t care what you tell me, working out in the morning is the best time to do it and let me tell you the main reason why: there is simply no better way to start the day.

A sign at one of the gyms I worked out at over the Hurricane Matthew break had a sign that read “Want To Be In An Instant Good Mood? Get Your Workout In.” This is so true. It doesn’t matter when you exercise, it is going to make you feel good. However, why not get that euphoric feeling in the morning so it lasts you the whole day? If you work out in the morning, it will give you a great outlook on whatever you are going to face over the next 12 hours. It is powerful.

But working out in the morning isn’t just about feeling good the rest of the day. It is also about taking advantage of the gym when it isn’t crowded. It is also about using the equipment when it is at its freshest. It is also about sharing the space with other dedicated people who don’t mind waking up at 5 a.m. so they can arrive at the facility five minutes before it opens at 5:55 a.m.

Another main reason why I choose to exercise in the mornings is to get it done with. Believe me, working out is a hobby for me and I enjoy it but it can also stress you out. When I would work out in the evening, it would always be in the back of my mind throughout the day. I knew after I finished the long work day I couldn’t just go home; rather, I had a date with the gym. Even when I worked out during the lunch hour the fact that I had to hit the rec center always loomed in my brain. It is so nice to exercise early in the morning and then not have to worry about setting aside time later in the day to work out and get sweaty.

The morning is really where it is at. If you are new to working out, I would really suggest you consider starting your day with it. Don’t Blink.