Get Up and Get Going

By Editorial Staff

Day after day, you manage to survive work and then decide to head for home, rather than the gym. And it's killing you – both literally and figuratively. What's the missing motivation? It may be as simple as changing the time of day you exercise.

According to recent research published on the Jawbone blog, people who exercise first thing in the morning – 6:00 a.m., to be precise – are more likely to exercise consistently. The data, compiled from more than 1 million people who track their steps and workouts using Jawbone fitness tracking products and apps, suggest 11 percent of people who work out at least three times a week do so at 6 in the morning - by far the greatest percentage by time of day.

Morning matters, suggests the research, because the second and third most popular workout times are 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. And if you think hitting the gym after work is the way to go, consider that people who worked out at 6:00 p.m. (presumably soon or right after work) were the most inconsistent with their workouts.

So get up and get going! Work out early and rest easy the remainder of the day, knowing your daily dose of fitness isn't hanging over your head. Need help getting started (or staying on track)? Talk to your doctor.