Gul Panag's 3 fitness tips for those who love hitting the snooze button

A vinyasa yoga session at dawn with fresh (ahem, less polluted) air, birdsong and a view of the rising sun. Sounds like a dream, no? Except it’s a nightmare for night owls and ‘permanently exhausted pigeons’ (the chronically sleep deprived). Sure, there are undeniable benefits of working out early in the morning, such as resetting of the circadian rhythm. But what about people like us who are missing the ‘early riser’ gene, or simply find it overrated, do?

Fitness is no longer just a Pinterest vision board goal. With our sedentary lives, it has become essential, and trickier, to have our mind, body and soul functioning in harmony. And since exercise is non-negotiable for early risers and night owls, why should it be limited to the crack of dawn? Actor and fitness enthusiast Gul Panag agrees that one doesn’t need to be a morning person to incorporate fitness into their life. In an interview with Tweak India, she shares three solid tips to work out without being dependent on an alarm clock.

Gul Panag’s fitness tips for those who aren’t morning people

Begin your day with exercise

The gym fanatics may disagree but exercising is not for fun. Some days the adrenalin may have you bouncing off walls and other days you might be a bored blob, plopped on your bed like a plushie. Only discipline and a mindset shift will help you push through the latter. For night owls to be consistent, Panag suggests working out at the start of your day (whenever that is.) “If you wake up at 12, grab a snack, have a cup of coffee, eat something that fuels you and finish your workout for the day. If you do it first thing in the day, chances are you’ll be able to do it for longer. If you think you’ll do it at the end of the day, something could possibly get in your way,” she says.

Start small and set realistic goals

Body-positive fitness experts agree that your health journey truly begins by setting realistic, achievable fitness goals. These could vary depending on your lifestyle, ability to commit to a routine and what you wish to achieve. Walking is the simplest low-investment activity one can incorporate as some form of exercise. Panag also suggests running as another low-cost but effective option. “Don’t think that if you’ve started running today, you’re going to run the Ironman, but definitely have a goal. If it’s running, then I would recommend registering for a marathon. What that does is it gives you a time frame and something to work towards.”

Choose fuel over indulgence

Food and nutrition play a huge role in achieving your fitness goals. The first meal you consume upon waking is meant to break the all-night fast and nourish your body to take on the day. In this case, it will be your pre-workout meal and no it can’t be the leftover pizza from last night. Panag has some advice, “Whenever you eat something, ask yourself this question: Is this food for fuel or is this food for indulgence?”

A pre-workout meal is meant to be fuel for your body. And if it’s also be the first food item you consume upon waking, it has to be something packed with nutrients. A protein snack bar made out of dry fruits and healthy fats, yoghurt and berries, or a fruit like banana or apple are delicious options that would also give you energy to work out and keep hunger pangs in check.

Everyone functions differently and you must learn to listen to the rhythm of your own body to find the times when you’re the most motivated and productive. It could be six in the morning or 11 in the morning or one in the afternoon. Once you sync your routine with your body, you’ll find it easier to be consistent and regular with your workout and sleep patterns without exhausting yourself. So you can be an early bird, a night owl or a permanently exhausted pigeon, but exercising has nothing to do with the time of the day and everything to do with how you schedule it in.