One of the most common excuses for not exercising is feeling like there’s no time, according to a 2021 survey cited by CBS News. Yet it’s hard to deny that many busy people find time for workouts, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. While her routine has likely changed in light of her announcement of her pregnancy in December 2025, what we know about her regular exercise plan paints a picture of dedication to consistency.
Despite being expected to work long hours every day (and make public statements about such topics as Trump’s unusual hand bruising), Leavitt explained to the Daily Mail that she doesn’t ditch her gym time. Instead, she fits it in at 5:30 a.m. before she gets too involved in the ups and downs of being a key voice for the Trump administration. And Leavitt’s decision to prioritize exercising early in the morning works for her — and could also work for you — for three major reasons. (Trump administration member Dr. Oz follows a strict daily workout routine as well.)
First, Leavitt doesn’t consider her fitness as negotiable: She treats getting strength training under her belt three times weekly as “critical.” Viewing workouts as a steady and scheduled appointment can help start and maintain a routine.
Focusing on muscle training during a tight workout schedule
Secondly, Leavitt focuses on building muscle during her fitness regimen. Working with weights can achieve a lasting calorie burn, according to a 2018 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science. The study found that women burned additional calories for 48 hours after engaging in resistance training. Consequently, Leavitt’s practice of hitting the weights potentially gives her two days’ worth of a modest extra calorie boost.
The third reason for Leavitt’s ability to stay strong and trim regardless of the highly chaotic nature of her demanding career: It’s the time of day she chooses to work out, which is 5:30 a.m. Whether Leavitt knows or not, studies have backed up the benefits of exercising in the morning rather than waiting until evening.
A 2021 review in Exercise and Sports Science Reviews concluded that morning exercising appeared to improve weight management results in female subjects. Although the review concentrated on participants with obesity and not already healthy individuals, its outcome lines up with some experts’ opinions.
Reasons to exercise in the morning
Clinical psychologist Daniel Glazer is an advocate for moving exercise to the morning for most people because of existing circadian rhythms. As Glazer explained in GQ, “In the morning, body temperature and heart rate rise naturally to help us feel alert and energized. Exercising [at this time] can boost feel-good endorphins and kickstart focus for the day ahead.”
Personal trainer Alanna Kate Derrick agreed that morning is the time you should really work out every day, but offered another important reason for it. “Exercise early in the day has been shown to lower cortisol levels throughout the remainder of the day,” said Derrick.
Being able to regulate cortisol levels (avoiding the side effects of skyrocketing stress) might be good for a person in a highly volatile and intense occupation like Leavitt’s. Employee churn was quite high in Trump’s first administration, with press secretary Sean Spicer resigning after six months as the president’s chief spokesperson.
