Becoming a morning workout pro!
We know not everyone is a morning person. But getting up and working out first thing can be an amazing way to start the day. Working out before work has lots of benefits such as being more productive, focused and energized. And once you finish your workout the whole rest of your day is open! Want to check out a new restaurant? You've got the time!
These tips aren't just for the ones who get up before sunrise. We've used these strategies and tips to get workouts done after waking up at all different times of day.
Sleep in your workout gear…or workout in your pajamas. When you already have the clothes you need on, that’s one less thing to do before getting out the door.
Put your work clothes in your car the night before. You’re going to need to change for work and if the clothes are already in the thing you need to take to get to the gym a.k.a. your vehicle, you’ll have to go there anyway. Might as well get up and go.
Find a buddy. Maybe it’s a friend you already know or someone you meet at the gym. Make a commitment to each other that you’ll show up and hold each other accountable.
Make it a competition…with a reward! If you and a gym buddy are both on a quest to make early workouts a habit, come up with a little challenge. Maybe you decide that the first one to miss a day has to do 20 extra burpees! Or buy the other person a piece of workout gear (jump rope, t-shirt, socks). Or at the end of the month, take the other out to brunch after a Saturday morning workout.
Set the auto timer. If you drink coffee, auto set your coffee maker in the morning. Just the smell of coffee alone can energizesyou in the morning and having the coffee already made means you can grab a cup on the way out the door and drink it on the way.
Count to 10. When the alarm goes off slowly and in your head, count from 1 to 10. The initial reaction to waking up is to get right back into the sleep cycle. When you’re up for a few extra seconds you’ll become a little more awake and able to make a good decision like getting out of bed to go to the gym! You can choose a bigger number if you’d like.
Set two alarms. The first one lets you know you have 15 more minutes to sleep which makes you happy because you get a few more minutes. The second is when you’ll actually get up if you haven’t already. No snoozing. Just get up on the alarm.
Slowly start moving up your bed time. If you’re going to sleep at 12 and trying to get up at 5, no wonder your hand finds its way to the snooze button. Start going to sleep 10-15 minutes earlier each night. You don’t need to go to sleep before the sun sets, but you should get at least 6-7 hours, 8 would be best.
Look into the future. Picture the thing you like doing most in the gym. Visualize yourself doing that thing, enjoying it and having fun, for 2 minutes before going to sleep. Instead of thinking about the alarm buzzing, when you get up you’ll be excited to get to the gym and get going.
Make it a habit. Instead of starting your morning workout journey thinking about how you’ll get up every morning to workout forever…start off by focusing on doing it this week. 3 days this week will start building the habit. Then you can think about next week.
Move the alarm clock. By putting the vibrating alarm clock that falls onto the floor and continues to vibrate until you get up to turn it off, at the other end of your room you’ll be getting up and out of bed without thinking twice.
Respect your Routine. Give your workout the same respect as your child’s doctors appointment on your work schedule. Scheduling workouts can help with creating consistency and building a habit.
Make Breakfast Before. The night before, make the breakfast you’ll be having after you workout. Knowing that you have something delicious waiting for you after your workout is over is a tasty way to get yourself moving.
Drink a glass of water. Right when the alarm buzzes grab a sip. Dehydration will bog you down during a workout the cold water can help you wake up.