Call me weird, but I love working out first thing in the morning. This does not, however, mean that I love getting out of my comfortable bed at 5:45 every morning. In fact, the only reason I opt for morning workouts is because it means my evenings are free to do other things. Oh and it also means I’ll be less likely to skip a workout, since I’ll already have gotten my sweat session out of the way.
I don’t know if this post will convince you to join my AM bandwagon, but hopefully, it will give you a few tips and tricks on how to get out of bed and move….if you so choose!
1. Get to bed at a reasonable hour.
This seems obvious…and it is. The key is actually doing it. Personally, I keep in mind that nothing good happens after 9:00 pm, and I also remind myself that I’m no longer 21, which means seven hours of sleep is a necessity. To properly transition to a morning workout schedule, make sleep a priority. Period.
2. Take 20-30 minutes every night to prepare for the following day.
This is another must. There’s something magical about going to bed knowing that all you have to do the next morning is workout, shower, get dressed, and head out the door. No standing in front of the closet figuring out what to wear. No last minute ironing. No throwing together a less than tasty lunch. But again, easier said than done. Something I’ve been doing lately is setting an alarm for 8:45 pm every Sunday through Thursday. When it goes off, I know what to do – pick an outfit, iron if necessary, make lunches, prep breakfast if necessary, etc..
3. Implement an “alarm strategy” that works for you.
The most common “strategy” I’ve heard of is keeping the alarm on the other side of the room. This ensures that you physically have to get out of bed to turn it off. I’m not sure why, but this does not work for me. Instead, I recently bought an old fashioned alarm clock that is very manual and hard to figure out in the dark, especially when combined with poor eyesight. This means that I have no choice but to turn it off and get out of bed. Works every time!
4. Get your workout gear and equipment (clothes, socks, shoes, headphones, dumbbells, exercise ball, etc.) together in one place the night before.
See tip #2.
5. Have at least one thing you’re looking forward to doing every evening.
First, make sure it’s something that would be compromised if you end up having to exercise in the evening. Second, get creative. This activity, if you will, can be absolutely anything. Personally, my list includes everything from dinner plans to a post-dinner walk with Vishnu to reading for an hour before bed to catching up with a friend over the phone. And finally, make a mental note of this activity to remind yourself that you have to work out in the morning. No if, and, or buts about it!
6. Review your workout before bed.
Every night before I go to sleep, I sit down and review exactly what my workout is going to look like the next morning. Whether it’s a run or a structured Best Body Bootcamp workout, knowing that there is a plan in place makes getting out of bed 10x easier. And it’s also motivating in a way, as I genuinely go to bed excited about whatever it is that I’m going to be doing.
Ha!
Are you a morning exercise person? If so, share your tips!
These are all really creative and a great idea for a post! I would LOVE to be a morning person one day when studying is not what I do for a living. Right now, my runs are my much needed evening breaks. I definitely will refer back to this post in a few years! Haha
You will be one day…when studying does not consume your life. And in a way, you do work out in the mornings, you work out your brain! HAHAHA 🙂
I totally agree. I exercise in the morning too, and I think these are great tips.
AM exercising is the way to go!
Great suggestions and all which I can vouch for! Ever since I started working for myself, my workout times have shifted to around noon as my hours are more flexible. I usually work up until then and then take a break before getting back to work! When I was working at my previous job, mornings were my go-to as well.. I liked having an open evening in case a plan came up. Laying my clothes out the night before and having a game plan before starting my workout helped streamline the process and make sure my workout (and morning) ran smoothly!
I was actually thinking about a scenario similar to yours the other day. If I worked from home, when would I work out? Would I actually get up so early or would I exercise later? I think I would just start my day a little later. You’re lucky you can set your own schedule!!
Heather just did a post on this too. I swear… I just wasn’t built for mornings. It’s all I can do to get out the door for work by 9 without working out. I guess it works since I kind of flip my day – I work out around 730/8p and then have 2 more meals before going to bed (hopefully) by 1a.
We are complete opposites then! I am fast asleep at 1 am!
I really want to start working out in the morning because every evening, I workout and the day is over just like that. I need to find an old alarm clock to help me get up at 5 or something. Thanks for sharing your tips 🙂
The alarm clock works 99.9% of the time!
Great tips P.. the one thing I wanna do is get to bed on time. Working out in the AM, not sure if I can get on board.. in a way it’s nice my commute requires walking so I don’t stress about it. It’s so hard waking up though.
That one is pretty much the most impt one on the list. If you don’t get to bed at a good hour, there is no way you are going to be able to work out in the AM. At least that’s the case for me. I remember you telling me you walk a lot – that’s great exercise!
I am a morning exerciser, too, and I do all these things 🙂 The only thing I like doing at night is yoga because it really helps me relax. Great tips!
I’ve never tried yoga at night – will have to try a few poses before bed. Just thinking about it is relaxing.
Pain is weakness leaving the body. There isn’t much you can do to make it better in the morning to wake up so early than to get used to it over time, and it becomes a piece of cake (routine without any trouble getting up).
You’re right – it’s totally a mental thing. Over time, it does get easier…or that’s what we tell ourselves. Haha!
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