Last Updated on September 26, 2016 by Jeff
There are plenty of good reasons to exercise first thing in the morning. There are fewer excuses not to work out, responsibilities won’t get in the way and you’re more likely to be consistent. It also helps to knock a major item off your to-do list before you even head to work. But getting out of bed so early in the morning isn’t always easy, especially when you’re waking up to a grueling workout. Here are some tips for becoming a morning workout person.
1. Go to Bed Early
You’re definitely not going to feel great about your new “rise and grind” mentality if you’re running on just a few hours of sleep. You’ll need to adjust your regular bedtime so you’re getting enough shuteye. Try going to bed fifteen minutes earlier each night until you get to your ideal bedtime.
2. Get Your Gear Out
If you have to fumble around the room looking for sneakers and your headphones first thing in the morning, you may just decide it’s not worth it and crawl back in bed. Pack a gym bag the night before and lay out all your clothes and gear the night before. You can even try sleeping in your gym clothes to minimize time prep time.
3. Find a Friend
You’re a lot less likely to repeatedly hit snooze if you know there’s someone else waiting for you at the gym. A friend can hold you accountable and call to wake you up if you leave them hanging. If you can’t find someone to hit the gym before dawn, post your plans on social media for all your online friends to see. You’ll want to save face and go through with them if you’ve already shared them with other people.
4. Pay For It
You’ll think twice about skipping a workout if you’ve already paid for it. Try meeting with a personal trainer or paying for an early morning workout class in advance to motivate to get out of bed.
5. Schedule it
Write it down in your planner or put it in your calendar and treat your morning workout just like any other meeting. Your fitness is just as important as any appointment, if not more so. Try signing up for a class so you have to be up and at the gym by a certain time.
6. Prepare a Good Breakfast
If you have a delicious breakfast waiting for you when you finish working out, you’ll be motivated to get up and get moving so you can get to eating it sooner. Try some overnight oats or a yogurt parfait. You can also set your coffee pot to
7. Bribe Yourself
If most other things aren’t working to get you up and moving, a good old-fashioned bribe to yourself may do the trick. You can treat yourself to a special coffee or breakfast. You can also extend it. Put a dollar in a jar every time you complete a morning workout and get yourself some great new workout gear at the end of a few months. You could flip that and donate a dollar to a cause or political candidate you disagree with each time you skip a workout.