Last week, I skipped Swim Club on Thursday night and felt pretty bad about it. However, I used this to motivate me and be honest with myself, evening workouts were just not working for me. With an hour and a half commute each way to work, I need to be smart about my time. After doing this for almost a year and a half now, I’ve learned what works for me. And that’s working out in the morning before my commute!
I’m proud of myself for getting back in the pool after a very long hiatus (since fifth grade) and can now confidently say that I am comfortable in the pool and can swim much further than I could in November. So, joining the Swim Club paid off. But, after two months of struggling with scheduling my workouts, I’m throwing in the towel. I’ll still be swimming, but on my own time.
This morning, I was up at 5:00am and to the gym by 5:30am and couldn’t be happier. I know that this is the right decision for me and getting back in the habit feels AMAZING!
Even though morning workouts aren’t for everyone, I make it work for me. For me, waking up early is second nature, I was up early to be on the ice for years. If you’re looking to start working out in the morning, here are ten tips that will help you do so:
1. Be Prepared- Prep everything and I mean everything the night before. I pack my breakfast and lunch, set up the coffee maker, lay out my workout clothes and pack my work clothes and toiletries to take with me to the gym. I even go as far as lying out my contacts and hair tie next to the sink so all I have to do in the morning is get dressed, brush my teeth, put in my contacts and throw my hair in a ponytail. Then, I pour my coffee to go, grab my lunch and bags and I’m out the door!
2. Establish a Bedtime Routine- The hardest part for me with morning workouts is not getting up in the morning but getting to bed on time. I do my best to cut myself off from the computer and TV about 30 minutes before bed. This gives me time to relax before I have to fall asleep. I try to use this time to read, take a bath, or talk to my hubby.
3. Find Your Support System- Tell as many people as you can about your morning workout efforts, so then you can be held accountable. I’m lucky to have a lot of people holding me accountable for my workouts. First of all, I’ve given my husband strict instructions to not let me sleep in. Also, my neighbor Jackie and I text each other when we’re up and moving and then meet at the gym and say hi to make sure the other person makes it to the gym. I also have a handful of friends that I text after I’ve worked out to hold me accountable. On my way to the train, I always call my Dad and we talk about our morning workouts. These people are necessary to my success!
4. Own your day-When I don’t work out in the morning, I’m usually groggy, running late and generally just not happy to be up and moving. When I workout, it feels like I’ve made the choice to start my day on a positive note and nothing beats this fact as motivation to workout. It feels like I’m owning my day, not like my day is owning me.
5. Plan your workout- I plan my workouts at the beginning of the week so it’s easy during the week. Although I sometimes switch out workouts depending on how I’m feeling, I always have an idea of what I’ll be doing at the gym. The less thinking the better.
6. Do not press snooze- The more time you have to reconsider the workout, the worse off you’ll be. I set two alarms a minute apart. The first one wakes me up and the second one reminds me that, yes, I need to get out of bed.
7. Give yourself something to look forward to- For me, the best feeling ever is having NOTHING to do at night and knowing I can sit on the couch guilt free after my workday. Either that, or I make fun plans like a dinner date with a friend, or a show I really want to watch, or a meal I want to cook. Then, I have something to look forward to that I’ve “earned.”
8. Think about how you’ll feel after- I have to admit, after I’ve worked out in the morning I feel pretty bad ass. I am awake, alert and have a sense of accomplishment to start my day with. I used to dread my workouts all day at work, but now I have them out of the way and feel great!
9. Make it a habit- Just like anything else, the more you do something the more it becomes a habit. Some days will suck more than others, so it’s good to be able to go into autopilot on those days.
10. Know that life happens- Some days you won’t be able to workout. You’ll be sick, be up way too late at night or are just generally worn out. On those days, don’t beat yourself up. Just know that tomorrow will be a new day and your new habit will carry you through!
So there you have it, my tips for how I get my butt to the gym in the morning! Today, I was excited to get back to the gym in the morning but tomorrow may be a different story. Hopefully these tips will help me get back on track with my habit and help you too!
When do you workout? What do you do to make sure it happens? Any tips for motivating yourself to workout?
I used to be at the gym at 6am (since I also have a super long commute), but the last year or so, I can’t seem to work out without eating first. And I need a good 90 minutes or so between eating and exercising so as not to cramp up. How do you handle that? Do you just not eat until afterward?
Because of the eating thing, I schedule most of my workouts on weekends and days that I work from home and have more time in the morning, and typically do it between about 11am and 1pm. I log all my workouts for my trainer, so that helps keep me going. And I really like eating, so I know I can do more of that if I exercise. And when I really need motivating, I remind myself that it’s just an hour. There’s typically nothing I need/want to do that can’t wait an hour.
I usually wait to eat since my workouts are less than an hour.
For longer workouts on the weekends my go-to is an English muffin or bagel thin topped with peanut butter & banana slices. I also love the Honey Stinger brand of products. I love the waffles for pre-workout and chews for during.
In the past I would make energy balls out of nut butter, brown rice syrup and rice cereal. They digest fast and the bite size is just enough. I should post the recipe for you to try!
I got into a rhythm for a while of going to the gym in the morning and loved it! I felt like I had more energy throughout the day and so accomplished early on! But now that I’m doing training classes that are after work I don’t have much of a choice… But I definitely have noticed more success with the classes so it’s a win-lose
The energy is the top reason for me to get my butt to the gym. I accomplish SO much in the mornings after a workout!!! However, after lunch I drag. I have to work on that!
You’re actually making me feel like I could drag my butt out of bed for a 5:30am spin class on Friday morning… Hmmmmmm….
I feel like it will give you the energy you’re lacking!
Great tips! I’m the same way, I like to work out in the morning so I can have my evenings free. Sometimes looking forward to relaxing at night is enough to motivate me to wake up early and get my butt moving!
Same here! I envy your long run mornings. I can only do an hour or so.
This is all great advice! I haven’t been able to jump back into a morning running routine ever since I finished my half marathon back in July. Looking back, I have no idea how I would wake up at 5AM to run. #7 and #8 are the two that stand out to me most because they are what kept me motivated and accountable!
Maybe you need to sign up for a race again!
Great advice! I too am an earlybird so a workout first thing is the way to go. For me knowing exactly what my workout will be is key. I saw the Liebster BTW and will get on it–thanks! : )
Yay! Can’t wait!