By Regina Kaza
I’ll be honest, I probably didn’t become a morning person until I got a dog. My little monster wakes me up at 7 a.m. on the dot to go outside and I have no choice but to dreadfully crawl out of my warm bed and let him out to do his business. #dogmomlife
So there you go! The #1 way to get into a morning workout routine is to get a dog. Just kidding, maybe?
In all seriousness, working out in the morning is all about setting yourself up for success the night before. If you make it easy on your future sleepy self to get your gear on and be out the door in 15 minutes, you will be working out before sunrise in no time.
1. SLEEP IN YOUR WORKOUT CLOTHES
You’ve heard this one before but I am telling you, IT WORKS! Sleeping in your workout clothes eliminates the extra step of dragging on your leggings on a cold morning and giving yourself too much time to change your mind and go back to bed. Been there, done that. This way once the alarm goes off, BOOM, you’re ready. Brush your teeth, throw on your sneaks and you’re good to go. I also love to keep a cozy sweatshirt near my bed to throw on over my clothes so I can stay feeling warm and cozy even when I leave bed. It’s all about balance, right?
2. SET YOUR ALARM ACROSS THE ROOM
If you don’t have a dog that requires you to climb out of bed and turn it off (take it out?) then set your alarm on the other side of the room instead of on your nightstand. It’s too easy to reach over, hit snooze and go back to bed. This forces you to get up and turn it off. And well, would you look at that, you’re already standing up and dressed for the gym! Only thing left to do is make the steps to the front door. How easy is that?
3. LAY OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE PLACE
Need your keys? Water? Yoga mat? Lay it all at the door in one place next to your shoes. Nothing will kill your motivation like running around the house searching for all your things in a sleepy daze.
4. MAKE SURE YOUR MORNING WORKOUT IS FUN
Nobody should wake up in the dark to go do something miserable. In fact, don’t do workouts that make you miserable in general. Working out is supposed to be fun and rewarding. Make sure you’re waking up to do something you’re excited for! Maybe it’s a run in the park to the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise or a dance party spin class with your favorite instructor from ClassPass (shoutout CAMP Tampa!) Find something that’s worth waking up for.
5. EAT BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT
Your body has been fasting for 8 hours and despite some research claiming benefits of working out on an empty stomach, there is no doubt you will have a much better workout with some hydration and carbohydrates in you. I have a very sensitive stomach in the morning and can’t eat a full breakfast that early so something light and quick like a low-sugar granola bar or energy gel does the trick for me to fuel a morning spin or yoga class. I personally like Huma gels, they're great for runners and I love them because they hydrate, are made with clean ingredients and are gentle on my tummy so I don’t feel sick in the gym.
THAT’S IT! I am rooting for you and know you are totally capable of becoming a morning workout lover. And if all else fails, just get a pug.