Morning workouts can be a great way to boost your energy and metabolism all day long. But meetings, deadlines and other last minute schedule changes can make it tough to keep your end-of-day workout commitment. It’s a common challenge with an obvious solution – work out in the morning.
I know, firsthand, how tough it can be at first but trust me, try these three steps and you’ll never want to start your day any other way.
Step 1
Schedule Your Workout & Your Bedtime
Morning workouts are only productive when you’re well rested. Sleep deprivation has been linked to everything from decreased energy and weight gain to diabetes. And trying to get up out of bed when you feel exhausted, is nearly impossible.
Start by deciding your workout ‘call time’ then subtract 7-8 hours of sleep to calculate what your ideal bedtime should be. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier every night until you reach that ideal bedtime. It’ll make that easier to resist hitting the snooze button.
Step 2
Find a Sweat Strategy That Works For You
If the mere thought of dragging all of your fitness essentials to the gym makes you want to hit the snooze button, it may be time to rethink your workout. Maybe your morning workout means never leaving your pajamas and popping in your favorite fitness DVD. Or maybe it’s a low-key jog around your neighborhood. Your morning workout doesn’t have to be complicated or grand. The best workouts are the ones that actually happen.
Step 3
Have a Pre & Post Workout Strategy
The more morning obstacles you have, the more excuses you’ll cling to and the more likely you’ll be to ditch your morning workout. Pre-workout: try keeping things as simple as possible. Pack your workout clothes and gear the night before and put them close to the front door. Post-workout: try having your work clothes packed and ready to go so you don’t waste time or get discouraged.
It may be really tough at first, but stick with it. New habits take time but before you know it, you’ll become a morning workout junkie.
