When you look at the schedules of many of the most successful people in the world, they tend to squeeze a morning workout in. If you’d like to start working out in the early hours of the morning, know that it’s a process. This is especially true if you aren’t used to waking up early in the morning. In order to get started, consider the following tips.
Prepare the Night Before
If your parents taught you this concept as a child, this won’t seem foreign to you. Whether you’re a morning person or not, running in the mornings tends to be easier when you don’t have to make a ton of decisions. Some decisions to make beforehand include what you’ll wear, what you’ll eat and what you’ll need to pack for the day. Plan your day the night before by picking out your outfit, setting out your gym clothes, and keeping your headphones and gym equipment in one place.
Consume Fuel
If a good protein bar helps you after you’ve finished a long run, pack one in your gym bag. If you love to drink a hot cup of coffee before your run, set out the k cups, the portable coffee cup and any other accessories you use in order to make a great cup of coffee. Try to buy protein bars and coffee in bulk so you have them available to wake yourself up in the morning.
Go to Bed Early
If you’re tired every morning, you’re cheating yourself out of an efficient run and a productive day. It’s so important to get adequate amounts of rest before you face each day. Most adults need between 7-10 hours of quality sleep each night. Develop a nighttime routine, and figure out what works for your body, then make sure you get to bed at a decent hour each night.
Get Strategic with Your Alarm
When you’re sleeping like a baby, it’s very tempting to hit the snooze button in the morning. Instead of falling into temptation, place your alarm clock on the other side of the room. Once it goes off, you’ll have no choice but to get out of bed to turn it off. Once you’re out of the bed, turn off the alarm and put on your workout clothes.
Through this entire process, don’t underestimate the power of a decision. Once you’ve decided to wake up and get started, decide to put one foot in front of the other. Then, when it’s time to work out, take it one step at a time. Before you know it, it’ll be time to hit the showers because you’ve finished your morning run and crossed the first item off of your list for the day.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan