I won’t lie to you. I’m not a poster child for early morning workouts. In fact, more times than not, I'm half-awake at 6 a.m. fighting the urge to grab five more minutes of sleep when I should be lacing up for a run.
Sometimes no matter how many pep talks you give yourself, it’s seems like it’s just not happening.
Personally, no matter how difficult it seems, I don’t believe that we simply cannot do something. Given the right amount of dedication, commitment and alarm clocks, we can do anything we put our minds to.
Thus, for those of you that set a goal and believe you can do it, I'm going to start with some tough love. It won't happen overnight, and if it does, good for you, please share your secret.
For the rest of us, here are some tips and tricks for turning yourself into a lean mean, morning workout machine (at least for part of the week).
1) Start slow
Since you’re still reading, you have come to terms that this won’t happen overnight, which is totally fine. Be easy on yourself and take small victories.
Get out of bed a half hour early? Awesome. Be happy for success not matter how small!
By the same token, don't reward yourself for every small victory. Give yourself a pat on the back for one 30-minute morning run and save the reward of new running shoes for when you're able to drag yourself out of bed for an entire month of workouts.
2) Turn on a light
Just because the sun's not up, doesn't mean you don't have to be. Turn on a light, play some music and even if you're going to check your Twitter feed for five minutes while laying in bed, your body is waking up.
Also, spend a half hour once a week downloading some new music. Nothing wakes you up like a new song you're completely obsessed with.
Are you running long distances? Podcasts are a lifesaver! From motivational running tips to laugh-out-loud comedy, these 30-minute to 1-hour shows will distract you for miles.
3) Drink water
You want your body to stop feeling sluggish as soon as possible. Drink water and hydrate. It's that simple.
4) Go to sleep early
I can't stress this one enough. Most of the time I hit snooze to rationalize the fact that I couldn't get enough shut-eye the night before. Yawning through work is a nightmare (especially during meetings).
Make sure you go to sleep as early as possible. That hour you spent trolling Instagram or Facebook won't seem like such a good idea the next morning.
5) Dress for success
Put out your workout clothes the night before and wear them to bed. This minimizes even the slightest reason to bail the next morning. I think we've all used the “I can't find my socks” excuse. Nice try. Go run.
Also, never underestimate the power of a cute workout outfit to get you out the door. My pink cheetah compression pants have gotten me to my 5:45 a.m. spin class many times.
6) Get out of bed, so you look better in bed
Shallow? Yes, but hey, whatever motivates you to get out the door. No judgements.
7) Recruit a friend
Whether it's a best friend, husband or coworker, find a buddy to hold you accountable for your morning workout. It's easy to reschedule with yourself, but when you're letting down someone else, it's difficult to ditch.
Are you a competitive person? My friends and I will compete against each other using fitness tracking bands like Fitbit. There's something incredibly satisfying about meeting your stepping goal before your friends are even out of bed.
8) Set a goal
Half marathon, 5k, goal weight, or anything else that will motivate you. Set a goal.
9) Put your phone far, far away
I hate this one simply because it forces you out of bed, but it is most effective. If you’re serious about your goals, just try this for a week. The first 10 seconds out of bed is the worst.
10) Believe in yourself
It’s hard to accomplish something if you continually say you’re not a morning person. If you want to be a morning person, be a morning person! Let go of the negativity.
Give it a week and see what happens. Actually if you can, give it a month, then let us know what tips worked best for you!
What are you secrets to waking up early to workout? Please don't keep them to yourself! Share below.
Reviewed February 10, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith