If you struggle to fit your workouts into your already busy week, then early morning exercise may be the perfect solution. If you are not a natural early-bird but want to start a morning gym workout schedule, read on to discover our top 5 tips to help you spring out of bed, ready to hit the ground running.
1. Early to Bed, Early to Rise
It may sound simple, and in fact, it is. Ensuring you get your essential 7-9 hours of sleep is imperative to waking up earlier. If you fall asleep at midnight, you are going to struggle with getting up at 5am to hit the gym because you will be sleep deprived. Switching your gym workout schedule to the early morning means you will need to enter the land of nod by 10pm at the latest.
2. Be Prepared
When the alarm goes off at your new wake up time, it will be so much easier if you have your gym bag packed, your clothes laid out ready, and a healthy breakfast prepped. That way, you can enjoy that extra time in bed, and you won't feel stressed and rushed when you have just woken up.
3. Energize with a Nutritious Breakfast
On the subject of prepping food, ensure the breakfast you have prepared is nutrient-dense and energizing. Don't fall into the trap of overeating; this can have the opposite effect of making you feel sluggish. Instead, choose a light meal such as yogurt with berries, a banana smoothie, some fruit and nuts, or a rice cracker with avocado.
Have another energizing meal after your workout, this time containing protein, such as a clean protein shake, houmous and veggies, or oatmeal with nuts, seeds, and yogurt.
4. Workout with a Friend
Do you still feel like you need that extra boost of motivation for your new gym workout schedule? The best way to make sure you don't hit that snooze button is to make arrangements to meet someone and exercise together. Often we don't mind letting ourselves down, but we are much less likely to disappoint a friend.
Alternatively, book yourself some sessions with a personal trainer. Not only will having booked and paid for a session make you get out of bed, but your trainer will ensure your workout is motivational and fun.
5. Find an Alternative to the Gym
If the thought of traveling to the gym first thing in the morning fills you with dread, why not choose a different way to exercise?
You could try:
- Going for an outdoor run
- Doing an online yoga or dance class in your living room
- Using an app that gives you effective home exercise routines
There you have it, our top 5 ways to help you become a morning workout person. Give them a try and experiment to see what works best for you.
Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash
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