Do you wish you had great morning workouts? Ever find yourself envying those social media posts from your friends, humble-bragging about their predawn run? Are you wracked with guilt for hitting the snooze button yet again instead of hitting the pavement? You may be inadvertently setting yourself up for failure. Setting healthy habits takes time and commitment, but there is also a strategy for giving yourself an edge. If you find yourself struggling to make that morning workout a reality, try these five steps for success.
1. Begin well the night before. The old adage is true: a great morning starts with a good night. Don't sabotage yourself by staying up too late, drinking heavily, eating poorly, or simply failing to plan. Instead, use your evening to get the rest and refreshment you need to start the new day right. Be sure you are getting sufficient sleep, too. The average adult needs seven hours of sleep to be at their best; you may need a little more. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to get your rest. That means turning off the screens. Televisions, tablets, and laptops are too stimulating for before-bed relaxation. Instead, switch to reading, listening to music, or quietly conversing with your loved one for thirty minutes before sleeping.
2. Prepare your gear. Get everything ready the evening before, that way in the early morning hours you won't need to search for anything. Lay out your workout clothes, put your equipment and shoes by the door, and locate your pedometer and other gear. Your goal is to eliminate thinking from the early morning when you are still sleepy; you'll just do it.
3. Set your alarm. Be sure to set an alarm, because if you are struggling to make this a habit, you won't automatically wake up early enough. Be sure your alarm is loud enough to rouse you, and set it a distance from your bed. If you have to walk across the room to turn it off, you are already upright, which is half the battle!
4. Hydrate well. Drink at least one glass of water as soon as you wake up. This will help hydrate your muscles and wake up your system. If you are going to a gym, be sure to take a large water bottle with you to continue drinking through your workout. Be sure to drink a couple more glasses of water with your protein bar when you finish your workout.
5. Make a commitment. It takes most people over a month of successful repetitions to set a new habit. Help yourself beat the curve by making a commitment to yourself and to others to stick to your morning routine. If possible, invite a fitness partner to workout with you each morning. The appointment will spur you to get going on tough days. If you can't find an early morning workout buddy, at least call on a friend to hold you accountable to your commitment and ask you regularly if you have achieved your goal.
For more information about your workouts, check back each week for tips from Promax Nutrition.