Early morning workouts! Tips and benefits!

Okay, okay, okay ill admit…working out in the morning before work is NOT easy.  Depending on what time you need to get up makes it even harder too. Because I start work early, if I want to work out in them morning, I need to be up at 3:45 am. Insane? VERY. But its so worth it. the feeling of accomplishment you get when you are done is seriously one of the best feelings. You drive home feeling like the incredible hulk lol. The day just goes by quicker, you have so much more energy and you are so much more awake!

 

Here are some tips for getting in an early morning workout, hopefully they can help you because this is what works for me.

 

Prep your clothes before you go to bed. –I pick out what im going to wear, and leave it on top of my dresser. Fill your water bottle and have it in the fridge…. Im a “plan-ahead” type person, and I always stick to a schedule…so intense that any inconvenience or change will drive me crazy, lol but that’s what has made me successful with getting things done.

 

Make it a habit. After a few weeks, it becomes a routine.

 

Don’t put the alarm clock close to you. I put mine on my desk, that way I have to get up to turn it off! (whatever it takes)

 

When you alarm goes off, get up, turn it off and turn on the lights. Once lights are on…that’s the golden sign that you are not going to get back in bed.

 

Plan your breakfast the night before, and make it something you look forward to eating!

 

Leave motivational pot it notes around the house and in the car.

 

Make your before pic your screen saver on your phone.

 

Start slow, take your time easing yourself into the morning workouts. Start with 2 times a week, build is up to 3 or 4, then 5 or 6.

 

Don’t count on anyone but yourself. Having a gym buddy is a great thing, I love it… BUT don’t count on them for your goals. You are in charge of yourself. If they cant go, or they quit, it could play a role on your motivation.  See it as “I’m going to workout, and you can join me”. that’s setting the tone with the mentality as “with or without anyone, I’m doing this for me”

 

NOW let me tell you the benefits of working out in the morning.

First off, you feel better all day. Like I said previously, you feel energized, focused, and less stressed.

You get a better workout than you would in the afternoon, because during the day you start thinking about everything you have to do after work, or things that would get in the way.

 

You find yourself wanting to eat healthier all day long, because you wont want to ruin the hard work you put in.

 

You could burn more fat. Lots fo studies show that you can burn 20% more fat if you workout before your 1st meal, also helps to jump start your metabolism. You burn way more calories throughout the day when you do a morning workout than you would if you did an evening workout.

 

The gym is almost always empty. You wont have to worry about a machine being taken.  You will also have less distractions. Nobody will be up at that time texting you, or calling you. The gym will be your main focus!!