How to Wake Up Early and Workout

by: Becky LaChance

I must admit, I haven’t always been an early morning riser. When I started working in the hospital I rarely made it to the gym on my work days so I decided to count them as active rest days. Getting to work by 6:45am was a struggle alone and I just didn’t have the energy to make it to the gym after work. I also had a long commute and most gyms near me weren’t open at 5am. When I moved to California I no longer had to commute to work and I joined a gym that was 2 minutes away from my apartment, which made it a lot easier for me to go. That’s when I started making 5am workouts a priority. I found that If I worked out before work I had much more energy throughout the day. I also felt super accomplished by knocking out a tough workout before the long work day. Working in the ICU was draining and I needed to take time for myself before I put everyone else first.
Although 5am workouts have became a part of my routine 3-4 days a week, getting up for them isn’t always easy. I dread my 4:30 alarm more than anything. So what makes it easier for me to get out of bed so early? I’m going to share my favorite tips in this post!

MAKE A MORNING PLAYLIST:
Need a little extra motivation getting out of bed in the morning? Make a playlist to listen to while you’re getting ready to help get you out the door to your workout! I used to do this before my long runs— when I was warming up at home I would put on a kickass motivating playlist to get me excited to head out the door!

CHANGE YOUR ALARM:
Change your alarm to something upbeat and energizing. You can even pull a song from your workout playlist to use as an alarm. Need a little more push? You can label your alarm with a motivational quote that encourages you to get up and out of bed.

HAVE A BACKUP PLAN:
If you happen to snooze too many times, have a backup plan ready to go! Save a few quick 20 minute HIIT workouts you can do at home if you don’t have time to make it to the gym. OR give yourself a rest day- your body probably needs it!

SET A GOAL:
If early morning workouts aren’t part of your routine, start slow!! Make a goal of 2-3 early morning workouts a week and build up! After a few weeks you can increase to 4 early workouts a week. This will slowly become your new routine before you know it.

GO TO BED EARLY:
Go to bed early and at the same time every night. You’ll feel more rested in the morning and have more energy for your workout!

HAVE YOUR BREAKFAST PREPPED FOR AFTER YOUR WORKOUT:
I always have overnight oats or protein waffles prepped and waiting for me at home after my workout. This makes getting ready for work quicker and also gives me something to look forward to after the gym, haha! I’m always dreaming about my breakfast during my workout.

WORKOUT WITH FRIENDS:
Plan a workout date with one of your friends!! Knowing that one of your friends will be waiting for you at the gym, the studio for a class, online for a zoom workout, or outside to run will help keep you both accountable!
Hope these tips help! Please reach out to me on Instagram if you have any questions!

@becksliveshealthy