The best way to never miss a workout is to cross it off your list first thing of day — so easy, right? Wrong! Some early birds have no problem with this, but for many of us waking up and working out is quite a challenge. We love our sleep; we love our snooze buttons. Maybe this piece of information will help motivate you to actually get up and get your sweat on: morning exercisers work harder [1] than people who work out at other times of the day, and working out harder means more gains.
Now are you ready to set your alarm for an hour earlier tomorrow morning? These tips will certainly help you get at it!
- When the alarm goes off: get up; stand up; get moving. Put yourself on auto-pilot and just do it.
- Lay your clothes [3] out the night before, from socks and shoes to sports bra and top. Place your pile of gear in a spot where you can spy them from you bed, and when you see how organized your are you will be more motivated to get up.
- You can take the previous tip to a more extreme place and skip the entire getting dressed phase and simply sleep in your workout clothes. When the alarm buzzes you are literally ready to go — except for maybe your shoes. If you're running, don't forget your sneaks.
- Make a date. You might shortchange yourself and sleep through a planned workout but would you leave your friend hanging? No. Set a meeting time and place, and then make sure you show up on time. Your friend needs you!
- Pre-book it! If you like the boutique studio scene, you know you need to reserve your spot ahead of time. Get online and book an early morning sesh. If you don't workout you will lose your dough, and I think that is a sad lose lose.
- Up the financial ante by booking a session with a trainer. One-on-one training is not cheap and you wouldn't want to dream away $85.
- You know that song, the one that always makes you want to move? Maybe it's the first track on your workout playlist [4]. Wake up to the song — hopefully the Pavlovian response to hearing your favorite tune will help get your moving.