Get Up, Get Dressed, and Get Moving!

Working out in the morning can be fun, refreshing, and a great way to start the day

Let's face it- for a lot of us, the idea of an alarm clock going off between the hours of 4 and 6 am for any reason other than work/being sick/Christmas morning sounds more like a nightmare than a doable task. However, working out in the morning provides -a lot- of benefits!


1. More energy throughout the day
2. Less crowded at the gym- dont have to share or wait for weights.
3. No Traffic!
4. Positive, feel good feelings for the whole day
5. Fall asleep faster and sleep easier through the night


As someone who used to hate waking up in the morning (any time before 10am would not have been considered acceptable), I have mastered my own system to waking up at 5, sometimes as early as 430am to get my workout in.


1. Prep the Night Before

This is by far the most important. If you dont do any of other items on the list, make sure you do this one! Mornings in general just go so much smoother when I have everything ready the night before. With my gym and work clothes picked out, everything by the door, coffee preset to brew right before I wake up, the only thinking I have to do is get out of bed. That's it. Everything else is already done for me.

Breakfast smoothies ready for a quick grab and go!

2. Move the alarm clock

This can be across the room or in a totally different room. The key here is to make sure it isnt anywhere you can reach while still being in bed. My alarm clock is my ipad, which is in the living room, conveniently on top of the pre-planned workout clothes. I use my phone too, but as you'll see in the picture below, and I am fond of the snooze button!




3. Aim for at least 6-8 hours of sleep. 

I really like the snooze button, hence the 15 minute alarm intervals

Depending on how much you need. I typically only need between 6 1/2- 7 hours a night, but it takes me awhile to actually fall asleep, so I make sure I'm in bed between 8-830. If it helps, take your electronics out of the room and grab a good book or magazine- knocks me out every time!


4. Set up a rewards system

We all have something we LOVE doing, whether it's gardening, playing on the computer, doing arts and crafts, etc. Find something (whether it be an item or activity) that you find motivating and can withhold until you 'earn' it. For me, it's netflix. I love netflix binging, and have watched waaaaay too much television since the program came into my home. However, on days I dont make it to the gym, I dont watch netflix- TV time is something I have to earn. If I'm int he middle of a good show, I'm always motivated to go to the gym- I want to know what hapapened the next episode! This takes some discipline, but it works!

Netflix binging- my kryptonite 

I should note, however, that it is best not to use food as a reinforcer (e.g. that candy bar that I know looks super delicious and is calling your name in the store aisle). You/ve worked hard to shed those calories at the gym, and dont want to start viewing food as a reward. Pick a hobby, TV show, activity (gotta love those manicures!) to keep you motivated.

5. Grab a Buddy

Accountability is key! If you can, find someone who you can drag out of bed is wiling to get up with you in the morning. Running/working out is always more fun with a friend (or in my case, my brother!). Knowing that he is getting up early to workout and waiting on me always gets me up.

This is what our texts look like the night before/morning of a workout

There you have it- this is what helps me get up in the morning. Ultimately, it's about setting up what works best for you and your family, whether that's working out in the morning, afternoon, or in the evening after work. As long as you're getting up and getting moving, you're already winning!


Whether you are a morning working out or evening work out person, how do you make sure you get to the gym? Answer in the comments below!