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How to Motivate for Early Morning Workouts
January 7, 2014Continuing on with the healthy living New Year I thought I would give you some pointers on how to get out of bed for early morning workouts. I am dedicating this post to my sister who has started going to 5:45 am Barre classes up in New Jersey! I’m proud of you Christina for rocking those early classes!
I get asked just about everyday how I wake up to teach or take 6 am classes. I am not going to lie to you and say that I just naturally wake up at 5:30 ready to take on the day.
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Some mornings are struggles but at five or six later that night when everyone is struggling to go to the gym after a long day of work, you can smile and know that you are already done for the day. I find that hour after work where I would have been working out, I can get all my errands done and I’m home eating dinner at a reasonable hour. When I workout after work, go to the grocery store and get around to eating dinner sometimes it is 9 at night. Plus I like taking a small satisfaction in knowing that I am done with my workout when most people’s alarms are going off. It takes me usually 2-3 weeks of doing something routinely and then it works into my habits.
How to Motivate to Get Up for Early Morning Workouts.
#1 Make sure to go to bed at a decent hour.
If I am waking up for a 6 am class my alarm is usually set at 5:15 if I am teaching or 5:30 if I am taking. Naturally this needs to be adjusted for you depending on how far away your workout place is. My Barre and spin studios are 5 minutes away, well the Barre studio is longer but I go a way that avoids lights in the morning. My goal is to get to bed by 10pm. I have a rule to not check Facebook/Email/Instagram/Pinterest/any forms of social media. Lights out by 10.
#2 Lay out your clothes the night before.
When I get up in the morning for class Mark is usually sleeping and I get dressed in the dark (isn’t that so sweet of me????). So to avoid looking like a homeless person I put out exactly down to the socks, shoes and hair ties I will be wearing in the morning. If you have the luxury of turning on the lights….here is my other recommendation. The minute the alarm goes off flip on lights and wake up your body. Some people have told me they sleep in their gym clothes….I don’t know about all of that but hey if it is one less step for you….go for it. Whatever you need to do to get out of the house.
#3 Set two alarms with NO snooze buttons.
I have two alarms, one is my old school alarm clock that is missing the back cover so if I whack it off my nightstand the batteries fall out and it makes the most pathetic powering off noise. I still have the same one from college….it has been through a lot of moves and cities. I also set my IPhone alarm. That way if I accidentally hit the clock off my nightstand….the IPhone is the backup.
#4 Don’t dilly-dally in the morning.
Honestly I don’t even realize I’m out of the house till I’m in my car. Make it a routine. Alarm goes off, change into clothes on the chair by the bed, brush teeth, grab water, keys and head out the door. I am out of my house sometimes 10 minutes after the alarm goes off.
#5 Sign up for something that costs money if you cancel.
This is one of the biggest motivators for me. If I have signed up for a training session, Barre or Spin Class and there is a greater than one hour no cancellation policy….you know my butt is getting out of bed if I will have to forfeit that class. Money or wasting money is a big motivator to get out of a warm bed.
#6 Have a workout buddy or friend that you are meeting.
I do this with a few of my girlfriends. We sign up for the same class in the morning. When that alarm goes off I think to myself “Kelly is going to kill me if she goes and I flake on her”. Taking it one step further sometimes we will plan something really fun after work like a Happy Hour Drink so if we don’t get in our workout in the morning then we miss out on the fun after work!
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#7 Start out with a small commitment.
I usually look at the schedule for the week and find my favorite teachers. Then I commit to one or two classes max. That way on those morning you can tell yourself when the alarm goes off “only today I have to wake up” or “these are my two early mornings the other ones I can sleep in”. I try to only sign up for two early weekday classes that way I don’t get burnt out and still enjoy going instead of making it a chore.
#8 Splurge on one or two new workout pieces.
After you have stuck it out with a few early morning workouts reward yourself with a few pieces that you have been eyeing. Here are a few of my favorite picks!
#9 Think about that feeling when you are done.
The feeling you get when you are done with your workout is what drives me to continue with my early morning routines. I feel so energized and awake after a 6am class. I am also up, showered and out the door usually before I am normally waking up so I have a jump start on the day.
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#10 If all else fails teach a class.
There is nothing that motivates you more knowing that 30-40 people will be standing outside in the cold if you don’t get your booty out of bed. That’s what it came down to for me.
That is my list of recommendations that get me out of bed! What are yours? Do you workout before work or after? What workouts have you been committing to lately?
Btw remember this post where I tempted you with a hair iron review? I finally got my act together aka wrangled someone into taking pictures of me doing my hair. Come back tomorrow to check out the post for my full review of the Sam Villa Texturizing Iron. Total game changer to get amazing volume. Check Check it out! xoxoxoxoxo
YES YES YES!!! I am determined to get back to my 5am workout self this year!!! it feels SO amazing when you do.
Love it! I just found your blog via your comment on The Skinny Confidential and this post is totally helpful. Getting back into my 6 a.m. power yoga routine is pretty key among this year’s resolutions!
These are all such great tips! If I want a morning workout I have to prepare everything the night before so that I can just wake up and go! Clothes picked out, lunch packed, etc. It helps!!
http://www.amemoryofus.blogspot.com
You are so cute! Your blog is too. Putting out my work out gear is essential if I do the early AM work outs. Also, I want to try the barre class. We have a flywheel and pure barre class near my apartment and they seem interesting! I am just your usual gym rat.
i dream about being a morning workout person. i am on the weekends and i love how it shapes my day in such a positive way. and i’m DONE!! then i eat everything in sight. hahah just kidding. so agree on buying a couple cute pieces to motivate you. not gonna lie, target has some reallllly cute things sometimes! :) for me, the brighter the better. i rock neons like they’re never going out of style. and they better not!!
I teach a Barre class too (BarreAmped) so I had to pop over here based on the blog name alone! :) I usually teach at night but I have at least 3 classes coming up at 5:45 a.m…..eeek! I’m going to have to go to bed at like nine at night…ha! :)
Love your blog, Amanda! I wish I lived close to you so that you could help inspire me, but this blog is on my reading list now! xoxo
These are great pointers!! I try to workout in the morning at least twice a week and then the rest of the days I dont mind going after work! But I couldn’t agree more, working out in the morning is the best and being able to go home right after work major bonus!! I get my stuff laid out and dress in the dark too!! If it’s too cold out (like it was this morning) I end up doing a tabata at home and then doing another workout when i get home…I think you just need to be motivated! Now maybe I should reward myself with some new workout clothes haha! :)
These are great motivating tips!! I am not a morning person, so any help/advise I can get is great! I may have to make morning workouts a part of this months goal list… xoxo, Lindsay
Thanks for the motivation tips! I definitely need those some mornings!
I admire people who can wake up that early to go work out so very much! Maybe I’ll ease into it… baby steps, right? Liking all of these ideas!
SO many great tips! its awesome that you teach a barre class (talk about motivation to show up!) xo jillian – cornflake dreams
Love this! I go to Pure Barre in Seattle and have found that signing up for the Challenges help me a LOT! The instructors recognize me now, which also holds me accountable on those early mornings when I’d rather just hit the snooze button instead of dragging my booty to class. It totally becomes addicting when you go consistently and can feel yourself getting stronger. :)
fabulous post – i do most of these to get my butt out of gear (especially the not realising i’m out of the house until i’m almost at the gym, lol) except the teaching a class – that would certainly get my butt into gear. I wish I could do a barre class! obviously you love it, but like – is it really awesome and should i do it?
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My personal diet plan is this – I wake up at dawn, take half glass of Mangosteen Juice on an empty stomach. After that I go to gym and workout for 1 hour. Then I go to my office and when I return I eat fresh fruits and a boiled egg. Before I sleep I read few pages of my favorite novel.
My own diet regime is actually this particular – We awaken from beginning, consider fifty percent cup associated with Mangosteen Liquid with an bare belly. Next We visit fitness center as well as work out with regard to one hour. I quickly visit my personal workplace so when We come back We consume fruits along with a boiled egg cell. Prior to We rest We study couple of webpages associated with my personal favorite book.
what would you recommend eating before a 6 am pure barre class?
also, do you personally eat anything before teaching/taking classes at around 6 am?