Exercise Early in the Morning

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

 • Alarm clock

 • Exercise plan

• Workout gear

 • Discipline

Step1

Choose an alarm clock with a pleasant wake-up call. If your alarm scares the pants off of you every morning, then you might be waking up grouchy and uninspired for a very good reason. Test-drive clocks in the store and look for a sound that suits you.

Step2

Before you go to bed each night, lay out your workout clothes, gym bag or other gear. Include a variety of items in case the weather changes overnight.

Step3

Wake up at the same time every day (and ban the snooze button). Even if you choose to sit on the couch and read the newspaper instead of exercise, at least you are teaching your body to rise and be semi-alert at this hour.

 Step4

on’t leave enough time to dilly-dally. The more you are standing around in a dark, cozy house, the less likely you are to leave it. Wake up, get dressed, and get out the door.

Step5

Experiment with your pre-workout food. Figure out how little you can eat and still fit in a solid workout. Can you run 5 miles on an empty stomach? Can you ONLY run on an empty stomach? Some quick-and-easy foods that are usually gentle on a pre-workout stomach: banana, cereal bar, toast or yogurt. If you are doing an especially tough workout that requires ample fuel, give yourself enough time for your food to digest before exercising.

Step6

Find a friend or group to keep you accountable and motivated. If you are meeting outside for a walk or bike ride, establish weather-related guidelines. (For example, if the weather drops below X degrees or it’s thundering outside, hit the gym or stay home.)

Step7

Explore different activities, then alternate your workouts to keep things fresh, but consistent.

Step8

Create an exercise plan or fitness goal so that you know what you’re working toward. Once you start seeing results, you will be more motivated to keep that alarm set on EARLY.