Well, actually 5:30 to be exact. I joined a workout group through my campus ministry that requires getting out of bed at 5:30 and getting to the gym between 6 and 6:15. Yes, a.m. You may be asking, why would you do this to yourself? Are you crazy? And I wondered that too when my friend practically forced me to sign up, but after the first day of working out, I had so much energy. I was more productive, and I pretty much have to go to bed early to avoid being a cranky, groggy mess in the morning.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Nix
I’ve made new friends
Having my friend hold me accountable to work out has been not only fun, but also vital for me to actually get up and go. I get ready, knock on her door, and we walk over to the gym together. Through the campus ministry group, I have also gotten to know a whole bunch of new people, which has been such a refreshing experience. Normally, I stick to my same small group of friends. When I’m around new people, I find it difficult to be myself and show my crazy personality, but something about showing up at 6:00 a.m., bags under your eyes, sweating and grinding together seems to bond you close pretty quickly!
I have more energy
After I workout, I have so much energy! I feel like I can conquer all of the tasks that seemed to be looming the night before, and all I have to do is shower and get ready before walking to my 8:30 class. I have noticed that I stay awake so much more in my classes and have way more focus. Before, I would be fighting to keep my eyes open in pretty much every class. I would try to type to stay awake, then I would look back at my notes later only to find a bunch of random letters and spaces. Now, I can actually read my notes, so if nothing else, that is a plus!
I have better time management
Before I would go to the gym, I would wake up around 7:00 to get ready for my 8:30 class. Now, I usually get back from the gym around 7:45 and have to shower, get ready, put on makeup if I want to, and grab breakfast in order to leave by 8:15. For me, this is easier said than done, but I haven’t been late to class yet, so it seems to be working out so far! It’s crazy how something that used to take me over an hour now takes me less than 30 minutes because I know that I’m on a time crunch. This also helps me to care less about my appearance. I don’t have time to stand in front of my closet in a bathrobe for ten minutes trying to decide what I’m going to wear. I just have to throw something on and hope that it works because I don’t have time to change! I also know that in order to have a successful workout, I need sleep, so I have to get to bed at a reasonable hour. Sometimes this happens, and sometimes it doesn’t. But, hey, sometimes watching Hannah Montana with your roommates seems more valuable than sleep! I mean…nobody’s perfect.
I eat healthier
Working out definitely makes me eat healthier. After I have just finished a long, difficult workout, the last thing I want to do is fill my stomach with something heavy and sugary like a Pop-Tart before running out the door for class. I also can see how many calories I’ve burned, so I don’t want to waste my workout by eating something high in calories and low in nutritional value. This has also helped me to stay healthier for dinner meals and late-night snacks because I know that whatever I eat is going to fuel me for the workout the next morning. Then again, maybe this is just the dietetics major in me!
Phot courtesy of Sarah Dubler
I’m in a better mood
I find that I am much more peppy, confident, and happier as I go throughout the day. I feel proud of myself that before most people have woken up, I have taken steps to make my body healthier and stronger. I also feel more confident, which oddly stems from feeling sore when walking to class. I know that I am making my body more fit and strong, so I feel proud of that. Taking care of your body is so empowering and for me is one of the best “self-care” practices that I can implement. There is no greater form of self-respect than making your body the best that it can be.
So all in all, I would definitely recommend finding an accountability partner or group and working out early in the morning. Taking care of your body will encourage a healthy lifestyle in all aspects of your life. It gave me confidence to know that I can get out of my comfort zone and make new friends. It gave me confidence that I can set a goal of going to the gym and achieve it. And it gave me confidence that I can get ready in less than thirty minutes…I may just have to set a few alarms!