Hey collegiettes– late night post! I’m about to go to bed, so I can be well rested for an early morning run tomorrow with my friend Liz! Working out in the morning is great because it not only jumpstarts my day, but it also frees up my day for other activities. However, getting out of bed can be really tough. Even when I’m not trying to work out in the morning, getting up can be a drag. After all, who doesn’t want to just lie in their bed for a little longer? Here are some tips on how to get up and get moving in the AM:
- Sleep in your workout gear– I’m not saying you have to sleep with your sneakers on, but it doesn’t hurt to wear running shorts and a workout shirt to bed. That way, in the morning, you can literally roll out of bed and not fuss about getting dressed.
- Schedule a workout with a friend– If you have a friend waiting for you in the morning, then you will be much more inclined to get out of bed. From my experiences, when I don’t have a friend waiting, I simply will say, “Five more minutes…”, and then proceed to sleep for another hour. Whereas when I do have a friend waiting, I force myself to get out of bed because I tell myself, “Liz is already ready, and she is counting on you to meet her.”
- Get a good night’s rest– It definitely is not ideal to start working out on a limited numer of hours sleep. If you’re planning on exercising in the morning, you want to make an extra effort to get the recommended six to eight hours of rest. I have an awesome app on my phone that gives me suggested wake up times that are right at the end of a sleep cycle. I try to set my alarm for one of these times, so that way I wake up at the end of a sleep cycle and not right in the middle of one– it really does make a difference!
- Reward yourself– As a reward for getting yourself out of bed and already finishing your workout, you should reward yourself. Maybe go out to breakfast at Subway! The Quick Fix on the SELF Drop 10 diet is a great breakfast option and only 150 calories!
Those tips are the ones that I find most effective for waking up early in the morning to work out! So join me tomorrow morning and future mornings as we finish the second half of the Lose the Freshman 15 program! 4 weeks down, 4 more to go. I have lost a total of 6 lbs! We can do it!
Until Friday
xoxo
Nicole