How to get yourself to work out in the morning!
How to get yourself to work out in the morning!
Big thanks to The Quaker Oats Company for partnering with me on this blog post!
Hey guys!
Working out in the morning is something that I could not get myself to do for YEARS. It was one of those “impossible” challenges that I honestly did not know how to conquer! I mean, I was going to bed at 2 or 3 am everyday, so it was probably better that I DIDN’T work out in the morning.
Well, within the past year, the impossible became the possible thanks to simple habit makeovers which allowed me to wake up earlier. Let me tell you – getting in your work out first thing in the morning is a GAME CHANGER. I end up feeling driven and motivated for work or school, my energy levels are through the roof, and I get the best sleep of my life later that night.
I want you to experience the magic of waking up early…so here are 6 tips that can make morning workouts a reality for you! FOR REAL!
#1. Go to bed early and at the same time every night.
I think the hardest thing about waking up in the morning is getting yourself to go to bed early. If you’re a night owl, like I used to be, it’s difficult to break that habit. But, it can be done if you want it to be done.
My trick is to make myself sleepy around 10:30pm. I’ll stretch 30 min to an hour before bed, which helps prepare my body for relaxation. If that doesn’t work, reading a book in bed helps calm my mind. Keeping the bedroom very dark also makes me sleepy.
Sometimes it’s external issues that keep us up – like the boss, the boyfriend, the bills – so if you can tackle those things head on while you’re awake, it will help ease your mind to sleep. I’m a fan of talking things out and also finding solutions for every problem. If you know something is on its way to getting better, you’ll find it easier to rest.
#2. Have something tasty waiting for you when you wake up!
I don’t know about you, but I am very motivated by food! Sometimes going to bed early means I’m one step closer to having breakfast! So if the thought of getting up early scares you, you can make it less scary by having a yummy and nutritious meal waiting for you right when you wake up.
Most days, I don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning, so I have to have something super quick. So it’s either gotta be ready to go (like a banana) or made the night before. That’s why overnight oats are the COOLEST. THINGS. EVER. You can mix oats with fruits, honey, nuts, and milk in a mason jar the night before and just refrigerate it. Then boom it’s thick, creamy, and ready to eat by 6am when you’re still trying to figure out where the light switch is.
I recently discovered that Quaker has hopped on board with the overnight oats trend! I applaud them for being so quick to react to this social media trend. So good job Quaker!
Sometimes mixing your own overnight oats can be a little hit or miss in the taste bud department. You don’t really know what it’s going to taste like until the next day. So, if you’re new to this, try out Quaker Overnights Oats! They originally created over 20 recipes and narrowed it down to 4 flavor profiles. Quaker provided me all 4 flavors to try and lemme tell you… they taste REALLY GOOD! My fave flavor is Raisin Walnut & Honey Heaven!
All you have to do is pour in some milk (I use almond milk) the night before, stir and then just put the single serve container in the fridge overnight and the next morning a super delish breakfast will be waiting for you! A mix of 100% whole grain oats plus other grains, no artificial flavors and no added colors. TOTES YUM IN DA TUM.
#3. Schedule it in your calendar!
If you don’t plan for it, it aint gonna happen. So, I treat my workouts with the same importance as a meeting, a doctor’s appointment, or a date. I put it in my calendar with a time so that it’s set in stone. This way, I cannot miss it. Whether you schedule your workout 1 day before a week before – doesn’t matter – put it in your calendar and don’t be late!
#4. Set a few alarms in the morning.
This is real talk. When I have to get up REALLY early in the morning I have at least 3 alarms go off because I don’t trust myself.
First alarm: “Hey, you need to get up but I’ll be nice and give you a few extra minutes.”
Second alarm: “I said a few. Not 15 minutes. Get your butt out of bed.”
Third alarm: “It’s been 30 minutes now. I can’t believe I trusted you. GET. UP. NOW. OR ELSEEEEEE!!!!!”
#5. Turn up the music.
Don’t feel in the mood? Then PUT YOURSELF IN THE MOOD! Listen to some pop music or whatever gets you going in the morning. Put on your fave songs or even your fave podcast (have you listened to The Sheroic Podcast yet!?) to help motivate you.
Awakening the mind will awaken the body! Then you’ll be ready to sweat!
#6. Embrace the extra energy you’ll gain!
Look, I know waking up early sucks. But it only sucks until you realize HOW AWESOME IT FEELS! You’ll be done with your workout before other people even get out of bed! You’re going to be so efficient with your time, you will be glowing with energy, and you’ll be so much more driven to crush the day!
I hope these 6 tips will help you change your lifestyle in a way that will make you healthier and happier. Seriously though guys, I never ever thought I’d be the morning workout type. But look – I am living proof that YOU CAN CHANGE.
In fact, you can do anything if you want to. The hardest part is getting started. But once you get over the fear of how it’s going to feel, that fear will be replaced with excitement for a new type of life you’re going to be living. One that you once thought was impossible.
K now go try at least one of these tips and be a morning person with me! Comment below what time you normally wake up!
And a big, big thanks to The Quaker Oats Company for partnering with me on this blog post. I love me some yummy Quaker Overnight Oats in the morning! Really though, go try them. So good.
44 thoughts on “How to get yourself to work out in the morning!”
There are Array44 comments posted by our users.
I’ve been a morning person since birth, lol, however, I still cannot get myself to workout in the morning, I feel motivated in the afternoons though. BUT I did do some knee (PT) moves. So that’s a start 😀
I loved your work and content. Thanks for sharing this post.
Hiii! I m new here, but I m loving your blog, app…exercices..everything. I wake up at 5 am…drink my warm lemon water, exercise about 1 hour, take a bath, breakfast, take a half way work by foot and when I miss this ritual I feel that is missing something..I feel angry whith myself..
Congratulations for your work and a big kiss from Porto, Portugal
Mónica
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Love this read, Cassey! For me making breakfast in the morning is super interesting. I love mixing oats with Yemeni Sidr Honey gives me an extra edge.
Thanks Cassey, I badly need this
Thanks Cassey! I am not a morning person and love my sleep! I need to get up at least 6am every morning besides weekends it’s 5:30am I have about 12-15 alarms every morning! I don’t trust myself with only 3! I will try this so thankyou for the tips! 🙂
thanks Cassey! i have been getting up in the morning and i always dred it so i will deffinantly be trying your tricks and ill have to try overnight oats
Thank you for posting! I will re-read this one!
At one point, I was getting up at 4:30 to exercise before work at 7. I was doing T25 and I was exhausted after work, I couldn’t function. I did that for 9 months. Then after leaving that job, I was doing T25 in the afternoons, I still needed a nap an hour afterwards, not a 15 or 20 min. nap but an hour or so nap. I did one of your workouts today, (got nauseous couldn’t finish) but I haven’t needed a nap yet, so I will try getting up in the morning again.
I’m a early person since 7 years now and do my workouts first thing at morning, since then I woke up at different times and sometimes I fall of the wagon time to time, but now I have a routine that I like and for my surprise I woke up super duper early and be consistent with it, my routine is now M – W – F at 4:35am (yeah it is crazy) and Sunday, T – T at 5:40am (yes, even on Sunday) on Saturday I allow me more time on bed but I woke up at 8:00am *this is my rest day.
One thing that helps me is the alarm to go to bed, I set my iphone on their “Go to bed” config at 10:00 pm to no forget that I need to go to bed without this I’ll miss my time and I’ll be tire enough on next morning and miss my workouts 🙁 so Go to bed config on iphone is a must.
I want to try waking up earlier! Now, I’ve FINALLY started waking up before 7 A.M. (my goal is 5:30 A.M.), so I’m just trying to wake up half an hour earlier now! Anyways, I am totally motivated when I think of how good I’ll feel after exercising or how amazing my breakfast will be! But I prefer to workout on an empty stomach because I feel less sluggish!
Wake up at 4:30am makes it tough but I am getting SOOOO close to success! Hopefully reading this will help me finally able to do it. The only downside is that I would have to get up at 4am to workout. We will see……:)
Hey,
I just started watching your videos and I absolutely love them and this is the first thing that actually motivates me. But I just have this question about the workout itself because I did the 5-minute abs workout but I kind of feel it in my shoulders/neck. Is that a bad thing or is this normal?
Maybe this is a stupid question haha but I would really like to know !
Xx
Working in retail in the afternoon makes working out in the morning a motivator. After finishing, I reward myself with breakfast 🙂
I would love to do this but it just seems so impossible :/ I already wake up at 6:30 every morning but every day I start working at a different time. Sometimes at 7:30, sometimes 9. Than I have a daughter who wakes up every morning at a different time also. Because my schedules are always different it’s really hard to put this in my morning routine – since there really isn’t much of a routine to begin with.
Also, I always wash my hair in the night since the mornings are always rushed and if I would work out in the morning after washing my hair at night, I would feel like it’s just growse.
But this does seem like something so good :/
The only thing that gets me up in the morning is knowing that I’m going to the gym. I like to work out fasted. My stomach doesn’t really agree with moving around too much when there are solids in it. Especially when i get to my cardio after the strength training. I can’t cardio with a full tummy, just fluids.
So I wake up at 5am to get a train into the city at 5:51. I got into the city where i work because my gym is 5 minute walk away so I can get my workout started around 6:50 and work til almost 8 then shower and get dressed, do my make up, eat breakfast. then work at a desk for 9 hours (i hate it!)
Yup there are def days when I work out fasted because my stomach is just not ready yet, or I had a big dinner so I am still full. I’m glad going to the gym gets you up in the morning!
I also think its pretty impossible being a mom.. i workout at night after he goes to bed. I would like to get up in the morning but I am afraid I will wake him up even earlier than he usually does (6-ish). Otherwise yep it would be awesome to train from 5-6 then shower then job (i start at 7 or 7:30 usually)
A very useful and effective workout program which has given wonderful results for a lot of women is http://bit.ly/2si391b
My daughter = my alarm, 4.30 spot on she is calling us from her cot, sometimes I do ignore her for 10-15minutes but then she starts crying and thats it, so I have really early mornings, I do try exercise but with her everywhere is sooo difficult, I wonder how all those instagram/facebook fit moms do it, kids nicely sitting and watching them exercise, mine little one she runs away, climbs over me, steals my dumbbells, I even can’t use her as weights as she is tiny and won’t let me do it
Haha aww sounds cute but also sounds tough to get a workout in! In regards to IG fit moms – you only see a snapshot of their life…not the real life!
I will definately put these tips into practice Caz im that kind who wants to wake up buy can’t get to it yet n was wondering if something is wrong with me to wana b in bed longer…hehe. thanks Cassey
These are some brilliant tips, I have wanted to start working out in the mornings for so long now and this will hopefully finally get me to do so! Thanks so much x
Holly
The Art of Being Holly
Hope it helps!
I’ve been a night owl since I was a teen and now, I struggle so much with time management. I have weeks where I over sleep a lot and some where I only get five to six hours of sleep. It’s really affected my life and I’ve always wanted to find a way to be more of a morning person, to have more hours during the day. This post has come at such an appropriate time for me and I hope to be able to find a way to have a better sleeping and workout routine in the weeks to come! Thanks Cassey! xx
You are so welcome!
I have to be at work by 7:30 every morning, so working out in the morning usually requires getting up at 5:00! I get up, start the coffee pot, wash my face in cool water and throw my hair in a side braid (literally the only hairstyle that stays put through all the jumping and planking 🙂 I work out from 5:15-6:15 and then hop in a quick shower, get ready, grab an egg cup and my coffee on the way out, and hit the road by 7. Hectic!
WOW that is early!!!!
I usually aim to start getting ready for bed at 9pm. In the summer that’s sometimes hard because it’s getting dark way later and I’m still wide awake. But I always darken my bedroom and only turn on my fairy lights, so that it’s cozy and in the meanwhile my mind knows that it’s time for sleep soon.
When I have to go to work I’m getting up at 6am otherwise mostly from around 8:30am to 10:30am.
Since February I have more time in the mornings, about 30 minutes, to do anything I want before I have to really get ready for work, which is the best thing ever! Sometimes I read a bit, meditate, do some Yoga or 1-2 short Blogilates videos. I feel much more balanced throughout the day when I did some of that in the morning.
I would love to do PIIT then, but I would have to take a shower afterwards. The ‘problem’ is my family is getting up at around that time and then the bathroom is not available … I’d have to get up at 5 to workout and take a shower. That’s waay too early. Yes I’m honest, I could get up earlier to do it, but I don’t want to 😀
Do you have any problems fall asleep or staying asleep? This is my biggest set back from waking up refreshed!
I often have problems falling asleep, because I have such a busy mind and I can’t get it to shut up quickly. I often read a bit before going to sleep so that my mind is distracted beforehand and it helps 🙂
Non fiction or fiction?:) sometimes I like to do that too!
I read a lot! 😀 I read mostly fiction, but non-fiction too. And you? 🙂
I mostly read self development books, I find them insightful and I learn a lot! But novels could be nice too. Any suggestions?
Self development books are awesome, I occasionally read these too. True! I love to learn new things for self improvement 🙂
Sure. What novel genres do you like the most?
My favorite ones are just self development books! One that I highly suggest is better than before, which is about habits, and the five love languages 🙂 I don’t know if reading blogs also count, but I have one and I think you should check it out!
Oh man! I’ve never thought of waiting for the bathroom as an issue w/ workout timing. Great point!
Is it okay to workout as soon as you finish breakfast or should there be a waiting time?
Or eating after workout is better? I have asked so many people/read so many articles but I haven’t found a convincing answer for this one..
This is great! Cassey, I don’t know if you’d be interested in doing this, but I’d love to see a blog post with a tutorial on your hair bun in this post! 🙂
Brooklyn
OMG this bun was so so so so EASY! It literally takes no time. But yes I can show you!
That would be awesome!
Brooklyn
latidoblog.weebly.com
Honestly, this seriously works. It’s winter currently in my country, and let me tell you it is very hard to wake up when it’s cold. But I’ve gotten into the habit, and now I can’t wait to wake up in the morning for my work outs. I’m basically already half awake by the time my alarm goes. I got to bed at the same time every night. For me I aim to be ready to fall to sleep by 9, so generally I stretch for half an hour at 8:30, and then I’m all rugged up by 9. I get up about 5:45, so that makes sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep.
Getting up early and doing pilates has done so much for my wellbeing though. It was a struggle the first week, but now it’s easier. And I’ve noticed that if I don’t get up for pilates and sleep in, I generally don’t have a very good day. But when I do I have energy, I’m awake. And most importantly I don’t feel like I have to nap during the day. And for my mental state as well? I struggle with a bit of Anxiety, and excerising to start with really helps, but in the morning? It sets me up for an awesome day, and honestly I’m so much more driven.
So yeah, it works, and you can change. Just get through the first hard weeks, then it will almost be natural.
Thanks for sharing your experience!! Yes, the first few weeks are hard, but then you get used to it.