Women’s Lifestyle

Waking up early in the morning to work out is a great way to start the day. It allows you to work out when there are not a lot of people giving you more privacy. It helps you to feel energized for the rest of the day so that you are better able to accomplish everything. Unfortunately it is hard for us to wake up early enough to get the work out in.

- First you need an alarm clock that you want to wake up too. No one wants to hear a buzzing noise that annoys us and makes us want to throw it across the room. You don’t want to be grouchy when you wake up - but inspired to work out.

- 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.

- 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.

- Don’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.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.