Move
9 Tips for Loving Your Morning Workout
Do you aspire to be one of those people who works out first thing in the morning? You’re not alone.
The benefits of exercise are undeniable. The New York Times, looking at a meta-analysis of “many, many randomized controlled trials,” recently called exercise “the closest thing to a wonder drug,” one that helps with everything from musculoskeletal pain and heart disease to chronic fatigue and depression. The question for most of us is not over whether to workout but when—and early-morning workouts eliminate the daily debate over how to fit in exercise.
But our mornings are precious! Early morning is the one time of day when no one wants a piece of us. Work hasn’t started yet. Our families are still asleep. And also, we’re tired! With the demands of life constantly vying for our time, getting up before 6am to take a class or go for a run can feel impossible.
The good news is, we can train ourselves to become morning exercisers. Here are 9 tips for learning to love morning workouts.
Plan ahead.
Every Sunday night, sit down and make a workout plan for the week. Choose the classes you’re going to take, or pick specific days for solo workouts, and put them in your calendar. This takes the thinking out of what you’re going to do every morning when your alarm goes off. Tip: If you’re looking for some inspiration, try using our weekly barre3 Online plans, where we hand-pick complementary workouts that balance the body.
Put out your workout clothes before bed.
Before bed, lay out everything you need to workout—and for wherever you’re headed after—so that you don’t have to think about it in the morning. This may help you sleep better, because your mind won’t be buzzing with all the things you need to do in the morning, and it’ll save you time when you wake up.
Prep your breakfast.
You can also save time by preparing your breakfast the night before a morning workout. This recipe for an overnight oatmeal-berry parfait is easy to make ahead or you can prep your favorite smoothie. Put all the ingredients in a glass container or Ziploc bag, and in the morning, all you need to do is pour everything into the blender.
Invite a friend.
Accountability is one of the best ways to stay on track with morning workouts (or any new habit). If you know your friend is expecting to see you at that 6am class or waiting for you on a chilly street corner to start a run, you’re less likely to bail.
Prioritize sleep.
There’s nothing worse than hearing the alarm go off when you’ve been up tossing and turning all night. Set yourself up for success by avoiding caffeine late in the day, minimizing your screen time right before bed, and getting to bed at a decent time. Looping in your partner or roommate, by telling them why you’re prioritizing sleep, can help you protect the hours before bed.
Set two alarms.
This will get easier with time, but when you’re first acclimating to morning workouts, set a backup alarm in case you sleep through the first. If you’re a natural born snoozer, try putting the second alarm out of reach from your bed, so you’re forced to get up to turn it off.
Listen to energizing music.
When you wake up, crank some energizing music that you can keep going throughout your workout. And no excuses if you live with other people—use headphones! Having a fun morning playlist not only gives you something to look forward to when the alarm goes off, but research actually shows that pairing music with exercise makes working out more enjoyable and helps us perform better.
Drink water when you first wake up.
Waking up to a tall glass of water is a great way to rehydrate from the night and to fully transition from sleep. It’s hard to stay bleary eyed when you’re guzzling refreshing water. Taking it lukewarm is gentler on the system, so skip the ice.
Visualize yourself succeeding.
Becoming a morning exerciser is largely a mental game. As you drift off to sleep, imagine yourself waking up with ease, putting on your workout clothes, drinking a cup of tea (we love this matcha tea latte!), doing your workout, and feeling satisfied after. After a while, working out in the morning becomes a way of life. It becomes less of a struggle and more just what you do.
Find What Works for You
Let us know in the comments how these morning-workout tips work for you! And remember that when it comes to working out, what matters most is doing it—not when you do it. Even breaking up your workouts into 10-minute chunks can be effective.
All exercise is beneficial. The most important thing is finding a time that works for you so that it becomes something you can stick with and enjoy.
Do you aspire to be one of those people who works out first thing in the morning? You’re not alone.
The benefits of exercise are undeniable. The New York Times, looking at a meta-analysis of “many, many randomized controlled trials,” recently called exercise “the closest thing to a wonder drug,” one that helps with everything from musculoskeletal pain and heart disease to chronic fatigue and depression. The question for most of us is not over whether to workout but when—and early-morning workouts eliminate the daily debate over how to fit in exercise.
But our mornings are precious! Early morning is the one time of day when no one wants a piece of us. Work hasn’t started yet. Our families are still asleep. And also, we’re tired! With the demands of life constantly vying for our time, getting up before 6am to take a class or go for a run can feel impossible.
The good news is, we can train ourselves to become morning exercisers. Here are 9 tips for learning to love morning workouts.
Plan ahead.
Every Sunday night, sit down and make a workout plan for the week. Choose the classes you’re going to take, or pick specific days for solo workouts, and put them in your calendar. This takes the thinking out of what you’re going to do every morning when your alarm goes off. Tip: If you’re looking for some inspiration, try using our weekly barre3 Online plans, where we hand-pick complementary workouts that balance the body.
Put out your workout clothes before bed.
Before bed, lay out everything you need to workout—and for wherever you’re headed after—so that you don’t have to think about it in the morning. This may help you sleep better, because your mind won’t be buzzing with all the things you need to do in the morning, and it’ll save you time when you wake up.
Prep your breakfast.
You can also save time by preparing your breakfast the night before a morning workout. This recipe for an overnight oatmeal-berry parfait is easy to make ahead or you can prep your favorite smoothie. Put all the ingredients in a glass container or Ziploc bag, and in the morning, all you need to do is pour everything into the blender.
Invite a friend.
Accountability is one of the best ways to stay on track with morning workouts (or any new habit). If you know your friend is expecting to see you at that 6am class or waiting for you on a chilly street corner to start a run, you’re less likely to bail.
Prioritize sleep.
There’s nothing worse than hearing the alarm go off when you’ve been up tossing and turning all night. Set yourself up for success by avoiding caffeine late in the day, minimizing your screen time right before bed, and getting to bed at a decent time. Looping in your partner or roommate, by telling them why you’re prioritizing sleep, can help you protect the hours before bed.
Set two alarms.
This will get easier with time, but when you’re first acclimating to morning workouts, set a backup alarm in case you sleep through the first. If you’re a natural born snoozer, try putting the second alarm out of reach from your bed, so you’re forced to get up to turn it off.
Listen to energizing music.
When you wake up, crank some energizing music that you can keep going throughout your workout. And no excuses if you live with other people—use headphones! Having a fun morning playlist not only gives you something to look forward to when the alarm goes off, but research actually shows that pairing music with exercise makes working out more enjoyable and helps us perform better.
Drink water when you first wake up.
Waking up to a tall glass of water is a great way to rehydrate from the night and to fully transition from sleep. It’s hard to stay bleary eyed when you’re guzzling refreshing water. Taking it lukewarm is gentler on the system, so skip the ice.
Visualize yourself succeeding.
Becoming a morning exerciser is largely a mental game. As you drift off to sleep, imagine yourself waking up with ease, putting on your workout clothes, drinking a cup of tea (we love this matcha tea latte!), doing your workout, and feeling satisfied after. After a while, working out in the morning becomes a way of life. It becomes less of a struggle and more just what you do.
Find What Works for You
Let us know in the comments how these morning-workout tips work for you! And remember that when it comes to working out, what matters most is doing it—not when you do it. Even breaking up your workouts into 10-minute chunks can be effective.
All exercise is beneficial. The most important thing is finding a time that works for you so that it becomes something you can stick with and enjoy.
