How I Make My Morning Workout Happen (Almost) Every Time
Key word: ~Almost~
Yesterday morning, I was laying in a Boston hotel room at 5:50 a.m. when my alarm went off. It all felt very unfamiliar. The hotel room, for starters. I’ve only traveled one other time for work in the past year. Pre-pandemic, I used to be in two to three different cities each month.
The alarm, however, was the kicker. Since last March, skipping the pre-sleep “Siri, set my alarm for tomorrow morning at 5:45” prompt has been a silver lining. Without the extra nudge, some days I’m naturally up around 5:30. Others it’s closer to 7:00. Rarely do I ever lay without budge past 8.
But, back to yesterday. When the noise first rattled from the bedside table, I jumped. I laid there for a minute and thought to myself would I be better for the day if I just get another 30 minutes of sleep? I instinctively asked Siri to set an alarm for 6:30. Then, I closed my eyes.
Within about 60 seconds, I sat up. I took a deep belly breath. I walked over to the small bathroom in the corner, splashed some cool water on my face, looked at myself in the mirror, and knew that I wasn’t going to go back to being horizontal.
Admittedly, I’ve always been pretty good at mornings. Even back in college on the morning after one-too-many 5-cent mixed drinks, I’d still manage to make my way to the campus gym before 9. When I first moved to New York, I had a unique talent for staying out until 2 a.m. dancing under flashing lights and then scoring just enough sleep to show up for a 7:10 a.m. Barry’s Bootcamp class — miraculously without the desire to off myself mid-treadmill sprint.
The No. 1 thing that gets me up and sweating most mornings? Knowing that taking advantage of the early hours makes me better for the rest of the day. My inner dialogue is better. I’m more alert and clear. I perform better once I’m at my desk. I simply feel like a better version of myself. That time, it’s mine. And during that time, I don’t feel as though I need to be in service of anyone else.
Of course, I do have a few strategies I implement to make things easier on myself. My tips:
Know what you want to do: I’ve been a little more flexible with my workouts since tendonitis started flaring up in my right knee, but having an idea of what effort is on deck before even slipping into my workout clothes helps me to get moving, period. The more decisions you can take out of the equation that could potentially double as excuses, the better. So, set a plan for your week (i.e. strength on Tuesdays, run on Wednesdays, your favorite on demand yoga class on Thursdays) and stick to it.
Know what you want to wear: Again on the decisions equal excuses note: While I may not be the kind of person that actually lays out my workout outfit the night before, I am the kind of person who has eliminated the items I don’t wear (or would never pick out of the drawer) from my wardrobe. Easily choosing clothes when you’re still feeling drowsy makes the whole schtick feel more doable.
Turn up the beats: Don’t get me wrong: I obviously love podcasts. But, if I want to be really dialed in on my work out, I’m a music woman. Lately, I can’t stop listening to this 2000s Hip-Hop Essentials playlist on Apple Music. Plus, research backs that the right tracks can help boost athletic performance, whether that be increase distance, pace, or reps completed.
Make it part of a greater routine: My morning sweat is just one piece of the a.m. puzzle that I look forward to. (Often referred to as habit stacking.) It starts with journaling. Then to Nespresso. Then to #thelaceup. Then the work out. Then Athletic Greens. Then breakfast and more coffee and a shower and I’m ready to get to my work day.
Don’t take on too much too soon: Something is better than nothing, period. If you’re someone who wants to wake up earlier to get some movement in but is having a hard time making it happen, telling yourself “I’m going to commit to a 60-minute sweat starting next Monday,” may prove to be a pretty daunting task. Instead, start small. Start with 15 minutes of movement. Once you conquer that hurdle, you can move onto the next.