How You Can Make Time For a Morning Workout

Something I regularly get asked about is my morning routine. I’m a real morning person, so getting up early to start my day makes me feel good! 

I know lots of people struggle to exercise in the morning, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about what you can do to make it easier!

Tips for getting started with morning exercise

Making time for a morning workout doesn’t need to be complicated! Try these simple tips to get started.

Use the snooze button sparingly (or not at all)

Press snooze once or twice and it becomes easy to talk yourself out of getting up to do your workout. Try setting your alarm tone to your favourite song to help you wake up in a good mood, or instead of hitting snooze, try doing a couple of quick stretches to help you wake you gently.

Simplify your morning routine

While some people can jump out of bed the second their alarm goes off, don’t feel bad if you can’t. It’s common to be groggy or a little bit ‘out of it’ if you’ve just been disturbed from a nice, restful sleep. To make it easier to get out the door each morning, keep your routine as simple as possible.

You could do this by:

• Grabbing your gym clothes and packing your bag in the evening, before bed.
• Preparing breakfast the night before, so that it’s ready to grab and go (overnight oats or healthy frozen smoothie packs are great for this).
• If possible, allow some natural light in the bedroom to help you wake up.
• Pack your lunch for the next day before you go to bed each night. 
• Don’t get sucked in by your phone! Resist the urge to catch up on emails or social media until after you are up and moving.
• Have your gym bag, water bottle and keys in the same spot so you can just grab them and go. 

Choose shorter, high-intensity workouts

Knowing that you only have to workout for around 30 minutes can make it easier to clear space in your morning schedule. I follow the same routines as you guys, using my programs in the Sweat app, which means I can do my workouts anywhere (even when I’m travelling).

Turn your commute into a workout

While this might not be practical for everyone, the time it takes you to get to and from the office or to classes is valuable time. Ride a bike, or leave home earlier to fit in a walk. If you take public transport, try getting off one stop earlier and walking the rest of the way a couple of times a week.

Reward yourself if you stick to the routine

I’m not going to lie, ladies — if you aren’t a morning person, the first few days (or even weeks) as you adjust to earlier mornings will be a bit hard. Positive reinforcement, such as giving yourself a small reward, makes it easier to stick to new habits. Treat yourself to breakfast at your favourite cafe, and still have time to do everything you need — because you’ve woken up earlier!

You don’t need to be up at sunrise to squeeze in a morning workout. With a little preparation the night before and some practice, you can start your day with a bit of exercise and feel energised!