Morning exercise made easy

Who doesn't love to sleep and enjoy a lie in?

It might not be easy, but you really can slowly train your body to get used to morning workouts.  Working out first thing in the morning means no more stressing about how you’ll fit it in when a meeting pops up at lunchtime; it means higher energy levels throughout the day; it also means increased creativity and productivity.

So here's how to make morning exercise a habit you can stick with once and for all to help you sneak fitness into your busy schedule.

Prepare the night before. When the alarm goes off, you don’t want to waste time looking for something to wear, digging your gym shoes out of the closet or finding a pre-workout snack to munch on.  Put your workout clothes out, pack your gym bag and have everything ready to go so that you don’t have an excuse to hit the snooze button. The fewer things on your morning to-do list, the better. 

Go to bed earlier. Adequate sleep is important for good health, so it’s crucial to get to bed at a reasonable hour if you’re going to start getting up earlier.  However, this should be a gradual transition.  You can’t expect to fall asleep at 9 p.m. if you’re used to going to bed at midnight.  Try moving bedtime back 15-20 minutes per night until you've reached your new desired time.

Create a reward system. Becoming a morning exerciser can be challenging, but the more consistent you can be, the easier it is.  Recognising your hard work with rewards is a good way to keep motivation high and help make fitness a lifelong habit.  Take some time to think about the rewards that would mean the most to you.  Even if it’s not something big and indulgent (like a vacation or new workout clothes), finding ''me'' time to do something simple you enjoy can be a great incentive to stick with your new routine.

Find a buddy. Perhaps you have a friend who enjoys early morning walks or runs, or maybe you know someone at your gym who needs a workout partner?  It’s much more difficult to hit the snooze button when you know someone is going to be waiting for you. Hold each other accountable for your morning workouts, and you’ll find it’s easier to be consistent.

Give it time. Don’t expect to easily become a morning exerciser overnight.  It takes time to develop the habit, and no matter how long you’ve been at it, you’ll still have days where it’s really tough to drag yourself out of bed.  Consider starting with a goal of a few days each week, and slowly build up from there as you become more comfortable in your new routine.

When the alarm goes off and you’re giving yourself a pep talk to get out of bed, focus on how you’ll feel after the workout is over.  Then, think about how you’ll feel if you skip it.  Knowing how much better you'll feel after you're done makes the choice a no-brainer! Keep making that choice consistently, and you'll be a morning exercise pro in no time!

Do you have any tips or suggestions on how you prepare for your morning exercise?

Wellness regards,

The Technogym Oman Team