Sure, research shows the people who work out first thing in the morning are the most consistent. But I’m not a legalist who will tell you it’s the only time of day you can work out. So if you’ve got a time that works for you daily – awesome! But for those of you who have schedules that indicate if your workout doesn’t happen first thing it doesn’t happen, here are a few tips to help you decrease the chances of hitting the snooze button + increase your chances of staying committed to your health goals.
Go to bed earlier.
Duh, right? But most of the time, this is the biggest part of the battle that we can control. I know it’s tempting to binge watch Netflix with your spouse or (for my fellow WAHM’s) to catch up on work you want to get ahead on while kids are sleeping, but you need your rest too! If you know what time the alarm is going off, the only way to ensure you get the rest you’ll be convinced you “have to have” when you’re tempted to ignore the alarm the next morning is by going to bed earlier. Promise – if you go to bed early, it’s not difficult to get up early!
Sleep in your workout clothes.
Eliminate as many excuses as possible. If you wake up and you’re already ready to work out, that’s one less thing to derail you. Just add socks + shoes, brush your teeth, and go!
Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room.
If you have to physically get out of bed to turn the alarm off, you are much less likely to crawl back into bed. After all, isn’t getting out from underneath the warm covers the hardest part? You’re halfway there with this one tip alone!
Work out at home.
If the problem seems to be finding the extra time to drive to a gym, home workouts have changed since the 80s. It’s no longer leotards + 2 lb. dumbbells. You can get a killer workout – ranging from bootcamp style, weight lifting, kickboxing, dance, yoga, even CrossFit – that you can access from your phone without ever leaving your house.
(I’d love to coach you on your home fitness journey, and help you select the workout that is right for you based on your current needs + goals. Contact me here to get started!)
Cling tight to a reason for taking care of your health that’s meaningful.
Beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31:30), and God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Believing that we will be motivated by the scale or a pants size when those things are void of genuine purpose will not captivate our attention for long. Let’s choose to remember that first, our bodies are gifts He has given us to serve Him well while we’re here, and the better care we take of ourselves, the more we can accomplish for Him and care for those He has entrusted to us.
Which tip jumped out at you as most helpful? Any other tips you would add?
