6 Before-Bed Tips to Transform Yourself Into a Morning-Workout Devotee
I’ve long had lofty goals of becoming the kind of person who loves their morning workouts. The kind of person who says things like, “I would die, DIE I tell you, without my morning workouts.” But more mornings than not, I am more the kind of person who proclaims, “I would DIE without 25 more minutes of sleep.”
But I want to change this. I find that, on the rare occasion I do manage to pull myself away from my sheets and squeeze in a run or some sort of sweat session before work, my days are so much better. Plus, my post-work evenings are freed up. Meaning: More opportunities for happy hour. (If that’s not incentive to become a morning-workout person, what is?)
So, to get some tips on how I can finally transform myself from snooze-button-addicted morning-workout wannabe to a real-deal morning-workout person, I went to Philly’s queen of morning workouts: Suzanne Allaire, the co-leader of Philly’s November Project, the grassroots fitness group that pulls hordes of humans out of bed before sunrise every Wednesday and Friday morning for a free sweat session. We asked Allaire how she manages to get up and out of bed for her morning workouts and gleaned these six before-bed tips from her. May the force be with you, morning-workout wannabes!
1. Quit Netflix-ing it up into the wee hours of the night.
When it comes to making it to morning workouts, “First and foremost for me, is to get to bed early,” Allaire says. “A good night’s sleep is a staple to a healthy lifestyle and I do my best to make it a priority.” So, in other words, if you want to finally, finally become the kind of person who doesn’t press snooze when their early-morning alarm goes off, quit watching reruns of The Real Housewives of Atlanta until 1 a.m. every night. (Easier said than done, I know.)
2. Have a plan.
As Allaire says, having a workout class, group workout (ahem, November Project, maybe?) or buddy who you always work out with in the mornings helps to keep you accountable. After all, no one wants to lose money on a workout they already paid for or be that friend who always flakes, right? So have a plan for who you’re going to sweat with come dawn. “I have November Project twice a week, which gets me moving, but the other days, I find I’m more likely to get our for a run if I’m meeting a friend or a few friends,” Allaire says.
3. Be THAT person on social media.
Fact: We already share everything on social media, from birth videos to Snapchats of ourselves on the toilet (No, really: People do this) — so why not share our morning-workout goals? As Allaire says, “Another great trick for accountability is using social media as your motivator. No, you don’t have to post that you’re going for a workout, you’re working out or you’ve just finished your workout if you don’t want to. But a simple #accountabilitytweet or a post on Facebook to say you’re tackling something in the morning can lead to follow up and give you a sense of accomplishment when you get out the door and get your sweat on early.”
Honestly, I am very into the #accountabilitytweet, because I only have like 36 followers so I won’t be too embarrassed to bombard them with #accountabilitytweets. And, as my mom always says, “Put it out into the universe and it will happen.” What better (er, easier) way to put things out into the universe than by Tweeting them?
4. Dress for success.
Raise your hand if you’ve spent 30 minutes in front of your workout-clothes drawer debating which pair of leggings to wear, realizing 30 minutes later that your window to squeeze in a morning workout had officially passed. (If your hand is raised, I’m so with you.) Allaire says to get rid of this dilemma by doing one of two things: Either choose your workout outfit before bed or wear your workout clothes as pajamas. This way, “You’ll wake up ready to roll and not have to deal with any of that trouble in the morning,” she says. Plus, if you wear your workout clothes as pajamas, you’ll have less to wash come laundry day. #Winning.
5. Set your alarm — and place it strategically.
Allaire suggests setting your alarm at night before you hit the sack, then placing it far out of arm’s reach so that you absolutely have to get up to force it to stop beeping at you when it goes off in the morning. Chances are, once you’re out of bed and moving, you won’t dive back under the sheets.
6. Remember how good you’ll feel after you get your morning sweat on.
I am ALWAYS happiest at work when I’m able to squeeze a run in before heading into the office. Endorphins have a way of making the fact that my computer freezes every single time I try to print something significantly less scream-worthy. And Allaire agrees: “The mornings when I work out are always followed by better days than the ones I do not!” So, before you zonk out, remind yourself to remember come morning, when the last thing you want to do is crawl out from under the sheets before the sun has yet to rise, how great you’ll feel afterward. Maybe even go so far as to put a sticky note with the words “WORK OUT FOR HAPPY VIBES!” somewhere you’ll see it when you wake up.
And there you have it people. Six things to do before bed to help you transform yourself from bed bum to morning-workout devotee. Got any solid tips of your own to add to the list? Holler in the comments!
Like what you’re reading? Stay in touch with Be Well Philly—here’s how:
- Like Be Well Philly on Facebook
- Follow Be Well Philly on Twitter
- Follow Be Well Philly on Pinterest
- Get the Be Well Philly Newsletter
