By: Rashi Chaudhary
Things To Do To Gain Motivation For Morning Workouts
It can be hard dragging yourself from the bed sheets early in the morning to hit the gym. After all, not everyone is a morning person. It becomes more challenging if your office is lined up and now you have to wake up two hours earlier to get everything done on time. Let’s face it, working out in the morning is a big challenge for many of us.
I used to struggle until I realized the numerous amazing benefits of going to the gym in the morning by following a few tips and tricks. First things first, a morning workout is great to keep you fresh all day long. It helps us to stay focused, productive at work, and boost energy to keep energised all day long. It is an amazing way to start our day on a happy and healthier note.
Here are some of the awesome tricks that I have been following to make the morning routine and committing to a constant fitness routine easier.
Get a Gym Buddy
Friends can make us happier and healthier. Working out with a familiar face is a great idea because you have someone to talk to and you will have a fun session that feels a lot less like a workout. A gym buddy can support and motivate you to make sure you have a killer workout session. Moreover, you can hold the responsibility of each other for hitting the gym in the morning. Ready to keep accountable?
Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep is crucial for having a good morning workout. You need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep so that you can get out of bed easily with a good mood and energy level. For this reason, you should go to sleep early and get as many as possible. Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Set 3-4 alarms and avoid hitting the snooze button. Make your workout song as the alarm tune to set the mood for working out.
Pro Tip: Avoid using your phone an hour before going to bed, and choose a comfortable and dark environment with no disturbance to have a well-rested sleep.
Follow Different Workouts
It can get boring if you are doing the same workout everyday. Therefore, try to plan a different workout for each week. Alternatively, you can also set a workout plan, such as cardio one day and strength training the next Switch to varied workouts so that you can find out which fits you the best and which gives the best results. This way, you can look forward to doing your favourite workout session everyday.
Have a Healthy Breakfast
As you en route to your workout, grab a handful of almonds, a banana, or some citrus fruits to get the energy required to feel more awake. After your workout you can eat like a king. For this reason, consider a highly nutritious breakfast such as loads of fruit, fresh natural juices, nuts, smoothies, or any healthy South Indian dish like idli, dosa, or upma. Just make sure you don’t feed your body with sugary food or beverages because it will reverse all of your hard work!
Take Things Slowly
If you are not ready to jump straight into the gym or HIIT routines, you can kick-start your day with a morning walk to ease into morning fitness. There is no need to pressurise yourself. Your body will need some time to adjust to this new routine and to create a habit, so listen to your body and take things steadily. Gradually change your simple walk to a brisk walk and then running. Always remind yourself that everything you are doing is to bring good changes and eliminate bad habits.
Share on Social Media
We all use Instagram and Facebook to update our day-to-day events. So, why not, post about your new daily regimen? It can be a great way to boost your accomplishments and keep yourself accountable. Your social media posts might inspire others to start a healthy routine as well. Uploading your progress can be motivating, too!
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
If it’s been a week since you started waking up early and achieving your daily fitness goals, now it’s the time to treat yourself for your hard work and dedication. Go for a self-pamper session, buy yourself some new workout clothes, go for a haircut or spa session, or gift yourself something that you’ve been wanting. There are plenty of ways to reward ourselves. Recognising our accomplishments this way also helps to boost our mood, motivating us to get up early and workout the next day.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, exercising is beneficial at any time of the day. However, when we leave our workout for the night, we are less motivated and energised, which can also make us feel stressed, affecting our sleeping schedule. On the other hand, when we get moving the sun goes up, we tend to kick-start our days feeling less sluggish and more active, while making better health decisions like eating better throughout the day. Once you are actually up and hitting the gym regularly, chances are you won’t regret it, and you won’t miss your bed anymore! Are you ready to challenge yourself and set some new healthy habits?