Working out first thing in the morning is a great way to get in those extra steps and reach your goals. You’ll feel energized and invigorated, and before most people are even up you could be well on your way to 10,000 steps a day.
Many of us have trouble waking up early and getting moving. If that sounds familiar, try these simple tips to make getting in your morning workout easier. You don’t need to be a natural morning person to get in a morning walk. It only takes a bit of preparation and planning.
These simple steps will make your morning workout easier to start and easier to get through!
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Lay out your workout clothes and gear the night before
Start your morning walk prep the night before so that you’ll be all set to get out and walk. Choose your clothes, gear and any personal items you need to walk, run or exercise and lay it out the night before. When you wake up to walk, you can quickly get dressed and go even if your brain is still warming up.
A useful trick is putting your walking gear in a different room so you need to get out of bed and start moving. Moving around your house helps wake you up and resist the urge to go back to sleep. It also avoids disturbing your significant other if they’re sleeping in the same room as you.
Try putting your phone or alarm clock near the door of your bedroom so that turning off your alarm means you’ll be well on your way to start walking. You’ll have to get out of bed to turn it off, and you’ll already be moving towards the place your workout gear is waiting for you. Lay out a path from your bed to your front door and each step you take will make the next one easier!
Prepare a SMALL snack & some water ahead of time
A quick burst of energy can help you get moving and stay moving. Prepare a small, nutritious snack that you can eat as you’re heading out. Choose something that’s small and light enough that it won’t upset your stomach and that gives you a quick burst of energy.
Great options include a banana (or other easy to eat fruit), a healthy granola bar (or half if yours is high in calories) or even just a piece of toast with jam. Experiment with different snacks to see what works best for you. Try to avoid fatty foods or heavy dairy products that are slow to digest and can give you an upset stomach while you’re exercising.
Leave your snack on your kitchen counter next to a glass of water, or in a separate container in the fridge. That way, you can walk by, take a few bites and start your walk!
You probably don’t strictly need a snack before walking. You can also make life easier for yourself by doing some breakfast prep ahead of time so that you’re ready to go when you get back from your walk. Whether you’re heading to work or just relaxing after your exercise, deciding what to eat the night before and doing some light prep can de-stress your morning and make you more likely to walk.
Find a walking buddy or sign up for a fitness class
Accountability can be the best motivation. If you know other walkers in your area, look for a walking buddy and set a time to meet for your morning walk. When you feel the urge to sleep in, you’ll remember that your buddy will be waiting for you.
If you’re more of a group exerciser, try signing up for a fitness class. The act of signing up can give you extra motivation to follow through on your commitment. Some classes have a small penalty if you don’t actually attend, which can motivate you to follow through. If you can find a friend to go with you (or make friends in the class), you’ll be even more determined to wake up and move as you won’t want your friend to show up all alone.
It’s often enough to track your steps on Pacer or keep a walking log with entries for each day you plan on walking. The very act of writing down whether you followed through with your walking goal can push you not to skip a day’s walk. You can use Pacer’s GPS walk tracking feature to log your morning walks to see how you’re doing day by day as well.
Conclusion:
Early morning workouts are a great way to get extra steps in, wake yourself up and invigorate your body for the entire day. If you’re targeting an ambitious step goal, you need to maximize your available time to get your steps in. Morning walking is one of the best ways to find the time to walk.
To make getting up and starting to move easier, create a path from your bedroom to your front door. Make your morning routine simple and easy, and arrange your tasks so that you’re moving closer and closer to your end goal – the front door. The faster you can go from waking up to energized to walking out the door, the more likely you’ll be to succeed!
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