Now is about the time of year that the zeal of those New Year's Resolutions starts to fade (for some, that happened about two weeks ago, no judgement). If you are starting to lose the motivation to skip the snooze button; here are a few tried and true methods to getting past your workout hurdles in the morning and allow you to get your workout on.
* Set the thermostat to begin to increase to toasty, toasty warm about an hour ahead of the time you want to get up. That nice warm bed will be less inviting if the air around is just as warm.
* Put your alarm (whether your phone alarm or an actual alarm clock) across the room, so that you have to walk to it to turn in off. You are less likely to just hit snooze, turn over, and go right back to sleep.
* Set your alarm so that it goes off with no time allowed for snoozing to get your workout in. No snoozing allowed. Tell yourself this. Brutal? Maybe, but trust me, it works.
* Next to where you put your alarm, put a small pre-workout snack. Something you know that your stomach can handle, and something that doesn't need to be refrigerated. This can be a banana, a protein bar, trail mix, a sports drink, or whatever works for you. When your alarm goes off, you are going to walk across the room, turn it off and devour it. Do it right away, before you can think. This will jolt you awake, at least a little bit. You will feel alert enough, that you might as well get your workout in no matter how tired you are, now that you are awake and all.
* Caffeine. If you are recommended by a doctor to avoid caffeine at all costs, ignore this. If you have a programmable coffee pot, program your coffee maker to start just a few minutes before your alarm is set to go off. If you have to press a button to get it started, make a beeline for it once that snack is consumed.
* Sleep in some of your workout gear. Not your sneakers, of course, but perhaps your workout pants sports bra (if yours isn't too uncomfortable) and tee. It's like a promise to yourself to get your winter workout on.
Try a few of these and you may just get into a habit of early rising and make your New Year's Resolution become a resolution no more.
* Set the thermostat to begin to increase to toasty, toasty warm about an hour ahead of the time you want to get up. That nice warm bed will be less inviting if the air around is just as warm.
* Put your alarm (whether your phone alarm or an actual alarm clock) across the room, so that you have to walk to it to turn in off. You are less likely to just hit snooze, turn over, and go right back to sleep.
* Set your alarm so that it goes off with no time allowed for snoozing to get your workout in. No snoozing allowed. Tell yourself this. Brutal? Maybe, but trust me, it works.
* Next to where you put your alarm, put a small pre-workout snack. Something you know that your stomach can handle, and something that doesn't need to be refrigerated. This can be a banana, a protein bar, trail mix, a sports drink, or whatever works for you. When your alarm goes off, you are going to walk across the room, turn it off and devour it. Do it right away, before you can think. This will jolt you awake, at least a little bit. You will feel alert enough, that you might as well get your workout in no matter how tired you are, now that you are awake and all.
* Caffeine. If you are recommended by a doctor to avoid caffeine at all costs, ignore this. If you have a programmable coffee pot, program your coffee maker to start just a few minutes before your alarm is set to go off. If you have to press a button to get it started, make a beeline for it once that snack is consumed.
* Sleep in some of your workout gear. Not your sneakers, of course, but perhaps your workout pants sports bra (if yours isn't too uncomfortable) and tee. It's like a promise to yourself to get your winter workout on.
Try a few of these and you may just get into a habit of early rising and make your New Year's Resolution become a resolution no more.
