Rise and shine: How to get up in the morning to exercise.
You might have every good intention to exercise before work but hitting snooze on your alarm can still be tempting (some of your KBPT trainers even do that sometimes :).
With research showing there are many benefits to exercising in the morning – you’ll be more active all day long and consume fewer calories, for example – we’ve got some great advice to make you feel more motivated first thing. That way, you can get your workout done before you head to work.
1. Get organised
It’s that old trick (like when your parents used to lay out your school uniform on a Sunday evening!). Grab your favourite leggings and the rest of your kit so you don’t have to think about it when you’re only half-awake. If you’re heading to the gym, pack your bag before you go to bed and don’t forget your toiletries. You might even want to whizz up a smoothie or some energy bites and pop them in the fridge overnight so you can have breakfast on the go.
2. Get enough sleep
If you’re exercising regularly, sleep is even more important – you should try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. That might mean putting down your iPad a bit earlier than normal or leaving the pub before last orders, but you won’t regret it. Imagine how good you’ll feel in the morning!
3. Get a squad
Arrange to meet a friend for a run, a gym class or a walk with the dog. Or book your personal training session in before work. You won’t want to keep anyone waiting at 6am! You’ll have fun while you exercise together but, more importantly, introducing a competitive element has been shown to be a great motivator and will help you to raise the bar.
4. Get going
Don’t even think about setting two alarms or hitting Stop when your phone goes off in the early hours. Get up straight away and splash your face with some cold water. It’s proven that music can affect your performance so put on your most pumping playlist (AC/DC, Dua Lipa, Stormzy – whatever makes you happy…) and head for the door.
5. Get into a routine
You have a calendar for work and play, right? So, how about adding exercise in there too. Make sure you switch things up to keep you motivated – perhaps an early morning run on Tuesday, 7am HIIT class on Thursday, then ease into your weekend with some yoga. You might even want to set yourself a specific goal, such as smashing your spin targets or signing up for a Parkrun.
If you need more motivation to get up and about, speak to your KBPT trainer.
