We've all been there. Faced with a busy day ahead, those wee morning hours are the only time you'll have to get out for a ride, run, swim or hike. However when your alarm goes off, and you're faced between placing your feet on the floor or your finger on the snooze button, snooze wins way too many times.
Busy schedules here at The Feed office have made us experts on the topic. Here are some of our tips, to kickstart your day, and get you out there for an early morning workout:
1. Set out everything you'll need to workout the night before:
Clothes, heartrate monitor, garmin, and gear should be literally set out on the floor next to your bed. They should act as a guilt trip. You should peek over at them as your alarm goes off, and feel them urging you to put them on. Water bottles should be filled and in the fridge. Tires pumped. Chain lubed. Don't give yourself any excuses to bail.
2. Get coffee and tea ready to brew the night before.
If you have a coffee maker with an automatic timer, learn how to use it. Grind the beans, pour in the water, and set it for 10 minutes before your alarm goes off. Hearing that drip, and smelling that caffeine in the air will help make waking up, worth it.
3. Eat the night before.
Eat a good meal 10-12 hours before your workout. Eat dinner. Or have a light snack before you go to bed. This will help you feel fuller and properly nourished in the morning.
4. Drink the night before.
No, not that type of drink, however if you do over imbibe, put an extra scoop of hydration mix in a water bottle when you get home and sip away until you fall asleep. On any night, try to drink a bottle of hydration mix between dinner and the time you go to bed. This will ensure you're hydrated during your workout.
5. Have a light morning snack.
Immediately before your workout, as your slamming that steaming hot coffee, have a light snack. Keep it under 120 calories. You don't need a full meal, but you do need some energy to run on.
6. Don't be afraid to up the intensity without upping your breakfast.
Medium intensity morning workouts get your metabolism fired up quickly. Don't be afraid to workout hard before breakfast. When you get back you'll be a calorie burning machine. Then, the food you eat for breakfast will be utilized much more efficiently.
7. A recovery shake makes a great post-workout meal.
Make a recovery shake to replace your normal breakfast. If you need extra nutrients add in a banana and some peanut butter. Then blend it up.
8. Make plans to meet someone.
If all else fails, make yourself responsible to someone else. Find a friend who wants to wake up at the crack of dawn and workout. Make concrete plans to meet. Determine the when and where. Now if you bail, you're bailing on more than yourself. You're letting a friend down. And that's not very nice.
Questions? email us! hello@thefeed.com
