I think that out of all the fitness questions that I get, the most frequently asked question is:
“How do you workout in the morning?”
It’s true that the thought of getting up at 5:30 am to hit the gym seems inconceivable to some people. And, rest assured, I haven’t always been a morning workout person. But, what I’ve learned is that my best chance of completing a workout schedule starts with morning workouts. That way, if I’m tired after work or want to hang out with friends in the evening, there’s no problem. My workout is already done.
Plus, by working out in the morning I automatically start my day on a positive note and that feels great!
While I’ve written a post dedicated to 5 Easy Tips to Working Out in the Morning before, I thought that I would touch on 5 more tips for getting your butt out of your bed and into your gym clothes!
[insert: singing
Let The Sunshine In, by Aquarius]
You’re bed probably won’t feel as cozy with some sunlight hitting your face. And even if your intended gym time has you rising before the sun, just getting out of bed is the first step to staying away from sleepy land.
You know the Folgers commercials. The smell of fresh coffee can certainly lure me away from bed and knowing that a fresh cup of joe is waiting to warm me up on my way to the gym is just the extra motivation that I need to get up.
Don’t like to get up in the morning to workout? What if you had to literally pay $5 for each workout that you missed?
Yeah, that’s motivation enough for me too. If the thought of emptying your wallet will scare you out of dreamland, then try GymPact , the new workout App for your Iphone.
GymPact utilizes your phone’s GPS to check you in to your gym.
Each week you have the opportunity to set your “pact.” For me, this is getting to the gym a minimum of 4 days/week. If I miss a workout, then my credit card is charged $5.
But, if I complete all of my workouts, then I get paid from the pool of people who were charged from missed workouts. Last week I made 3 bucks just by getting to the gym and the previous week I made 1 big one.
With a gym membership that’s $80/month, I’ll take all of the help that I can get!
I know, this seems like a gimme, but you wouldn’t believe the number of people who struggle to workout in the morning because they’re simply not getting enough sleep. After committing to getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night , working out in the morning became much easier. So, while I feel like a 5th grader at night, who heads to bed at 9:30 pm, I feel like a rockstar in the morning when I’m bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready for my workout.
If I complete my planned workout schedule every morning during the week, then I reward myself by 1) Sleeping in on Saturday morning and 2) Making something delicious for breakfast, like my Cinnamon Apple Crepes .
Since I have all day on Saturday to workout, I plop my butt on the couch with a cup of coffee and relax.
QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS TO COMPLETE YOUR WEEKLY WORKOUTS?
Speaking of workouts, this morning I completed a fantastic treadmill interval workout.
The morning workout:
- Interval workout (1 mile warm-up @ 6.3 mph; 4 x 400 m @ 7.5 w/1 min light jog @ 5.0 mph between each; 2 min walking break; repeat intervals two more times; 1 mile cool-down @ 6.3-6.6 mph). Total mileage 6.2 miles; Total time ~ 60 minutes.
- Chest, Bench press w/dumbbells (3 x 15 reps w/25 lbs each arm)
- Chest, Incline bench press w/dumbbells (3 x 15 reps w/25 lbs each arm)
- Chest, Peck flys on bench w/dumbbells (3 x 15 reps w/20 lbs each arm)
- Back, One-armed rows (3 x 15 reps w/30 lbs)
- Back, Reverse flys on incline bench (3 x 15 reps w/15 lbs each arm)
For breakfast this morning I had some canned pineapple with yogurt and granola. I think I forgot to photograph it, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t really digging the canned stuff.
Lunch was a turkey sandwich with provolone cheese on a bagel thin. I also ate an apple.
Aaaaaaaaand. For a snack, I had the smallest banana in the world. Seriously, look at it next to my apple (which was small too!). Actually, this banana is an “apple banana.” They are small, slightly more starchy than a normal banana and have a hint of apple flavor. I loved it! And it was the perfect size. I picked this up at a local gourmet grocery store and I’ll definitely be heading back for more.
Dinner was easy. I sauteed some salmon in olive oil then topped it with fresh herbs (thyme and chives) and lemon.
Served with a sweet potato.
I was still hungry after dinner so I threw together a quick “frozen yogurt” made from pureed frozen peaches and vanilla yogurt. It satisfied my sweet tooth.
_______________________________________________________
Current Shabbott’s Habit : Processed Foods Outta here
None consumed today.
_______________________________________________________
Shabbott’s Habits already met
1. Drink more water - finished March 9 & still going ~ 75 oz
2. Move it or lose it – goal met April 5 ~ 6 mile interval run
3. Breakfast of Champions – goal met May 3 ~ Yogurt, fruit, granola
4. Sleep like a baby – goal met May 31 ~ 7
5. Say Yes to Fruits/Veggies – goal met June 28 ~ 4 / 3
6. No Wait for Weights – goal met July 26 ~ Chest, Back
7. Empty Out Empty Calories – temptations = None
8. Take your vitamins – goal met September 26 – Took them!
9. Bye-bye artificial sweeteners – goal met October 24 – None
10. Core Challenge – goal met November 21 – 60 reverse crunches
11. Portion Contortion – turkey 2 0z; cheese 1 0z; granola 1/3 c
12. Meditation sensation – Pre-run stretching routine
_______________________________________________________
I think that out of all the fitness questions that I get, the most frequently asked question is:
“How do you workout in the morning?”
It’s true that the thought of getting up at 5:30 am to hit the gym seems inconceivable to some people. And, rest assured, I haven’t always been a morning workout person. But, what I’ve learned is that my best chance of completing a workout schedule starts with morning workouts. That way, if I’m tired after work or want to hang out with friends in the evening, there’s no problem. My workout is already done.
Plus, by working out in the morning I automatically start my day on a positive note and that feels great!
While I’ve written a post dedicated to 5 Easy Tips to Working Out in the Morning before, I thought that I would touch on 5 more tips for getting your butt out of your bed and into your gym clothes!
[insert: singing Let The Sunshine In, by Aquarius]You’re bed probably won’t feel as cozy with some sunlight hitting your face. And even if your intended gym time has you rising before the sun, just getting out of bed is the first step to staying away from sleepy land.
You know the Folgers commercials. The smell of fresh coffee can certainly lure me away from bed and knowing that a fresh cup of joe is waiting to warm me up on my way to the gym is just the extra motivation that I need to get up.
Don’t like to get up in the morning to workout? What if you had to literally pay $5 for each workout that you missed?
Yeah, that’s motivation enough for me too. If the thought of emptying your wallet will scare you out of dreamland, then try GymPact , the new workout App for your Iphone.
GymPact utilizes your phone’s GPS to check you in to your gym.
Each week you have the opportunity to set your “pact.” For me, this is getting to the gym a minimum of 4 days/week. If I miss a workout, then my credit card is charged $5.
But, if I complete all of my workouts, then I get paid from the pool of people who were charged from missed workouts. Last week I made 3 bucks just by getting to the gym and the previous week I made 1 big one.
With a gym membership that’s $80/month, I’ll take all of the help that I can get!
I know, this seems like a gimme, but you wouldn’t believe the number of people who struggle to workout in the morning because they’re simply not getting enough sleep. After committing to getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night , working out in the morning became much easier. So, while I feel like a 5th grader at night, who heads to bed at 9:30 pm, I feel like a rockstar in the morning when I’m bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready for my workout.
If I complete my planned workout schedule every morning during the week, then I reward myself by 1) Sleeping in on Saturday morning and 2) Making something delicious for breakfast, like my Cinnamon Apple Crepes .
Since I have all day on Saturday to workout, I plop my butt on the couch with a cup of coffee and relax.
QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS TO COMPLETE YOUR WEEKLY WORKOUTS?
Speaking of workouts, this morning I completed a fantastic treadmill interval workout.
The morning workout:
For breakfast this morning I had some canned pineapple with yogurt and granola. I think I forgot to photograph it, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t really digging the canned stuff.
Lunch was a turkey sandwich with provolone cheese on a bagel thin. I also ate an apple.
Dinner was easy. I sauteed some salmon in olive oil then topped it with fresh herbs (thyme and chives) and lemon.
Served with a sweet potato.
I was still hungry after dinner so I threw together a quick “frozen yogurt” made from pureed frozen peaches and vanilla yogurt. It satisfied my sweet tooth.
_______________________________________________________
Current Shabbott’s Habit : Processed Foods Outta here
None consumed today.
_______________________________________________________
Shabbott’s Habits already met 1. Drink more water - finished March 9 & still going ~ 75 oz
2. Move it or lose it – goal met April 5 ~ 6 mile interval run
3. Breakfast of Champions – goal met May 3 ~ Yogurt, fruit, granola
4. Sleep like a baby – goal met May 31 ~ 7
5. Say Yes to Fruits/Veggies – goal met June 28 ~ 4 / 3
6. No Wait for Weights – goal met July 26 ~ Chest, Back
7. Empty Out Empty Calories – temptations = None
8. Take your vitamins – goal met September 26 – Took them!
9. Bye-bye artificial sweeteners – goal met October 24 – None
10. Core Challenge – goal met November 21 – 60 reverse crunches
11. Portion Contortion – turkey 2 0z; cheese 1 0z; granola 1/3 c
12. Meditation sensation – Pre-run stretching routine
_______________________________________________________