Wake Up, Sleepy Head!

I knew this day would come!

I completed a terrific, morning workout routine today in a speedy, yet effective 35 minutes:

10 minutes elliptical @ resistance level 5
18 minutes treadmill @ 6.5 mph
2 minutes treadmill @ 7.5 mph
5 minutes elliptical @ resistance level 5 with an all out SPRINT at the end!
Total: 35 minutes, ~3.8 miles

I was leisurely getting ready in the locker room after my sesh when I reached into my gym bag…rustled around…panicked…rustled a little more, and slumped down in defeat. I forgot my makeup bag!! Any other item I’d be able to find a work around for, but there’s nothing you can do when you forget your makeup bag. Ladies – you understand!

Luckily my hero/husband works 5 minutes away and is bringing the necessities to me before he goes into work. Bullet = DODGED! I would have had to go all the way home! I’m thinking about keeping a laminated checklist in my gym bag so I can mentally check everything off as I pack my bags the night before.

Anyways! The morning does get better from here – I have Vanilla Pumpkin Overnight Oats for breakfast!

Do you like my new place mat? Since it’s literally dark all.the.time. these days, I thought a festive background might cheer my food up.

In the mix:

1 Vanilla AE yogurt
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
dash of pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon pumpkin butter
1 sliced banana
sprinkle of sliced almonds
drizzle of more pumpkin butter

This is pretty much the greatest concoction…mmm…EVER!

Check out that drizzle – it looks like caramel sauce.

I’m very excited about lunch today – it’s last night’s dinner in salad form!

In the mix:

Mixed greens
Steamed broccoli
Cubed ham
Grilled pineapple

 

I packed some grilled pineapple salsa for my dressing – it’s going to be out of this world good!

In other news, a lot of people have been asking me recently how I get up for a morning exercise routine. Research has showed that getting in a good morning workout jump starts your metabolism, makes you mentally sharper throughout the day and makes healthy eating decisions easier to make throughout the day. But what if you just can’t get out of bed?!

Trust me, I hear you.  Leaving your warm, dark bed at 5:15 in the morning is no picnic, but it can be done! Here’s 11 Tips to Get Up for a Morning Workout:

Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep. If you need to get out of bed at 5am, that means going to bed at 9-10pm. Bottom line.
Plan to meet a friend. There’s nothing worse than knowing you’ll be disappointing and affecting someone else if you don’t get out of bed!
Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room, or in the hallway.
Sleep in all your workout clothes except your shoes…trust me this works!
If it’s cold out, put sweatpants and a sweatshirt under your pillow at night. In the morning, you can put them on under the covers and still be toasty warm when you get out of bed.
If you’re going straight to work or school from the gym, pack a bag with your clothes/toiletries/everything to get ready, in the car, the night before (and don’t forget the necessities!)
Allot yourself a set number of snoozes. After you’ve reached your limit – get up!
Set the timer on your coffee machine. Didn’t you know? The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!
Reward yourself. Make a goal of 3 morning workouts a week worth a latte on Friday, a cookie at lunch, a day off on the weekend, a cocktail with friends, a movie on Sunday afternoon – whatever works!
Ease into it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and unfortunately, you won’t be able to start consistently getting up at 5am out of the blue. I’ve been getting up at 5am for 2 years now, and it’s still a struggle some days! Get up 15 minutes earlier every couple of days until you are comfortable and then make it a habit to get up at the same time every single day. Practice makes perfect!
Just do it. Commit. A workout doesn’t benefit anyone else but YOU!

I particularly like #’s 4 & 6. It’s really awful having to take off the workout clothes you slept in and go into the cold, dark garage to retrieve your bag with all your getting ready stuff, if you end up skipping the gym, sleeping in and getting ready at home!

Thirsty for more? Check out some previous guides to great mornings and great workouts!

Workout When You Wakeup

Boredom Busting Tips for the Gym

6 Tips for a Less-Stress Morning

Tips for a Great Morning

Well, it’s a rainy day complete with thunder and lightening! Time to hunker down and get to work. Come back tonight for an easy, soul-satisfying dinner recipe! Happy Tuesday!

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What time do you wake up every morning? What are your best tips for getting out of bed?

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