Getting back into healthy eating and exercise can be HARD…but not impossible. The reality is: these need to be habits and lifestyle changes if you’re going to make progress. Setting goals is never a bad thing, but you want to make sure they become routines so you don’t lose steam. So! Here are 5 simple tips that can make getting out of bed and working out less daunting, plus a free printable to help make goal-setting simple.
You can download it for free HERE.
1. It’s all about where you set your alarm (hint: not next to your bed):
One way to ensure you get out of the bed first thing in the morning is by having your alarm in a place where you have to get up to turn it off. Maybe across your bedroom on a dresser or even in the hall outside your door. The point is, try to avoid hitting that dreaded “snooze” button!
2. Set a timer on the coffee machine (the smell of coffee can be a great motivator and incentive for when you’ve completed your exercise):
If you’re anything like me, the first thing I crave is a hot cup of coffee in the morning. One thing that really helps motivate me to get exercise out of the way is setting my coffee maker at a certain time in the morning so it’s brewing while I exercise…it’s just a little award, but it works! If you’re not a coffee drinker, no worries! There are still plenty of ideas to help motivate you.
3. Have your exercises picked out ahead of time and your workout space ready to go:
I love to plan ahead and always pick out my workouts ahead of time. Whether you workout to a video or head to the gym, know what you’re doing ahead of time so you don’t waste time trying to figure it out the day of. If you work out from home, have your space ready to go – video ready to hit play, mat out, weights out, gym shoes ready to go and water bottle filled!
4. Lay out your workout clothes where they are easy to slip on:
Maybe at first, the only way you know you’ll get up to workout is if you sleep in your gym close and shoes. Hey, whatever works – go for it! Having your clothes laying out and ready to go will bring you closer to your goal in no time. Seeing your gym clothes waiting for you can only serve as a positive reinforcement to making your goals each morning!
5. Have a healthy breakfast ready to go the night before for a great start to your day!
Before or after you’ve successfully worked out, be sure to have a healthy breakfast to fuel your body! You can even have something ready to go the night before, like overnight oats. They are so easy to make! You can do all kinds of variations in your oats like chopped fruit + nuts, cinnamon + apple or chocolate + PB2. Here is a very basic recipe if you’re just getting started:
- 1/2 cup uncooked oats
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 scoop protein powder (chocolate or vanilla!)
Simply place in a container in the fridge overnight and they are ready to go! You can even make a few for the week ahead of time if you wanted.
At first exercise isn’t easy, but over time it becomes a new lifestyle! You will feel happier, healthier and more confident. So don’t be too hard on yourself as you transition into these new goals you might be setting for yourself. They say it can take up to 2 weeks to form a habit, so push through and have fun!
