Today I’m sharing a peek into what my morning routine looks like right now, in the fall of 2019.
5 am or 5:30 am Alarm goes off
I’m usually up pretty early, and that’s because I like to get my workouts done first thing in the morning. My gym doesn’t open until 5:30 am, so if I’m doing cardio I’ll usually plan to be there around when it opens.
If I’m going to a Group Power class, those typically don’t start until 9 am. On those days I’ll usually get up at the same time. Instead of going to the gym right away, I’ll get some blogging work done first. I know that if I push my workouts off any later in the day then it’s significantly harder for me to get them done.
Check my phone – emails and social media
Before I get out of bed I’ll check my email quickly and have a once over of my social media. I know it’s not ideal that the first thing I do when I wake up is to reach for my phone, but it’s been one of those habits that I haven’t bee able to break yet.
I try to put my phone away an hour before I plan to turn off the light and go to bed. Most nights I aim for 8 hours of sleep at night. Emails and social media notifications can definitely grow during that time. I feel like I need to get a head start on it before I start my day. Even knowing that there’s nothing pressing that I have to respond to right away allows me to be more present during my workout.
Put workout clothes on, fill water bottle, and go to the gym
After 10 or 15 minutes of checking my phone I get out of bed and get dressed for the gym. It’s a pretty quick process because the night before I put out what I’m going to wear to the gym. I also pack my gym bag – I use this one (affiliate link) – the night before so it’s ready to go in the morning. I find that it saves me time in the morning. I’m not trying to figure out a workout outfit while I’m still half asleep. Every little bit helps in the morning to get out of the house as quickly as possible. I’d much rather be sleeping that trying to figure out what to wear.
Once I’m dressed I fill my water bottle with water, drop in a Nuun ( check out my review here), and drive to the gym. I’m very grateful that my gym is so close. On days that I’m doing cardio early there’s hardly any traffic so that also helps.
Workout
On cardio days I typically go with steady state cardio on the elliptical. If there’s no ellipticals available I’ll opt for a treadmill and walk. I avoid running as much as possibly because it’s hard on my plantar fasciitis. I can keep it under control for the most part by avoiding high impact workouts, and running is definitely high impact.
For days when I’m doing a Group Power workout all I need to do is grab my equipment (step + risers, mat, bar, and plates). I let the instructor worry about the workout details. It’s really nice to let someone else worry about counting reps and sets and just be told what to do.
Get home, shower and change, start my workday
Once I’m done my workout I’ll grab my gym bag from the locker room and drive home. Once I’m there I’ll shower, get dressed for the day, and start my work day at my computer if it was a cardio workout or get back to it if I went to Group Power class instead and started working earlier.
My morning routine doesn’t change much week to week, or even weekday to weekend except for the timing. My gym doesn’t open until 7 am on weekends and holidays, so my morning routine will start a bit later on those days, but it’s essentially the same. Honestly, I don’t mind the routine – I actually like it. I’m one of those people who thrives on it, and knowing exactly what I have to do and when I do it makes life a whole lot easier for me.
What’s your morning routine like? Is it the same most days or does it vary?
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog – I appreciate it!