You are jarred out of a wonderfully deep sleep (something so precious) by the sound of your alarm clock going off…BEEP….BEEP…BEEP.

You pry your eyes open only to see that it is 5:15am.

It’s cold.

It’s dark. 

The familiar game begins.

You hear a voice heavy with sleep whispering to hit snooze button, or better yet reset your alarm, stay in the warm bed and grab another hour of sleep.

It sounds pretty good to you considering the alternative, feeling that rush of cold air hit you as you lift up the warm blankets and place your feet on the cold floor.  The pain that you experience in your eyes as you turn on the light.

You are just about to hit the snooze button another voice kicks in reminding you that it is your day to get up and go to the gym before the household wakes up.  You know how good you will feel after your workout and how the five minutes of discomfort you’ll feel initially is a little price to pay for how you’ll feel afterwards. 

But you are so tired and your bed is so warm and cozy.

The decision is a hard one.  Especially here in the northern hemisphere where the days are getting colder and shorter.

As a busy parent you are constantly pressed for time.  You don’t think you can squeeze another thing into your schedule, especially an early morning gym session.  Once you open your eyes in the morning it is go, go, go and you don’t stop until the kids are in bed at night.  Well, that’s what those childless, carefree people think but the reality is once the kids are asleep there is the kitchen to clean up, lunches to be made, work to catch up on…the list goes on.

You know the best thing to do is to get and go to the gym but it is those first few moments that will make it or break it. 

How do you make crossing this threshold easier?  With a little planning, organizing and accountability, that’s how.

5 Tips to get you out of bed and to the gym

1. Treat your gym sessions like an important appointment.  If you fail to show up to an appointment there is usually a consequence, financially, to your character or to moving forward with something.

Action: Make a deal with yourself or your kids or your best friend that will keep you accountable.   Implement consequences that will have you pissed off and annoyed if you have to pay up.  If you elicit your kids (when there’s something in it for them they become great accountability experts) then have them keep track of your gym sessions on a monthly calendar.  If your goal is to get to the gym 13 times in a month (which is roughly 3 times a week) record it and have a consequence that you have to uphold with them.  Like taking them to the community pool for an afternoon swim (something I do not enjoy).  

     2.  Adding 10 minutes of planning the night before will go a long way in your success to getting to the gym

Action: Pack your gym back the night before.  This means filling up your water bottle, putting your keys out on top of your bag, having your running shoes unlaced and waiting beside your bag, if need be, sleep in your gym clothes. Hey you are going to get smelly and sweaty anyways!

    3. Find something that you look forward to and that will help take the edge off.

Action: Get that cup of coffee primed and ready or try this delicious warm and energizing Cordyceps drink before you head out the door.  Having something that you enjoy and gets your energy flowing will help tremendously.

    4. Don’t worry about eating before you hit the gym.  Not only will this save you time getting out the door, you’ll get better fat loss working out in a fasted state.[1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002457/]  And your post workout meal will be well deserved.  Make sure it is full nutrient dense foods that will aid in your recovery.

Action: Have a glass of lemon water waiting on your night table and drink it as soon as you wake up.  It will help wake you up, hydration and kick start your organs.

    5. Grab your head phones as soon as you get up and start listening to some supercharged music that will have the blood pumping and adrenaline rushing before you walk out the door. 

Action: The night before cue up a favourite song and pop your headphones on as soon as you are dressed.

If you can start hitting the gym at this time of year, think of how easy it will be when the sun is up and the weather is warm. Establishing an early morning exercise routine now and keeping it going will play a major role in you going shirtless or wearing that teeny bikini that’s at the back of your drawer.

The overall benefits that you’ll gain from exercising regularly will enhance all aspects of your life. I promise.

Not only will you achieve an improvement in overall energy, your immune system will get stronger, your self-esteem will go up as well as your confidence and you may even drop that extra belly fat that has been plaguing you. 

Jim Rohn, motivational speaker and self help guru says “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Joining the early morning crowd at the gym puts you into contact with people who are committed to their health, value their time and who are going places in life.

So enlist the help of your partner, kids or best friend and get started tomorrow.  

Let us know how many times you go to gym this week by commenting on our Facebook page.