When I’m asked to give advice to another entrepreneur who is looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, I always tell them to make exercise a part of their daily routine. Eat as healthy as possible, take time to unplug, and learn how to manage stress. Sure, this advice looks great on paper, but I know entrepreneurs are extremely busy people and sometimes fitting in time for a workout can be a challenge. To that I say, make exercise a morning habit. Afterall, there’s some proven benefits to getting the blood flowing and the heart pumping early in the day. Morning exercise is linked to increased fat burn, reduced calorie consumption, lower blood pressure, and lower risk for diabetes. Here are 5 ways to make morning workouts a habit. Set your alarm earlier Seems like a no-brainer, right? However, how many times have you made the ambitious goal to rise an hour earlier only to hit the snooze button several times? There’s a solution to this. If you move your bedtime and wake-up time up by 15 minutes each day, then you’ll have a better chance to hold on to that schedule until it sticks. Prepare for success the night before Make a few changes before you go to bed and you’ll be more likely to stick to your AM routine. Here are the basics: turn off the TV, avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, and make sure your sleep environment is cool, dark and quiet. Stretch Before your feet even hit the floor, stretch. An in-bed morning mobility routine will not only get your blood flowing, it will also wake up your brain, and turn your nervous system on for the day so you’ll be more motivated to get moving. Make a list What better way to hold yourself accountable to a workout routine than by making a list. Morning brain fog is real, but if you train your mind to be productive first thing, you will have more motivation to get up and move. The night before, make a to-do list that you'll have ready with action items first thing in the morning. It’s easy. Just write down 3-5 things that you want to accomplish (like your morning workout, a big project at work, etc.) and when the alarm goes off, roll over and read it as a reminder to seize the day. Find a workout buddy There’s no better way to hold yourself accountable to AM workouts than by making a promise to sweat it out with a friend. You wouldn’t want to leave your workout buddy stranded, even if it’s over a ZOOM call, so you’ll be more likely to get out of bed. To make it a real commitment, agree on a "punishment" if you happen to bail out on your morning exercise date. (For example, the next lunch is on you.) While you are on your journey to becoming a morning fitness person, treat yourself to a workout you already love—whether it is lifting weights or doing yoga. Getting out of bed is much easier if it's for something you're actually looking forward to. Once you’ve been at it for a few weeks, the need to trick your brain and body to get out of bed will become a distant memory. Now, you won’t only tolerate mornings, you’ll crush them! |
AuthorAli Ghani is an investor and business executive who lives and works in Calgary and Edmonton. ArchivesCategories |