By:  Belinda Vinton One of my biggest struggles as a working, single mom is finding the time to fit in my workouts. Over the years I have come to find that the best time for me is the early morning hours. This was not something that came easy to me, but over time I have learned to appreciate my early morning workouts. Getting that workout in early means that I have the rest of the day to accomplish all of my other duties. I don’t have a workout hanging over my head. I don’t have to worry about whether or not I will be too tired in the evening. I can eat and drink without having to check the clock. I actually have more energy for the rest of the day by getting an early morning session completed. So how can you become an early morning person? Here are some tips from my experiences!

1.  Plan ahead. I pack my gym bag the night before. I then lay out my clothes so I can change right away. I even set a snack on the kitchen table to get me going.
2. Set an alarm…on the other side of the room. Yes, I set the alarm on my phone which is on the headboard. But then it is too easy to hit snooze. I have an old-fashioned clock radio on the dresser across the room. That means I have to get up, walk over, and turn it off. That’s half the battle! Now I’m out of bed. And my clothes are right there, ready to dress for my workout. I'm glad my gym happens to have the best workout equipment.
3. Set small goals to start. I started out by setting a goal of one morning a week to get up early. I planned mine for Wednesday. I told myself that I could sleep late on the other days, but hump day was early workout day.
4. Find an accountability partner. It was a friend who first convinced me to meet her for a 5:30 am class. I wasn’t feeling great about it, but I knew she was counting on me. Text your partner to make sure they are up! It was so much easier coming to the gym during the early hours knowing that I would be able to see my workout partner. Even during the quarantine, I looked forward to seeing my friends on Zoom workouts!
5. Don’t give up! I started the once a week routine in October and by springtime, a strong habit had formed! Not only was I enjoying my early workouts, I liked it so much that I began to do it every day! 

I am now a fitness instructor and personal trainer at the Jackson YMCA. My favorite time of day is still 5:30am! I feel refreshed and ready to face the day with that workout under my belt.  The post Morning Workouts – Here I Come! appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.