Finding motivation is sometimes one of the most challenging parts when it comes to keeping on track with your health and fitness goals. With our busy lifestyles, fitting in time for the gym can be hard…especially those early mornings before heading to work!

With that being said, here are some of my top tips for those of you who have to get out of bed and train first thing in the morning!

1. View this as a routine and as your lifestyle. If you automatically link a negative thought with your workout routine in the morning, it will start you off on a bad note and leave you feeling like the gym is a chore. If you think of your date with the gym, like any other appointment or schedule in your day and surround it with a positive thought then it will be more enjoyable.
2. Mindset is everything! Starting your day with a workout in the morning can set you up for a great day ahead! Studies have proven that energy levels improve throughout the day and mood is enhanced when people have started their morning with physical activity.
3. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. If you are waking up early to train, you need to be going to bed at a reasonable time. I recommend getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Get to bed earlier and make this part of your new routine!
4. Be prepared! Each night I like to lay out my gym clothes and get organised with what I need for the next day. This also includes your food and supplements for the day! Pack your gym bag with your essentials so you can just grab it and go!

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1. Don't snooze your alarm! Get into the habit of getting right out of bed at that first alarm. This is what I do! I get up right away so I don’t even think my body has time to register yet that I want to stay in bed longer! You could even put your alarm on the other side of the room so it forces you out of bed to turn it off.
2. Have a good workout playlist ready to go! Having some good music to listen to on the walk or drive to the gym can help get you feeling energised and awake! My Spotify playlist is available to you - search ‘Lauren Simpson Fitness’.
3. Workout with a friend! Scheduling your morning sessions to be with a friend who also has to train early could be a good idea to keep each other accountable. You don’t want to be sleeping in and leaving your friend hanging.
4. If you wake up super early you may not want to eat a FULL meal…that’s okay. Having something small like fruit or a shake can help give you some energy to fuel your workout.
5. Pre-workout! Now you don’t NEED to have pre-workout…but I do think some days you may need just a little bit of an energy boost and morning pick-me-up! My go-to and a supplement I highly recommend is EHPLABS Oxyshred. This is a fat burner and pre-workout all in one! Having this drink 30 minutes before my training session is now part of my morning routine and I look forward to it! Mango or Passionfruit are my favourite flavours.
6. Remember how good it feels for the rest of the day! Getting your workout done before a lot of people may even be awake is an awesome feeling. You have been up…smashed your workout and getting closer to your goals! You now have the entire day to focus on you whatever else it may be. You won’t be feeling anxious or stressed about working out…because it’s already been done!

Waking up to train early in the morning isn’t easy… I can assure you if you aren’t a morning person, there are many people out there feeling the same, so don’t beat yourself up about it! I’m naturally more of a morning person and I love being productive in the morning. I wasn’t always, it just took time to break old habits and get into a new routine.