• Home
  • Blog
  • CBD
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Balancing Today

Learning To Balance It All

  • Ashley’s Life
  • Around DC
  • Motherhood
  • Self Care
  • Work-Life Balance
  • Fitness and Workouts
  • Weight Loss

in Fitness

6 Tips For Making 5AM Workouts Work

Working out at 5AM is hard, but it is so incredibly rewarding and worth it.

Orange Theory Fitness
As a working mom, I really struggled during my first year postpartum to find a perfect time to workout.  In an ideal world I would work out over my lunch break at work, but I’ve just never been able to get away from my desk long enough during the work day.  Before having my daughter I loved working out after work.  I’d meet up with friends, attend spin classes at 7PM, and de-stress through my evening workouts.  As a mom, the only thing I want to do after work is relax.  I want to spend time with my daughter, husband, and friends.

My only option at this point in my life is to work out in the morning.  It’s hard, but now that I’m in a routine, I love starting my day with a workout.  It has taken me time to figure out how to make it work, so today I wanted to share 6 tips for making 5AM workouts work.

  1.  Find a workout that you can’t afford to miss.  Maybe it’s just me, but if I can get out of a workout, especially when my alarm goes off at 4:15AM, I will.  It’s just too easy to justify sleeping in and missing my workout.  If you find a workout you can’t afford to miss, you will get your butt out of bed.  Whether it’s signing up for a gym class that you’ll be penalized financially for missing or teaming up with a friend who counts on you to be there, find a workout you can’t afford to miss.
  2. Sleep in your workout clothes!  Some may think this is weird, but trust me, it’s makes the mornings way easier.  I sleep in my sports bra, tights, and workout shirt.  I then set my shoes and socks right by the door the night before, that way all I have to do is put on my shoes after I put in my contacts and brush my teeth.
  3. Set out your water bottle, keys, and wallet.  There’s nothing worse that scrambling to find things at 4:30AM.  Set it out before you go to bed.  You may even want to lay out your work clothes, pack your lunch, and prepare your work bag.  It just makes your post workout easier.
  4. Go to bed early.  I’ve gone to bed at 11:30PM and still made my workout, but it is TOUGH!! I do much better first thing in the morning and during my workouts when I go to bed at a reasonable time.  I’ve learned not to make it harder on myself.
  5. Be realistic with your alarm.  I know that I have to be out of the house by 4:45AM in order to make it to my 5AM gym class.  I set my alarm for 4:15AM, giving myself a 15 minute snooze cushion in case it’s a bad morning.  I try my hardest not to snooze, but sometimes it just happens.  If I’m out of bed by 4:30AM, I’ll leave the house by 4:45AM with no problems.
  6. Push yourself.  You got up early and you’re working out at 5AM, make it worth it!  Push yourself and have fun.  Trust me, you won’t regret waking up so early after your workout is done.

Once you’re in a routine, working out before work can be a lot of fun.  You’ll develop a community and will look forward to seeing new friends at the gym.  I personally struggle to do at home workouts at 5AM because there’s no consequence for missing my workout.  My friends who work out at home recommend finding a program that you can follow.  Whether it’s a workout dvd, fitness program from an online trainer, or a workout you and a few friends can do together virtually.  They recommend finding a set program that motivates you to get out of bed.

I hope these tips help.  Moving into our new house will make things interesting since it’s further from my current gym, but I want to make it work.  I think it’ll just mean getting up earlier and preparing everything for the work day the night before.  As long as I’m organized, I know I can continue to enjoy my 5AM workouts.

Related Posts

  • Fitting In WorkoutsFitting In Workouts
  • Making 5AM Workouts WorkMaking 5AM Workouts Work
  • Rethink Your Day!Rethink Your Day!
  • How’d I Do FridayHow’d I Do Friday
  • Back From VacationBack From Vacation
« December 2015 Goals
Gift Ideas For a 1 Year Old »

let’s connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Archives

More about Ashley

I'm Ashley, a full-time working mom who lives in the Washington, DC area. Balancing Today is all about learning to balance family, work, wellness, and most of all, life's simple joys! Read More!

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Looking for something?

One thing on my heart this year is to start each w One thing on my heart this year is to start each week with a reading. To take a few moments to sit, to take weight off my shoulders, and to focus on my root, heart, and crown. 

Crown Card (top) represents the part of me that wants to reach beyond myself. It can give you an idea of how to serve others✨The Orphan - We are in a time of universal orphanage - of nature, of each other, of our own hearts. The Orphan is to study the deep challenging energy of our time. 

Heart Card (middle) represents what is currently residing in my heart and tells of deep longing, calling, or conflict✨The Tear - Droplets of letting go! Appears when there is grieving yet to do, and once acknowledged, will bring a shimmer of clarity to our dewy eyes.

Root Card (bottom) represents my grounding and current state✨The Pilgrim - Seeks wisdom, experience, and meaning. The outward journey is always an inward journey.
Some of my goals for this year included saving mon Some of my goals for this year included saving money, planning out dinners for the week ahead, and getting back to the simple things that spark joy. Tonight’s dinner was the perfect culmination of all 3 goals.  I loved BLTs growing up, they’re easy on our budget, and my family loved them! What’s a dinner from your childhood you remember fondly?
Has my life changed since I started using CBD??? 1 Has my life changed since I started using CBD??? 10000%! CBD gave me the head space, freedom from anxiety, and control back to be able to focus on ME!! Did taking CBD cause weight loss, no!, but with the absence of stress, anxiety, and pain from using CBD I could focus on my body, health, wellness, and fitness. CBD has been a big piece of my puzzle these past 10 months. This time last year I was miserable and now, I’m thriving!
The past month has been one of the most fulfilling The past month has been one of the most fulfilling months for me personally in who knows how long! On December 1, I took a leap and decided to start a business selling Green Compass CBD after 9 months of using CBD to reduce my anxiety, lessen feelings of panic, and to manage my stress and body aches/pain (and boy has it changed my days!!). 

Over the past 46 days I have made incredible new friends, have helped men and women start using an organic CBD they can trust, made enough money to pay for an Airbnb getaway for my family, and have seen first hand how many people out there just need help! 

Help with anxiety. Help with the burnout they’re experiencing. Help with being overwhelmed from this pandemic. Help with managing the feelings of stress from virtual learning and work. Help finding a way to make an extra income. Help with joint and muscle pain. And help with needing a community. 

If you’re wanting to know how CBD can help you, take a leap and send me a note! 

If you’re needing to make extra money and don’t know where to start, let’s talk! 

I hope that all of my friends and followers here on IG know I’m an open book and love helping people reach their goals! If you’re even just a little curious about CBD or Green Compass, I’m here for you!
Start a side business for YOU! Start a side busin Start a side business for YOU! Start a side  business to invest in YOURSELF! Start a side business to make YOUR own money! Start a side business because YOU want the joy that comes from helping others! 

Investing in yourself and joining Green Compass could truly be the best decision you ever make for yourself. Is it normal to be scared, nervous, and even insecure before starting a side business? 100%! What I can reassure you is that I’m going to help you every step of the way! You will have a mentor, a friend, a business partner, and a cheerleader from the moment you message me! 

If additional income would help you, let’s talk. If a community of friends would help you, let’s talk. 

Take a leap! I’m here for YOU!!
One thing on my heart is to start each week with a One thing on my heart is to start each week with a reading. To take a few moments to sit, to take weight off my shoulders, and to focus on my root, heart, and crown. 

Crown Card (top) represents the part of me that wants to reach beyond myself. It can give you an idea of how to serve others✨The Stone - “The stone tethers us to Earth, helping to ground and connect us to stillness, quiet, and peace. 

Heart Card (middle) represents what is currently residing in my heart and tells of deep longing, calling, or conflict✨The Prayer - “Prayer leads us beyond our ego. We are in a state of prayer any time we are not the center of our own thoughts.”

Root Card (bottom) represents my grounding and current state✨The Shaman - “This card reminds us that the force of healing is ultimately not our own. We must shape it and share it with the world.”
Starting the week off with some fresh flowers. The Starting the week off with some fresh flowers. They bring me joy, make me happy, and bring life to my desk. Is there something you do for your work space/home environment that brings you joy each week?
Today I created a vision board!! More on Balancing Today I created a vision board!! More on BalancingToday.com
Woof, what a weird, sad, depressing, and confusing Woof, what a weird, sad, depressing, and confusing first week of the year. 

To focus on the good, I took care of myself this week. I did multiple meditations, took time to be outside, made realistic to do lists, established boundaries to give myself space, celebrated my daughter’s thriving in their first week back to virtual learning post break, and focused on the things I love. 

One moment I treasure each work day are those first 15 minutes. I look out the window, drink my coffee, and make a list of everything on my mind (Brain Dump). It gives me clarity, focus, and just a moment for ME. Before meetings, before projects, before serving others, I take a moment for ME! 

What did you do for YOU this week?
A quick walk between meetings on this “winter/no A quick walk between meetings on this “winter/not winter” day. Who else is ready for snow!?!

Copyright © 2017 · Balancing Today is running the Genesis Framework using the Market theme and is powered by Accelerated WP.