We’ve all been there: the alarm goes off, and we quickly realize the sun still hasn’t risen and our brain starts thinking that neither should we. We end up hitting the snooze button so many times that we scramble just to make it to work on time and have completely missed the morning class that we had every intention of attending the night before. Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us.
The secret to becoming a morning workout person is that there isn’t any secret at all. It doesn’t happen overnight, and sometimes you need to work at it a little. Yes, just like we push ourselves harder to reach new fitness goals while we’re in class, it takes a little bit of conditioning to become the kind of person who can pop right out of bed whenever the birds start chirping. Don’t worry; you’ll get there—here’s how.
1. Set out your class gear the night before.
There’s nothing worse than scrambling in the morning. And many times, you end up forgetting something important. Make sure you set your class gear out the night before so that you are ready to peel yourself out of bed, get dressed and head out the door.
2. Give yourself time to wake up.
Setting your alarm five or ten minutes ahead of when you want to wake up is a great way to give yourself those few extra minutes in bed before you actually need to get dressed and start your routine.
3. Schedule the class!
Most of the time, when we have a doctor’s appointment scheduled, we don’t miss it—class shouldn’t be any different! The ClassPass app can help you find the perfect early-morning activity and reminds you of your upcoming classes. Once you’ve booked and it’s a part of your schedule, you will feel more inclined to make it to class on time.
4. Find a workout buddy.
The buddy system works for pretty much all areas in life. Find a fitness-minded friend who you can either attend class with or who you can turn to for support and inspiration in those early mornings when you need it most. Bonus points if they are already a morning person!
5. Keep a class journal.
Yup. Find that super cute journal you bought and forgot about and start writing notes about your favorite classes and how they made you feel. Endorphins are an amazing thing and recalling how great a morning sweat sesh made you feel will make you want to repeat the experience.
6. Make it a routine that you look forward to.
So maybe you don’t look forward to squats, but make sure that there is a part of your morning routine that you look forward to before each class. It can be something as simple as watching the sunrise, getting to the coffee pot before anyone else, or even scoring your favorite section of the classroom for your Barre class. Whatever it is, own it and start getting excited about it.
7. Go shopping.
I mean, this is pretty self-explanatory, but there’s nothing that can make you as enthusiastic about getting to class first thing in the morning as a new outfit. Take a trip to your favorite fitness apparel store and add a few new pieces to your wardrobe so that you can look forward to styling and wearing them to class.
8. Have a snack ready.
Getting some calories into your system before or after class is always the right answer—but it’s got to be something that stimulates your brain. Get onto Pinterest and start prepping some new snacks that will keep you energized and leave your taste buds happy.
9. Keep a glass of water by your bed.
Hydration is so, so important in keeping our bodies functioning. Have a glass ready to go by the bedside wake up and get your body moving first thing in the morning.
10. Skip the booze the night before.
Keep wine night to a minimum!
11. Try to get to sleep a little bit earlier.
As soon as you can, get your body into a routine of going to bed earlier. The more your body is rested, the easier it will be to get up and moving in the a.m.
12. Don’t stress yourself about it.
Honestly, there will be days when your body just can’t do it, and that’s okay. Sometimes you have to give yourself a break and get back at it the next day.
13. Have a playlist ready.
There’s nothing quite as energizing as music! Have a playlist of your favorite music ready to go and blast it through your earbuds on the way to class.
14. Light a candle or diffuse some energizing oils.
There are so many candles and oils that will let heavenly fragrances flow through your home, and many of which (citrus and peppermint just to name a few) stimulate your senses and can energize you before class.
15. Fake it until you make it.
Like we said, it’s not going to happen overnight. Some days you’ll wake up ready to take on class with so much vigor you can almost taste it and others you’ll have to push through your Netflix coma from the night before. Just keep in mind that everything is always easier once your feet hit the floor.
This post originally appeared on The Warm Up by ClassPass. ClassPass is a new kind of gym membership that grants you access to thousands of different classes at studios and gyms in your city and around the world. Learn more today!