I haven’t always been a morning person. In fact, until my second year of college, I could sleep in past noon. Now that I work full-time, I have to be up by 6 or 7.

At first, the struggle was real. Now, I’m up at 5 AM four to five days out of the week. No, I’m not a psycho, but I need get my workout in before fatigue hits after work. (Trust me, it’s better this way).

I’m a firm believer that how you start your mornings sets the tone for your day. I like to kick off the morning productively with exercise. The rest of the day, I’m motivated and awake. By the end of the day, I can settle down without struggling to find the energy to be productive in the evening.

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Here’s my routine by the minute:

5:30AM – Wake Up/Get Ready for the gym – and make my bed (I have my gym clothes already out on my dresser to quickly change into)

6AM-7AM – Work Out.

7-7:30Am – Shower and get ready. (I wash my hair every 3 days so this makes my showers pretty fast most of the time. I also don’t wear makeup. Moisturizer, lip balm, brows and I’m good to go. I also lay my work clothes out the night before so I don’t waste time looking for an outfit)

7:30-8AM – Breakfast and Coffee. I usually have eggs, some type of protein and tomatoes or avocado. Occasionally, I’ll have a piece of toast. It literally only takes about 5-10 minutes to cook everything in the same pan. I like fresh tomatoes and fresh avocado to get my fruits and veggies in, with healthy cooked fats and proteins to fuel my day and keep me full till lunch. Sometimes I’ll make tea, but most days I brew coffee, then I’m out the door for work!

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I’m fortunate enough to start work at 8:30 every morning so I have time to workout before instead of after work. I used to workout after work and I was just way less motivated and so much more tired. If you have the time, do it!

Don’t be fooled! Like I said, this routine is EXTREMELY realistic.

You don’t lack the time. You lack the motivation. I like to eat junk food occasionally and I love drinking, so I need to squeeze in working out and being productive in my mornings so I can enjoy myself when I can! It’s all about balance and finding the time to do so.

Penny for your thoughts?

 

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