3 Tips To Help You Train Better In The Morning

One of the most common times of day to do any kind of exercise is the morning. Little wonder: we’ve all got busy lives, we all have to be up in the morning (or most of us do) to get to work, and on the night, who wants to come home from a hard days work only to exercise? Not many people want to do that, and even less can do it! That’s why mornings are usually pegged as the ideal time for a new exercise regime, if only we can get up just an hour or so earlier. But, what can you do if you’re just not a morning person? I say, make sure you’re not a morning person, first.

It might seem like a strange response, but I’ve found out a lot from research and my own experiences that could well put a nail in the coffin for the idea that you can’t work out because you just don’t feel good in the mornings.

Follow these tips with dedication for a week or so and you’ll probably find you have more energy and drive in the morning than at any other time in the day – even if you currently suck at mornings!

Have breakfast:

For years I didn’t have breakfast. I usually woke up too late before work and didn’t have time, so just slurped a quick cup of coffee and away I went. I’d spend the whole morning until around 10:00AM (when we had a coffee break and food) in a bit of a mental daze and state of physical exhaustion. After I ate, I usually felt 100x better.

It can take getting used to, so don’t expect to feel great, but keep at it and your body will eventually adapt. Have good, low-GI, non-refined carbohydrates (which won’t spike your blood sugar levels, but help stabilize them) and a 20-40g dose of complete protein.

There’s no harm and only benefits to having a cup of coffee to kick start you, too.

You’ll be surprised by what a huge difference breakfast makes.

Also, drink plenty of water – remember, you’re dehydrated and need it.

Drink milk before bed:

For two reasons: Firstly, you’ll provide your body with some slow-digesting protein throughout the night, so when you wake, your blood sugar levels won’t be starting so low. Secondly, you won’t wake up so dehydrated and feeling lousy – a common problem people aren’t aware of as being the culprit for their ‘bad morning person’ status.

Don’t oversleep:

Set your alarm and get up when it goes off. You will need to judge for yourself how many hours sleep you need to feel your best. I find if I sleep for more than 6-7 hours, I tend to wake up feeling headachy and very tired, probably though dehydration and low blood sugar levels. I’m never able to train very well on days I oversleep as it can affect me most of the day, but the effects are particularly bad when I first wake up.