8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I tell myself I only have to run one mile

The mental block of how hard my workout will be often discourages me from getting up. If I’m dreading running hills or finishing a difficult spin class, I’m more likely to hit snooze and “accidentally” run out of time to complete it. So I tell myself I only have to make it one mile — a 10-minute workout, tops. Once I’m up and actually exercising, I rarely stop after only a mile, but telling myself I’m allowed to does the trick to get me started.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I incentivize myself with good music

If I find a new (or new-to-me) song that fits in with the weird, curated mix of emo, hip-hop, and bubblegum pop that motivates me to run, I download it to my exercise playlist and only let myself listen to it there. The prospect of new music gives me something to look forward to while I work out — especially if I know it’s the only place I can finally hear the song I’ve had stuck in my head for two days.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I make workouts non-negotiable by signing up for races

On race day, I’m committed to running 13.1 miles — whether I’m prepared to or not. I’m not super competitive, but signing up for races forces me to train. And if I want to have any kind of social life after work, that training needs to happen in the morning. The tangibility of an end goal coupled with the possibility of failure proves more than enough to get me out of bed and into my running shoes.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I sign up for early classes

Being the person who rolls in 15 minutes late to spin class isn’t a good look on anybody. It’s disruptive and disrespectful to the instructor. If I sign up for a class that starts at 7 a.m., I make damn sure I’m there right at 7 a.m.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I have friends keep me accountable

Nothing’s more shameful than having to tell a friend who asks about your workout that you, well, didn’t quite make it this morning. Before bed, I tell my roommates that I’m getting up to run the next morning or I ask a friend to text me and ask how it went. Even if they don’t follow up (or don’t care), I’ve already mentally committed myself.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I remind myself how great I’ll feel for the rest of the day

Think of how amazing you’ll feel afterward! You’ll be so energized! You’ll have accomplished so much by 8 a.m.! Repeating positive mantras — or smug reminders of how virtuous and disciplined I’m pretending to be — changes my attitude toward hitting the gym. Instead of thinking of it as a difficult and painful activity, I see it as something fun and productive.

8 ways I trick myself into waking up early to go to the gym

I drink water before bed

Getting out of bed is always the hardest part. But if I absolutely have to go to the restroom I’m going to get up — guaranteed. Hey, it works!