My New Morning Routine

If you are reading this and do not consider yourself a morning person, my goal by the end of this post is to turn you into one.

I, like you, have never considered myself a morning person. As a resident physician, my work hours are usually 7 AM - 7 PM (if we're lucky, 7 AM- 5 PM). Most days, I would roll out of bed around 6:10-6:15 AM, throw on some scrubs and a little mascara, brush my teeth, and walk out the door. No breakfast, no water, no workout... nothing. And I kept this up throughout medical school and for the first 1.5 years of residency. Throughout the day, I would mentally plan the workout I'd do when I got home. I'd get progressively more tired as the day went on. Then finally, 7 PM would roll around. I'd get home by 7:30 PM and my motivation to work out was COMPLETELY gone.

I knew what I had to do, but I reallyyyyy didn't want to do it... because fitting in consistent workouts despite my uncontrollable schedule meant I'd have to become a morning person.

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I'll be honest.. the first week was tough. Of the 7 workdays that week, I only did my morning routine for 3 of them. The next week, I did 4 days. And the following week, I successfully did it for all 5 workdays that week.

Before I get into my routine, here are 4 things you need to do the NIGHT BEFORE in order to set yourself up for success.

• Put a large glass/tumbler full of water on your nightstand

• Lay out both your workout outfit AND your work clothes on your bathroom counter

• Mentally and/or physically plan your post-workout breakfast (you might need to prep some hard-boiled eggs the night before if you're eating my go-to grated egg breakfast)

• If you pack lunch, pack it the night before. You might not have time in the morning, depending on the length of your workout.

Note: this routine is from the perspective of someone who works out at home. The start time for me is exactly 2 hours before I need to leave for work. So, you can adjust accordingly!

Also, notice how I didn't tell you my bedtime... that is for you to decide. Obviously, it is healthy and recommended to get 8 hours of sleep per night but I recognize this isn't always possible depending on your other obligations and commitments. I will say though that most nights after I do this in the morning, I'm ready to get into bed around 8-9 PM and sleep like a rock.

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4:30 AM: WAKE UP!

Immediately start drinking the water on your nightstand (I use the Simply Modern tumbler and can't recommend it enough... linked below!)

Simply Modern tumbler HERE

Then, just get out of bed. Do it. It's going to suck, but you can do it. I promise. Just think how good you'll feel after the workout.

4:35-4:40 AM: get dressed and get downstairs, maybe splash a little cold water on my face if I need it

4:45 AM: workout for 30-60 minutes, usually a mix of strength and cardio. *Intensity/time depends on my overall workout schedule for the week

5:30/5:45 AM: eat a quick breakfast and drink my greens

*planning to do an entire post on greens powders and why I use one

Quick breakfast ideas (will elaborate in another post):

• 1 cup homemade (NOT INSTANT) oatmeal + berries/apple slices/banana + hard-boiled egg

• Grated egg on English muffin with avocado or guacamole

• Pesto eggs on English muffin

• Protein smoothie

6:00-6:20 AM: shower and get ready for work

6:20-6:30 AM: pack my lunch box, grab my stuff, and get going!! Ideally, I will finish the tumbler of water by the time I leave. 28oz down, 100 to go!!

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Now I'm going to tell you an entire list of reasons why I LOVE this new routine:

• I will always fit in my workout on my own time

• I have more time to relax and cook dinner when I get home from work

• I feel more energized throughout the day and am generally in a better mood

• I usually don't need my caffeine until later in the morning

• I make better food decisions throughout the day

• I don't get frustrated at work when I don't get out on time and I can be more focused on tasks when I'm not constantly worrying about how I'm going to fit in my workout or have the energy to do it

If all of those reasons aren't enough to convince you that getting up early is worth it... here's one more.

It will teach you discipline... and this discipline will translate into so many other aspects of your life.

Forcing yourself to get up 1.5-2 hours before you normally would to do something good for your body and your mind IS discipline. It seems obvious, but it's not easy to do (hence why I'm calling it discipline).

If you are on a weight-loss journey and have reached a plateau or even if you're just getting started, give this a try. Ease into it... maybe just start out doing it 1-2 days a week then gradually increase from there.

Give it a try. I know you can. I believe in you.

When that alarm goes off in the morning... sit up, drink your water, count backward from 5, and get your ass out of bed.

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