Two years ago, my life looked really different. I was working full time in corporate real estate, sitting at a desk all day and feeling extremely unhappy and unfulfilled in my daily life. I was constantly feeling sick, tired and overall unhealthy. I decided to make a lifestyle change by eating healthy food and regularly exercising, which is where I found my newfound passion for fitness and wellness.
Fitting in daily exercise while working 9-5 was a constant struggle, so I committed to 6:00 a.m. workout classes – a time of day where I knew I would always be available. Realizing that those 6:00 a.m. classes were the only time of day where I felt truly happy was a big wake-up call for me. I knew I had to make a big life decision and take a leap of faith by completely changing careers.
Fast forward to today and my life could not be more different. But as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, one thing has remained the same – my early wake-ups.
Sharing my life on social media, including my weekly 5:00 a.m. wake-up times, has led many people to associate me with early mornings. I am always asked, “How do you get up so early?” The truth is, it’s not that hard or scary. As long as you take steps to create a peaceful morning for yourself, it is possible to start your day feeling refreshed, revived and ready for whatever it has in store.
So together with Nespresso Canada, I am going to give you four tips that will help you find the morning person in you.
- Regular wake-up time
I know you’ve heard it before, but sleep is so important for us! While we sleep our bodies are working extremely hard to regenerate our cells, repair our muscles and get us ready for another active day. A good night’s sleep helps with digestion, memory, brain function and is even anti-aging!
One way to ensure you are getting a good night’s sleep is to have a regular wake-up time. Getting your body on a consistent sleep schedule will allow for a better, uninterrupted night’s sleep so you can reap the benefits of some solid shut-eye.
If you’re someone who is prone to hitting snooze, try putting your phone or alarm clock in a different room. As soon as it goes off, you will have to get up and walk to turn it off. Once you are up and moving, you will be less likely to make the conscious decision to get back into bed.
Try it this week: set your alarm for the same time every day and avoid hitting that snooze button!
- Morning Movement
Now that you’re awake, it’s time to get that body moving. Moving first thing in the morning will help get the blood flowing in the body and will naturally energize you. My favourite way to get moving in the morning is with a few light stretches. Sometimes I’ll even do this while I’m still in bed.
On days where I am not running to train an early client, I love to get a good workout in first thing. Personally, my body functions optimally at 6:00 a.m. and I always perform my best during these early workouts. But moving doesn’t have to be an intense sweat session. It can be some simple breathing, a few cat-cow stretches or even a light yoga class.
In addition to naturally waking your body up, moving in the morning will have you more inclined to make healthier lifestyle choices throughout the day. For instance, if you start your day with a spin class, by the time lunch rolls around, you may feel like reaching for that salad instead of a burrito. After all, you already put the effort in with your early morning work-out, so hard so why undo it with an unhealthy meal?
Lastly, by the time night rolls around, your body will be nice and tired and ready for bed. Going to sleep a little earlier will help get you on schedule for regular, early wake-ups!
- Nourishing Breakfast
You’ve gotten up early, moved your body, now it’s time to nourish it! A healthy breakfast is vital to a solid morning routine. When choosing my breakfast, I love to go for a balance of macronutrients – carbs, fats and proteins. This not only ensures that I stay full until lunch but will also help avoid unhealthy cravings later in the afternoon. One of my favourite options is avocado toast with a sunny-side up egg.
We also can’t forget the most important part of breakfast…coffee! Although I always have my Nespresso before my workouts, I have been known to make myself a second cup to enjoy with breakfast.
I love that I can customize my Nespresso using my Vertuo machine. It comes in five sizes: espresso, double espresso, grand lungo, long cup and my go-to…the alto. I further personalize my Nespresso by adding superfoods like cinnamon and collagen. Cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar and collagen helps with cellular repair which is great for your hair, skin and nails.
I’m not going to lie, I actually get excited to go to bed at night because I have my Nespresso to look forward to the next morning!
- Mindfulness and “Me-Time”
Adding superfoods to my Nespresso enhances the benefits of my coffee, but what truly sets my morning apart is making my Nespresso time, my time. While I used to make my coffee in a hurry and take it in my to-go cup, I now try and wake up five minutes early so I have the time to actually enjoy it.
This tip is especially important for the people who start their morning feeling frantic from the get-go. Whether you have kids, a high-stress job or always feel like you’re running behind, try setting your alarm a little bit before everyone else is awake. Make your Nespresso, take it somewhere quiet, away from technology and just give yourself a few moments to pause.
If you have a little bit more time, try a light meditation or journaling. One of my favourite ways to practice mindfulness in the morning is to write down three things I am grateful for and a positive affirmation. This automatically starts my day on a positive note!
So despite what many of us think, your mornings don’t need to be stressful or rushed. By practicing these four tips, it is possible for us to start our days feeling refreshed, revived and ready for anything!
Thank you to Nespresso for sponsoring this post. All comments and opinions are my own.
Photos by Arthur Mola