Sunrise workouts

Ok - I've officially decided that I need to let everyone know what happens in my world while the rest of you are still snuggled under the covers in the morning. This is a run-through of what happens on a typical Tuesday through Friday morning for me. I will let the pictures do the talking...

My routine actually starts the night before. I try to get my outfit together before I go to bed so it's one less thing to think about at 5AM. (P.S. I would be lost without the watch. It keeps me moving to make sure I get my entire workout in!)

Alright, this step might be the most important. It involves my favorite morning drink... COFFEE! (Cory lovingly calls this my "go juice" as I don't really get moving in the morning till I've had my cup of joe.) I usually set the timer on the coffee pot to start brewing about 15 minutes before I get up. It sounds silly, but the smell of coffee when my alarm goes off really does help me roll out of bed and shuffle toward the kitchen. Added bonus: The coffee is done by the time I get there!

Once I'm dressed and ready to go, I try to take a few minutes to drink my coffee and search the web. It gives me a second to collect my thoughts and get ready for the day ahead. My advice is to only take about 5 to 10 minutes. Any longer and it's possible to get distracted and talk yourself out of a workout.

My second suggestion is to drink plenty of water! I continue to chug water on the drive into town and while I am running on the treadmill.

Once I get home from the workout, it's time to quickly get ready for work and then... breakfast! This morning I chose to make my own. I microwaved some oatmeal (Bob's Red Mill, Whole Grain Oatmeal with Flax Seed to be exact) then added a little milk, a teaspoon of honey, a tablespoon of slivered almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Delicious! I also had a glass of milk for added dairy and protein. My favorite part is that this meal really kept me full until lunch time!

After breakfast, I'm ready to start the day, but not without my extra mug of coffee of course! In all seriousness though, the morning workouts give me so much more energy and it's refreshing to know that my entire workout is done for the day! Can't wait to see what tomorrow morning's workout has in store for me. :) Speaking of, it is past time for bed. More later!