Fitness Fatale

Conquering Fitness Goals One at a Time

how to start a morning routine

How Waking Up Before My Kids Has Changed My Life

how to start a morning routine

How you spend the first hour of your day dictates the remaining 23.

For the last 8 months I have been waking up with my kids, feeling frazzled, overwhelmed and totally at their beck and call. My own needs came LAST. With a new year, came new motivation to put myself higher on the priority list and I was ready to get into a routine in January. I was sick of playing defense when I woke up – I wanted to play offense and control how I started my day.
On day 1, both twins were up in the night (thank you 8 month sleep regression) and Siena was up before my alarm even went off and did not want to stay in her room and play. The twins woke up early too. My husband came to the rescue but all I could think was, “I can’t win!!! I’m going to be exhausted if I keep this up!” I was majorly discouraged. I wondered if my kids would always sense I was awake and I’d never get the time for myself I needed, even if I woke up at 4 a.m.!
But I didn’t give up. I kept setting the alarm, and I kept getting up. Some mornings I got to sit in peace and others the kids were up early. We have set Siena up with the ok-to-wake clock, though she sometimes requires a snack before she’ll stay in her room til it goes off at 6:30. The babies get bottles in their cribs if they are up too early and they have gone back to sleeping through the night. I’ve told Siena, “Mama is having time for herself.”

My Morning Routine:example of a morning routine

  1. Snooze, stumble out of bed lethargically, change into my workout clothes and brush my teeth and head downstairs. I’ve always had a hard time waking up with my alarm and I definitely don’t “spring out of bed!” even after many years of waking up early.
  2. Drink a big glass of water & mix my all natural  pre-workout drink (or have a cup of coffee).
  3. Read my vision. I have a notebook and on the first few pages is a detailed vision of what I want my life and my family’s life to look like. I read it every day to remind myself of what I’m working so hard for. I’ve also written a few motivational quotes and some words of affirmation in this book.
  4. Write down successes from the previous day in my “Book of Proof.” My book of proof is just a journal where I keep a list of things that are moving me toward my vision. Every day I write at least one thing down that I did that is moving me closer to my dreams and goals. Some days those things are pretty significant and other days it may be as simple as giving myself rest or self care.
  5. Plan my day by the hour. Right now I’m using Brendan Burchard’s High Performance Planner, which was a gift from my Beachbody coach Kelley. Every day I write down my top 3 priorities and the tasks that absolutely must be done that day. I then schedule my day by the hour. I’ve found the scheduling of my day is the easy part – it’s the following through that is tough!
  6. Workout. After that’s all done (which takes about 15-20 minutes), it’s time to workout! My workout, Transform:20 is only 20 minutes, so the entire routine takes just 1 hour or so.

How to Start a Morning Routine:

If you are inspired to get into a morning routine, first know that there’s no RIGHT way! It’s all up to you. And it’s ok if it evolves – I could definitely plan to change my routine over time!

A few ways to start:

  1. Start slow! If you aren’t used to waking up early, you could start waking up early just 2-3 days a week.
  2. Tell the members of your household what you’re planning – this includes spouse, roommates, and children! Even better, also tell someone else who will hold your accountable what you’re doing (or announce on social media!).
  3. Decide what your routine will look like (and know it can change). Here are some options for a great morning routine:
    • Journaling
    • Visualization
    • Making a list of things you are grateful for
    • Prayer
    • Planning your day
    • Meditation
    • Stretching or yoga
    • Exercise
    • A bath or shower
  4.  Be patient and know you will miss days, but don’t give up!

And remember, get to bed earlier if you can to get enough sleep!

What Has My Morning Routine Done for Me?

morning workout routine
Having a morning workout routine helps me stay consistent and miss fewer workouts!

So after one month of this (I did miss a few days and I sleep in at least one day on the weekends), I’m going to keep it up (Follow me on Instagram stories to see my daily morning check in and let me know if I somehow inspired you to start your own routine!). It feels good knowing that I’m getting on track for my day and I’ve already had an incredibly successful month as a result.

First and foremost, after a month of putting ME first in my day, I feel more in control. I feel more optimistic. My business has grown significantly this month, I’m taking more action than I ever have and I have lost 5 pounds (2 with wrapping up 80 Day Obsession, 3 with the new Transform:20).  Working out in the morning has dramatically improved my day because I can focus on work/my kids throughout the day and not worry about when I’ll be fitting it in. It also means I’ve missed fewer workouts this month because it’s become a habit to do them first thing. I feel more focused and patient with my kids, and I feel more in control of my future.

Do you have a morning routine? What is one thing you always do in the morning? 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. 

P.S. If you’re looking for accountability in the area of health and fitness, join my next 4 week bootcamp! You’ll get a home workout program, nutrition plan, and accountability from me and fellow boot campers! We start February 11th – fill out this form to get more info and I’ll make sure we set you up with a program that meets your needs and works with your abilities & time needs.

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