Thank you to Zappos for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve always been more of a morning person than a night owl. For me, there’s something about starting my day before everyone else… having a little bit of time to collect and prepare myself for the day ahead… that typically sets it off on the right track. And while my morning activities have changed over the years, one thing that has remained consistent are my workouts. It gets the blood flowing, gives me time to clear my head, and helps me feel as if I’ve accomplished something right at the start of my day….

Two of the most frequently asked questions I receive is how I workout with a toddler (answer is I wake up at 5:30am and squeeze it in before she wakes up) and how I find the motivation to work out in the morning. So today, I thought I’d share a little about my morning workout routine + how I motivate myself…..

1. Set A Schedule For The Week: I learned early on in motherhood that any schedule I made needed to be relatively flexible… including my workout routine. That being said, at the beginning of each week I put together my workout plan for the week ahead. It helps me stay on track, and if I slip in a new routine it gets me excited. I would say 90% of the time it looks like this, with slight variations in the routines…..

Monday: Longer Run + Booty Strength Training
Tuesday: Spin or StairMaster + Arms Strength Training
Wednesday: Lighter workout… Yoga Toning or an Incline Walk + Core Exercises
Thursday: HIIT + Total Body Toning
Friday: Long Run + Booty Strength Training
Saturday: Spin with TJ, a family hike, or a long walk to breakfast….
Sunday: Rest day

2. Lay Out My Gear: I know it sounds silly, but picking out a workout outfit and setting it out the evening before helps me take away one less excuse to not get out of bed when I’d rather hit snooze. Having the right gear helps too. About 3 weeks ago I started working out in these HOKA ONE ONE CAVU running shoes. Not only are they stylish and sleek in the white color way (they come in 6 different colors… some bold options and a basic black as well…), but they’re super comfortable and supportive for longer runs. After the first wear I didn’t notice any blisters and felt fully supported in my ankles during the run… I also find them to have a sufficient amount of space in the toe area so my feet don’t ever feel cramped (more HOKA ONE ONE running shoes here). I snagged them at Zappos, which is always a great and easy place to shop.

3. New Playlists: A couple weeks ago I was feeling super sluggish and unmotivated, so I decided to compile a new playlist. It helped more than I thought it would… not knowing which song was going to come next, and having a fresh new line up made the time fly by. Someone also recently suggested listening to audio books, which I think is another great option… you  kill two birds with one stone. I’ve included my most recent playlist for you below:

Girls Like You – Maroon 5
God’s Plan – Drake
SoulMate – Justin Timberlake
Treat Myself – Meghan Trainor
In My Feelings – Drake
No Tears Left To Cry – Ariana Grande
Delicate – Taylor Swift
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
I Like It – Cardi B
Remind Me To Forget – Kygo +Miguel
Walk It Talk It – Migos
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Backstreet Boys
Make Me – Britney Spears

4. Set An Intention: I typically start my workouts with a mental goal… sometimes it’s to have a clearer head by the end… other times it’s to feel stronger… but either way, when I remind myself of it at the beginning, and throughout my workouts, it keeps me motivated to start, and finish…. and I often carry that same intention into the day ahead.

5. Remind Myself of The Benefits: It would be so easy for me to just hit snooze 10 times and then say “I’ll workout tomorrow….” but I know that the extra 30 minutes I’d be sleeping is taking away from all the benefits working out gives me… energy to run after little miss, confidence, a clear head + mind, and abundance of health benefits.

That’s it… of course, sometimes even after I do 1-5 I still feel a little unmotivated. In those cases, I tell myself I’ll workout for 5 minutes and if at the end of that time, if I’m still not feeling it, I’ll stop. I’d say 99% of the time that 5 minutes gets me going, and I end up completing a full workout.
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(Outfit Details || Leggings | Sports Bra | Tank | Running Shoes)