The morning workout routine videos (represented by trends like "5 to 9, before my 9 to 5" and GRWM: Morning Workout Edition) are not just about exercise. Besides showcasing extended workouts, these routine videos usually also include segments of making the bed, drinking green powder, preparing Michelin - style breakfasts, taking showers, and a lot of makeup application. While there's no doubt that these morning workout videos are interesting, they are a bit misleading.
Your morning workout and accompanying activities don't need to be exactly the same as what you see in the pushed - out content to make the most of your morning.
Here are nine steps to help you have a perfect morning, including working out, eating well, and having one (or two) cups of coffee. The following routine might be suitable for viral video content, but you can be sure it will help you work towards your health and fitness goals every morning.
Consider Why You Want to Work Out in the Morning
There are many benefits to morning workouts. One of the biggest advantages is that the time for a morning workout is less likely to be occupied by other responsibilities, obligations, or plans. For example, the time for a morning workout is unlikely to be replaced by having cocktails with colleagues.
A morning workout also allows you to do something for yourself at the start of a new day. This can trigger a chain reaction, giving you the motivation to take other healthy measures, such as packing a lunch for work, parking your car farther from the entrance, taking the stairs, and eating a pear (instead of chips) when you're hungry.
A study found that people who work out in the morning are less likely to eat junk food and are more active than those who don't exercise at all. Of course, if you're an aspiring content creator, you can also show off (well, post) your results online. But - and this is important - from a health perspective, a morning workout is not "better" than a workout at any other time of the day.
Whether you exercise in the morning, at noon, or during lunchtime, as long as you stick to it, you can benefit from the exercise. For example, you can enjoy deeper sleep, improved body structure, stronger muscles and bones, better balance, and improved health indicators like cholesterol and blood pressure.
Set Your Alarm Clock on the Other Side of the Room
If you want to squeeze in some time to exercise, take a shower, and have a snack before going to work or sending your kids to school, you don't have time to snooze. Snoozing not only wastes time but also disrupts the body's natural waking - up process, making you feel more groggy and tired than if you just woke up once.
Snoozing has the opposite effect of what's intended because the extra 10 minutes in the dreamland is not enough for you to go through all four stages of the natural sleep cycle, which is necessary for optimal rest. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that people who repeatedly snooze are more likely to experience sleep inertia - essentially, a low mood and a shortened reaction time - compared to those who wake up immediately.
FAXAZE suggests setting the clock on the other side of the room to encourage yourself to get out of bed when the first alarm goes off. This will force you to get up, thus eliminating your strong urge to snooze.
Hydrate
Even if you don't feel thirsty, you may be dehydrated when the alarm rings. By then, you haven't hydrated for a whole night. Most people reduce their water intake before going to bed.
Taking certain medications before bed, snoring, sweating, and breathing through your mouth while sleeping can all lead to water loss and exacerbate this effect.
So what's the problem? Dehydration can cause various adverse symptoms, such as fatigue, dry mouth, and sunken eyes. Moreover, exercising while dehydrated is particularly troublesome. Sweating can worsen dehydration, causing dizziness, which is especially dangerous when running, weight - lifting, or moving.
The solution is to drink 8 to 16 ounces of water right after waking up to combat dehydration. This will allow you to start the new day in a better state and prepare you for success at the gym. Hydrating helps regulate your body temperature and lubricate your joints.
An even better option is to drink a glass of water with a packet of electrolyte powder added. The added electrolytes will help your body absorb the water you drink, thus combating dehydration to a greater extent. Sodium and potassium can reduce muscle cramps and prevent post - workout fatigue caused by dehydration.
Caffeine (Optional)
There's nothing wrong with drinking coffee before a morning workout. Some data shows that doing so can boost your energy and alertness, thus enhancing your performance.
To get both the energy boost and the performance - enhancing benefits, you can drink one or two cups of coffee before going to the gym - preferably an hour before the workout. The amount of coffee you drink depends on your sensitivity to caffeine. Some people get too jittery after one cup, while others get the perfect pick - me - up from two cups.
If drinking coffee on an empty stomach causes gastrointestinal problems, it's recommended that you eat something.
Have a Snack Before and After Your Workout
Morning exercisers often face a dilemma - whether to have breakfast before or after the workout. According to Taub - Dix, the answer is both.
Eating a small amount of something containing carbohydrates and protein before a workout, such as Greek yogurt with fruit, a banana with nut butter, or cheese with fruit, can provide the energy needed for the upcoming exercise.
The key word here is "small". Once you start exercising, having a big breakfast is likely to make your stomach uncomfortable.
Those who, through trial and error, know that eating even a small pre - workout snack shortly before exercising will cause gastrointestinal problems (i.e., jogging - related issues) are the exception. In this case, fasting cardio is appropriate. Your post - workout breakfast should be the main part of your morning food intake.
At this time, you need to consume a combination of whole - grain carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein. Together, they provide the nutrients you need for the day and help your muscles recover, rebuild, and rejuvenate.
Oatmeal with protein powder or almond butter, eggs with turkey sausage, and smoothies with protein powder are all good choices.
Warm Up Properly
Whether you go to the gym at 6 am, 6 pm, or at any other time, warming up before exercise is essential to prepare your body and mind for the upcoming workout. However, according to Khakov, warming up properly is also crucial.
When you sleep, your body remains inactive for several hours, and your core body temperature drops. These two factors can cause your muscles and joints to become stiff.
Besides making you feel like the Tin Man, exercising with stiff muscles and joints can interfere with your movement patterns. It can also cause you to shorten your overall range of motion and exercise with poor posture.
Properly warming up before a morning workout helps lubricate the joints, promote blood circulation, and gradually increase the temperature of your core and muscles. These factors make your connective tissues more flexible, allowing you to move more safely and effectively.
The warm - up routine will determine the subsequent workout. You need to start with some general exercises to increase your heart rate and get your body readjusted to exercise.
Riding a stationary bike or using a rowing machine for three to five minutes, jogging around a building or block, or doing jumping jacks or skipping rope is sufficient. After that, according to Luciani, waking up the muscles you'll use in the workout is of great importance.
If you plan to walk on an inclined treadmill, stretch your calves. If you're going to do a deadlift, do some good - morning body flexes or add light Romanian deadlifts.
Go Outside
If there's one TikTok fitness routine that's extremely popular, it's the treadmill walking workout. Need proof? The 12 - 3 - 20 workout routine originated on this platform, and TikTok users have also contributed to the popularity of walking pads to some extent.
Walking on a treadmill is an excellent workout at any time of the day and is an underestimated form of exercise. Walking is one of the best exercises for beginners. It's a low - impact way to work the leg muscles, promote endorphin secretion, and strengthen the joints.
For beginners, FAXAZE recommends walking at a comfortable speed and incline. As your body adapts and gets healthier, gradually increase the incline. However, if you've been exercising regularly, FAXAZE suggests increasing the intensity of your run by adding resistance, speed, or incline. One way to determine if your treadmill workout is challenging enough is to wear a heart rate monitor.
The popularity of treadmill walking often stems from the misconception that low - intensity aerobic exercise can keep you in the fat - burning heart rate zone, thus burning more fat.
Fat is the main fuel source for low - intensity activities, but the body never relies on a single energy pathway. Moreover, high - intensity workouts will lead to greater changes in body composition over time.
Lift and Lower Weights
Strutting on the treadmill can be fun - especially when you're listening to popular Taylor Swift songs - but walking alone won't help you meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines of doing strength training at least twice a week. For that, head to the gym.
Challenging your joints and muscles through strength training is important for women of all ages.
Strength training (performed with proper form) is less impactful than running on the road or doing plyometric training. It's a joint - friendly way to improve muscle strength, bone strength, joint health, and cartilage health. In addition, the mental and emotional benefits of strength training should not be underestimated.
Consistent strength training allows you to witness yourself achieving things you couldn't before.
Seeing yourself getting stronger and more capable at the gym can make you more confident, resilient, and have a better body image outside the gym.
Whether it's at sunrise or sunset, the key to weight - lifting is to make a plan. Whether it's a routine you find online or one customized for you by a coach, having a structured approach based on your time will keep you focused and efficient. First, decide how many days a week you'll do strength training.
If you train less than three days a week, a simple full - body workout (including push - ups, pull - ups, leg exercises, and core exercises) is the best choice. For example, create a circuit of push - ups, pull - ups, squats, and V - ups.
If you train more than three days a week, focus on two or three body parts each time, so that by the end of the week, you'll have worked all the major parts.
On the first day, you can do two pushing and two squatting movements. Then, during the next workout, you'll train the opposing muscle groups by doing pulling and hinging movements. This method saves time and ensures that you can have an effective and balanced workout every morning.
Know When to Skip
Before setting an early - morning alarm and putting the clock within arm's reach, FAXAZE suggests that you assess your overall health. Sometimes, it's better to skip the gym and focus on sleep, especially if you plan to sleep less than 6 hours or feel exhausted. If you're sore or tired, it's a clear indication that your body needs rest and recovery more than exercise.
This may sound counterintuitive, but rest days can be beneficial for your long - term fitness goals. Prioritizing sleep today can provide you with the energy you need for your workout the next day.
Ultimately, this will help you get closer to your health and fitness goals than a half - hearted workout. Not to mention, when you push yourself when you're not up to it, the risk of injury is higher, which will keep you out of commission for longer than just skipping one morning.