Somebody: “Wow, you look so good – I can tell you’ve been working hard! Want to go to the gym together? What’s your gym schedule like?”
Me: “I go to the gym 4 days a week. 2 days I see my trainer at 7:30 AM and the other 2 days I hit the gym at 4 AM.”
Somebody: *Wide eyes or blank stare* Now that’s commitment! 4 AM – What time do you wake up? What time do you go to sleep? I could never…”
This is literally a conversation I’ve had at least 10 times with friends, family, and colleagues and every time I genuinely anticipate what the reaction is going to be when I declare that I wake up at 3:30 AM twice a week to get to the gym by 4 AM.
Is getting to the gym at 4 AM extreme? Maybe to some people it is, but it fits into my life perfectly for a myriad of reasons – including my gym anxiety. A few years ago, a self-help personality that shall not be named because she is hella problematic, shared her morning routine and her reasons behind it and it made the most sense to me and unlocked the key to how I approach my days.
Having a family and other commitments is a real time suck. When your husband wakes up, he needs something. When the kids wake up they need you then you have to be present for your day job as well. If you aren’t up before them you are are immediately on defense and you lose control of your time. I take much pride in being a wife and mommy – but after having my son I realized how quickly women lose themselves being everything for everybody and there’s not many hours in the day to dedicate to ourselves. So, I took back my mornings.
Now, being on this fitness journey, getting my movement in is top priority in my day. How do I accomplish this? I minimize the risk of friction in getting my stuff done. So I wake up and go to the gym before my husband gets up for work and the kiddos are sound asleep. I can get up, dress, brush my teeth, wash my face, dance in the mirror and be out the door in 15 minutes. How sway?
I PREP EVERYTHING THE NIGHT BEFORE!
- Gym clothes – laid out and in my closet
- Shoes – by the door so I don’t walk in the house and make noise
- Gym bag – packed in the car with keys, headphones and any gear I need
- Water bottle – filled and either in the laundry room or in the garage fridge
- Pre-workout drink – pre-mix and in garage fridge
- Pre-workout snack – sitting on top of dryer in laundry room to reduce the risk of rustling packaging waking the baby up
- VIBEZ – when I think about hitting the weights I get excited!
I also go to bed. In bed before 10 PM non-negotiable 90% of the time – caveat, I have a toddler who’s unpredictable. LOL. Even if I don’t immediately fall asleep, being in bed in PJs sets my mind and body for rest.
When my alarm goes off I DO NOT, I REPEAT I DO NOT HIT SNOOZE. Get up immediately and get going. Snoozing is not your friend. (this applies for the 4 AM gym days and all others)
We (and by we, that means you too) give ourselves too much grace when it comes to the commitments we make to ourselves while we have very high standards for those around us. Our lives are made up of a series of choices and that dictates the world we create for ourselves. No matter what you want to accomplish, you have to make it a priority or you will make excuses for why you failed. You are in control of your decisions – its up to you to create the life you want. Is your health a priority, is your relationship a priority, is that dream business venture your priority? Do you carve out for those things, or do you live in a space of should’ve, could’ve, would’ve? I am losing my weight, I am a present and loving mother, I am a devoted wife, I am productive employee, I am a loyal, honest friend. Those are my priorities and I show up for them every day. What say you?
“If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.”
-xo, Siara
P.S. Check out my 5-9 routine on my 4 AM gym days
