My Morning Routine
Meghann’s post about her morning routine inspired me to write my own. I also get quite a few questions and comments about my morning schedule, which typically includes exercise, breakfast, and blogging. So, here’s how I pack it all in:
AM Workout at Healthworks
5:05 – Alarm goes off, get out of bed, check email, drink water (I’m always parched in the morning!)
5:10 – Get dressed, pack for gym, sometimes I will have a small snack if my stomach is grumbling
5:15 – Head out the door, walk to T station, wait for T
5:25 – Take T across the city to Healthworks
6:05 – Arrive at Healthworks
6:15 – Exercise
7:20 – Shower
7:25 – Towel off, get dressed
7:30 – Partially blow-dry hair, put on make-up and jewelry
7:40 – Take the T work
7:50 – Arrive at Starbucks, order coffee
7:55 – Eat breakfast, check email, blog
8:25 – Walk to work
8:30 – Start work day
My Bedtime
If you’re curious about what time I go to bed, I start “thinking” about bed around 8:30/9:00 PM. I’m almost always in bed by 9:30 and asleep by 10:00. If for some reason, I don’t get my act together by 10:00 (or I can’t fall asleep), I will skip my HW workout and exercise at home or in the evening. Exercising at home is fine and dandy, but I get a much better workout at Healthworks.
My Tips for Getting Your Butt Outta Bed
Breakfast and Workout
I was up late last night booking plane tickets and blogging, so a super early morning workout at HW wasn’t happening. I did, however, managed to squeeze in 30 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength training at the gym in my apartment building. I find that if I don’t have a lot of time to exercise, I often end up pushing myself harder to squeeze more into the short workout. I also turn up the intensity, which usually results in a challenging and sweaty workout for me!
Breakfast this morning was a bowl of oats with banana, wheat bran, ground flaxseed, and Barney Butter. The BB got all melty and delicious from the heat of the oats. Holy yum!
With ice water and iced coffee to go…
Question of the Day
Are you a morning person? What is your morning routine like?
teresa — May 7, 2009 @ 7:39 am
Hey, Tina. I’ve been looking for those Adora supplements for awhile and found them at my local Walgreen’s. They had them on clearance (!!) for $2.19 a bag. I bought the last two bags and might troll some of the other stores in town for more. I know one close to my work has them on clearance too, but they’re still $6 a bag.
thanks for giving me the heads-up on these. I need way more calcium and hate drinking milk, but force myself to do it anyway. And I can give them to my son. He feels like he’s having a candy and he’s getting extra calcium.
t.
Jordan — May 7, 2009 @ 7:40 am
I wish I lived somewhere with subways =\
stephanie — May 7, 2009 @ 7:50 am
You ride the T 40 minutes to get to the gym in the morning?! THAT’S dedication!
Erica — May 7, 2009 @ 7:52 am
Good routine! Getting everything done takes planning but is totally worth it! I get up at 5, get ready, make our lunches and am out the door/and at work (with a 35 minute commute) by 6:30. Wednesdays, when I get to work from home, I do my workout in the morning. All other days, I do it at night because thats when I’m usually scheduled to teach my group fitness classes!
tami — May 7, 2009 @ 7:57 am
i love getting up in the morning. 435am my alarm goes off and i am at the gym 10 minutes later. i am home by 630am and then the kids are awake, my husband goes to work and we begin our day.
Mara @ What's For Dinner? — May 7, 2009 @ 8:21 am
I’m SO not a morning person. I used to be, and something changed and I’m not so much anymore. I still get up early, but I’m not “myself” for a good couple hours.
Jenny — May 7, 2009 @ 8:33 am
I’m definitely a morning person. The absolute latest I can sleep is 8:45-9 and that’s if I’ve been up late on the weekends. I love getting up, reading blogs, having breakfast, and getting my day started!
And melty BB on oats? Holy yum, indeed!
Kailey (SnackFace) — May 7, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Being a college student, my schedule isn’t set in stone, therefore the morning routine isn’t the same everyday. However, I have to get up at 8 or 9 even if I don’t have classes and even if I haven’t slept much. I just like them because they are so quiet and peaceful, and the rest of the campus is either a)asleep b) in class or c) hung over and doesn’t want to talk anyway.
Haha, but on days I have early classes, it’s up at 7 (I know, that’s not early compared to most of you!), wash face/get ready, make b-fast at 7:30, eat it all by 8, sip coffee and read blogs/blog and put makeup on 8-8:30, pack my stuff and leave by 8:40. I give myself extra time to TAKE my time if need be.
I also only have class 2 days a week, so I work out the other days (but not weekends
).
Ali — May 7, 2009 @ 8:40 am
I am definitely a morning person, although college as altered that temporarily. If I had it my way, I would be asleep by 10 every night and up at 6 to get a run in. But right now, it more like 12 and 8. Generally, the first thing I do is make breakfast and coffee and check my email/read blogs. By 8:45 (I take my time haha), I pack my lunch, shower/dress, and walk to campus (there by 9:30 usually).
Alison — May 7, 2009 @ 8:51 am
Thanks for the morning routine! I try to be a morning person. I went through a few years where my body naturally woke up early. Now it’s more of a struggle. But I feel like I accomplish so much more when I get up early.
brandi — May 7, 2009 @ 8:56 am
I think i’m a morning person, but it’s really hard for me to work out in the mornings and still be able to get ready to leave the house for work by 7:30. Work starts at 8 and we have a 30 minute drive (without traffic)
D — May 7, 2009 @ 8:57 am
I just found your blog, Tina!!! Thank you!!!
I am SUCH a morning person, that for me, sleeping “in” involves staying in bed till 6. I have MUCH more energy between the hours of 5:00am – 1:00pm. After 1, I can not count on much. My mind is so much clearer in the morning, the quite world welcomes me with open arms as the sunset rises and things seem to get done alot easier.
I have to plan out what needs to get done in the morning,with a star by those of utmost importance. I suffer from major fatigue, compliments of Mutiple Sclerosis, so I know my limits and have to respect those. I found that a little planning, can really help keep the stress down and keep things in perspective.
Lauren — May 7, 2009 @ 8:58 am
I am definitely a morning person. I can jump out of bed @ 5:30 on days that I work, ready to take on the day! I’m usually in bed by 10:00, though, which helps
Danielle — May 7, 2009 @ 8:59 am
After my vacation and I have to go back to work I plan on switching up my morning routine, it will be almost June by then so I’m guessing the mornings should be nice and warm.
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats — May 7, 2009 @ 9:09 am
I absolutely love mornings – my favorite time of day! Usually I go on a 30 minute walk with my mom, get showered etc, eat some oatmeal, watch a little Today show, and get on to work!
Beadie — May 7, 2009 @ 9:09 am
I typically get up around 6 naturally. I have been working out in the evenings which seems to work best for me lately. I go through phases of morning/evening workouts.
Christina — May 7, 2009 @ 9:11 am
I’m definitely a morning person too! I just graduated though and have been staying up later at night and then waking up later in the morning in order to get enough sleep. I can’t wait to get a job and have a schedule again! I get so much more done when I wake up early.
Tanya — May 7, 2009 @ 9:11 am
I’m so NOT a morning person – LOL – I don’t even open 1 eye until 7AM. That said, I go to bed late (later than I should).
meg — May 7, 2009 @ 9:13 am
I am a morning person, but my body seems to prefer afternoon workouts. Loved reading about your morning routine. Have a great day!
weight and meditate — May 7, 2009 @ 9:15 am
I am definitely a morning person! If I don’t exercise in the morning it’s unlikely I’ll do it the rest of the day.
Nicole — May 7, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Yep definitely a morning person. Was up bright and early this morning, went to the gym and lifted. I feel I get my best lifts in the am. And most of the time I am so busy during the day that if I don’t do it in the morning I will always find excuses not to in the evening!
Natalie — May 7, 2009 @ 9:23 am
I feel so much more productive when I workout in the morning! It feels great just to get it out of the way. I find that I go through phases where do one or the other.
Leah — May 7, 2009 @ 9:32 am
I pretend to be a morning person, but in a perfect world I wouldn’t have to be anywhere until 11 AM. I naturally wake up at 6:30/7 AM, and I take forever to get ready (and tend to be most accident prone in the AM). But what helps me wake up is listening to/watching music videos on MTV/VH1 while I get ready!
Erin — May 7, 2009 @ 9:36 am
Mmm your breakfast looks delicious Teen! I am a morning person most of the time andm y routine is much ilke yours without the starbucks or public transportation.
Meghann — May 7, 2009 @ 9:37 am
Great Morning routine! You’re like me, an organized morning person who can take really quick showers
Melissa @ For the Love of Health — May 7, 2009 @ 9:44 am
Awesome morning schedule!
I love routine!
Breakfast looks very tasty.
I am generally NOT a morning person
However, in the spring and summer when the sun comes out much earlier, I definitely perk up and get up much earlier. I love morning workouts but not super early morning workouts. I am usually up and out the door at 8am or 9am on weekends for my run when the weather is nice and the sun is out 
Lynne — May 7, 2009 @ 9:46 am
I am so not a morning person, even though I want to be. I would love to move my workouts to the morning and I think that’s something I want to work on this summer. I used to be one of those people who could get up minutes before they needed to be anywhere, but now I find I like to take my time and have a more relaxed morning.
Andrea (Off Her Cork) — May 7, 2009 @ 9:46 am
I am not a morning person but I would rather get up in the mornings and get things done, like exercising! Then I don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day.
Anne — May 7, 2009 @ 9:54 am
Just found your blog a few weeks ago! So fun to read about your morning routine. I’m trying to become more of a morning person so this helps. I typically wake up around 7am to be at work by 8am. Then exercise after 5pm.
Jaime (Embracing Balance) — May 7, 2009 @ 9:57 am
I don’t know why I’m so stunned by the number of morning people here. I guess because I am sooooo NOT a morning person. I work from home and still end up sleeping in. haha.
My workouts are almost always around the dinner hour…sometimes during the day if it’s a slow work day, or later if something comes up.
I do work out very early mornings when my man is around because he has to be at work by 7:15ish and I will drive him and the take the opportunity to get my trip to the gym out of the way for the day. (He’s Navy and not home often lately.)
Rose — May 7, 2009 @ 10:11 am
This routine totally puts mine to shame. very impressive, girl! I am just not a morning person. No matter how much I try – I’m just not. Maybe one of these days a switch will flip, and things will change…
K — May 7, 2009 @ 10:21 am
I am definitely a morning person – I like to get my day started as soon as possible!
Missy (Missy Maintains) — May 7, 2009 @ 10:34 am
I used to be able to wake up and get to the gym before work but for some reason I can’t anymore! I love getting it over with so I need to try again!
FitFoodie — May 7, 2009 @ 10:35 am
I wish I was a morning person! But I have forced myself to wake up at 6:30 4 days a week to do weight training at the gym….and I have to say…my energy level has gone up!
When I start my new routine on Monday..I’ll be waking up at the same time, but doing a DVD at home.
Run Sarah — May 7, 2009 @ 10:38 am
Sounds like a great routine – I need to become more of an AM person, I think I would need to get to bed earlier though.
Jess — May 7, 2009 @ 10:39 am
I’m a morning person!! I even get up early on weekends!!
Up at 6:30, Gym 7-8, Work by 9!
Christine — May 7, 2009 @ 10:55 am
I AM a morning person when I have a rather consistent schedule like your (aka during the summers when I work full time but during the school year my classes/work times are randomly scattered throughout the day so my schedule is very willy nilly. It drives me nuts, I love consistency. I am very much looking forward to this summer to working full time and a night class.
Pearl — May 7, 2009 @ 10:57 am
ahh i love your routine!
Kelly — May 7, 2009 @ 10:58 am
Thanks for sharing your schedule. I would have to wake up at about 4 to get all of that done, but I do usually manage to exercise
~Kelly
Lisa W — May 7, 2009 @ 11:07 am
I’m a forced morning person because I prefer to work out in the mornings (I teach a group exercise class in the evenings twice a week, but otherwise I’m on the road on my bike or on the elliptical at 5:45 a.m.). It’s gotten better since I recently started to go to bed by 10 p.m. I recently discovered your blog and absolutely love it (I love pugs too!). I recently went back and read from the beginning so I’m all caught up.
Lindsey (fiteats) — May 7, 2009 @ 11:08 am
You know, I have never been a morning person but lately I’ve been really like getting my workout done before the kids wake up. So, I am in the quest to become a morning person! I’ve been teaching boot camp this week at 6am. If anything’s going to make me into a morning person I figure teaching a class where there are people waiting for me will get me out of bed!
life coach jen — May 7, 2009 @ 11:14 am
Morning routine:
4:30 am – Cats wake me up. I swear under my breath and let them outside, then go back to sleep
6:00 am – Cats wake me up, wanting to come inside. I get up.
6:30 am – hang around, go online, put on workout clothes
6:45 am – start breakfast
7:00 am – eat breakfast, watch news
7:20 am – head out for a nice long walk, or do some other form of exercise
8:30 am – shower, get ready
9:00 am – work! (Lucky me, I work from home so have no commute)
Sheri — May 7, 2009 @ 11:27 am
I am a morning person. My alarm goes off at 4:30am I get up and get my butt to my home gym in the basement! Love it! Work out for about an hour, 5:30 get ready for work, 6:00 make my breakfast, 6:45 head off to work my commute is about 35 mintues in the morning so I am at work aroung 7:20 and start my day at 7:30. I work till 4pm, I do this so I can be home earlier to spend the evening with my son and husband!
skinnyrunner — May 7, 2009 @ 11:28 am
definitely a morning person. if i dont work out in the morning, its not gonna happen.
Help Meghan Run — May 7, 2009 @ 11:42 am
Yup! Morning person here. It’s different being home for the summer and being at college. I’m considered a morning person at college if I get up at eight.
At home I prefer to get up earlier.
www. HelpMeghanRun .com
Mari — May 7, 2009 @ 11:47 am
This was a really great post! It is nice to see that others are waking up just as early as me to workout =)
JavaChick — May 7, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Nope, not a morning person at all. I did try morning workouts for about 6 months. Even with going to bed earlier I felt tired and cranky all the time. Getting up early just does not agree with me. So for the foreseeable future, evening is my workout time.
Megan (The Runner's Kitchen) — May 7, 2009 @ 11:51 am
I’m not sure how many miles apart your apartment and workplace are, but have you ever considered running to work? It takes some planning, but when I was training for the Boston marathon I would run the 10 miles from my apartment to the office about once a week. I was able to commute and exercise at the same time! I wrote a blog post about “The Runner’s Commute” – http://runnerskitchen.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/the-runners-commute/
Ellen (Peace In Motion) — May 7, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
SO impressed you manage to drag yourself out of bed that early! If I wake up ready, I can workout in the mornings, otherwise I just sitting to some yoga. It streatches me out and wakes me up, getting me all set for the day!
Menden (SkinnyMenny) — May 7, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
Great routine! I wish I didn’t move in slllllloooowwww motion in the morning! I love working out in the morning, but it usually takes me so long to get ready that I can’t fit everything in…plus I have an hour + commute, which doesn’t help
This inspires me to get my booty in gear a little earlier, though! Thanks!
Emily — May 7, 2009 @ 12:23 pm
I am definitely a morning person – I love the clean slate feeling (AND breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!). I usually make sure that I get enough sleep and if I do, I like to either get up a bit early and do yoga or go for a run. Lately, I’ve been doing yoga and then saving my run for the afternoon when I find I have more energy. I love the feeling of getting yoga in before work and always have a “yoga glow” after.
Rachel — May 7, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
Thank you SO much for posting your routine! I hope others will start doing this and I can get some more inspiration, because I’m not a morning person at all and I wish I were. I’m lucky if I can get out of bed by 8 and to work by 9… but I’d love to start exercising in the morning.
Kara — May 7, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
I feel like my morning person-ness comes and goes in waves. For a few weeks I’ll wake up before the alarm and then I won’t be able to drag myself up for a few days. It’s weird! I need to find a pattern!
Marianne — May 7, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
My morning routine does understand the time 5 am! It usually starts with my alarm going off at 6:30 or 6:45, and I promptly turn it off, and go back to sleep until anywhere between 7 and 7:30. Then I get up, shower, eat, maybe blog, make lunch, get dressed, and get into work any time between 8:30 and 9:00. I really don’t do mornings – evenings all the way!
susan — May 7, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
I’m a total morning person:
4:30am — dh’s alarm goes off
4:45am — walk dog 20 minutes (one mile)
5:15am — eat breakfast
5:45am — elliptical or stationary bike for 60 min
7am — shower, dress, get daughters ready, pack car, etc
8am — walk dog a second time (much shorter walk)
8:15am — drop younger dd at school
8:30am — start work
I try to get to bed by 9pm, but usually can’t fall asleep until about 10 (talking with dh, etc)
Kelly — May 7, 2009 @ 1:30 pm
I am so not a morning person. Trying but not quite there yet.
sara — May 7, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
5:30 alarm goes off
SNOOZE
5:45 jump out of bed and wolf down 1/2 a luna bar
5:50 take puppy out quickly
6:00 head to gym
6:15 on machine
7:15 in shower
7:45 out the door to the subway with hair (ideally) straightened and clothes on
I pack up all of my stuff the night before including laying out work out clothes. I have to shower and change at the gym otherwise if I came home the pupster wouldn’t want me to leave again, probably
<3 your blog!
Sara
me — May 7, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
Many mornings I get home from work at 8am and promptly pass out. Sometimes I manage to eat some cereal before that. My “morning” begins at about 3pm when I wake up eat some more cereal and then head out to work at 6, not bothering to work out because I’ll just be tired all night. I really wish I had a normal schedule.
Lindsay @ Foodrun — May 7, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
I’m such a morning person. I put my workout clothes on a chair so they’re the first thing I see in the morning, which means I have no excuse to go back to bed!
emily — May 7, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
i’m a total morning person. my husband thinks im kinda crazy, but i love getting up early for a morning run/workout. perfect way to start the day!
Reeni — May 7, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
What I find amazing is that you don’t head for the coffee pot first thing!!!!! I am not a morning person. It takes me about an hour to feel ready to do anything productive.
RK — May 7, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
It was great to see what your morning routine looks like. I am in awe of all that you accomplish in such a short time. I am a total morning person as well. I like to be up by 6am: eat breakfast, exercise, shower, and then out the door. This usually takes me like 3 hours!
Laura Jane — May 7, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
Wow, thanks for sharing the routine! I really have a hard time getting up in the morning, and especially working out first thing. However, the thing I realize is that my decision on whether or not I’m going to get up at 5:30am really begins the night before when I decide what time to go to bed.
Responding to Reader Questions – Carrots ‘N’ Cake — September 9, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
[...] few months ago, I wrote about my morning routine and provided a sample schedule and tips for getting your butt out of bed, but a reader asked me [...]
JR Moreau — November 8, 2009 @ 2:05 am
I’m not a morning person but I’m beginning to believe I should be. I feel like my nights working are getting later and later and my mornings getting less bearable. Definitely want to grab the bull by the horns and make my health regimen work in the morning too so I have a reason to get up.
Loving this blog so far. Great motivation and tips. Definitely saving this to my favorites.
Amanda — January 28, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
I wish I could get myself up for the gym in the morning! I definitely find myself making excuses to skip the gym usually around 3p during work… Thank you for all of your motivation, tips, and positivity!
Chelsea — February 2, 2010 @ 10:05 pm
I love this!!! I used to not be a morning person AT ALL. But once I started drinking coffee and working out I find it easier to get up! I don’t work much at the moment so I dont get to the gym usually til noon…but once my summer schedule kicks in (aka work all the time!) gotta be there by 9:30..this will definately help! I know if I dont work out in the morning before work, I wont get it done..expecially since some work days will be 12 hr days! ( i work in 2 very busy clothing stores in a small resort town!)
Thanks for posting this!!!
Allison — July 20, 2010 @ 2:13 pm
I’m going to college in the fall and this post definitely speaks to me. I find that, even now, if I don’t get a workout in in the morning I’m never up to it later. (such a bugger!) But, I’ve gotten better at forcing myself out on the road for a run after dinner(probably not the best time, but at least I get something done, right?). Work also throws me for a loop. I generally at least do 50 minutes of yoga every morning; however, this routine is getting boring to me. I need a way to spice up my workout routine! Any help?
Thanks!!
Aly