A Simple Trick That Makes A.M. Workouts More Doable

I love exercising in the morning. It's a great feeling to already have my workout crossed off my to-do list when I'm sitting down to breakfast.

Leaping out of bed at 5:30 or 6am isn't a problem for me during the bright sunny days of spring and summer. But come fall and winter, I'm more likely to just open one eye at the beep of the alarm. And then I might just start that internal conversation of justifying a sleep-in while I snuggle deeper under the covers.

My solution to this universal issue is a bit unorthodox, but it works every time: I wear my workout clothes to bed.

The idea came to me when I realized that the stretchy top and yoga shorts I often wear for workouts weren't that different from my pajamas. Sometimes I wear the entire outfit and sometimes just the top with my pajama bottoms.

For me, already being dressed magically eliminates the "should-I-go-or-should-I-stay" self talk that can so easily start on a dark and dreary morning. If I'm already dressed or half dressed, my first thought is always that it would be silly to not just get up and go.

If you try my workout-clothes-as-pajamas trick, let me know how it works for you. Have another strategy to tackle early morning lethargy? I'd love to hear it!

Micro-Workouts to Boost Your Fitness

I get it. I understand. You're busy.

But the "I don't have time to exercise" excuse just doesn't fly anymore.

Everyone from the New York Times to the Globe and Mail is reporting on research showing that even one or two minutes of physical activity here and there can make a difference in your health.

No need to change clothes, no fancy gym membership required and no travel time to factor in.

Just step away from your desk, take a deep breath and ... go.

1. Got 10 seconds? Strike a power pose
   Amy Cuddy's TED Talk has everyone buzzing about how body language changes how we think and feel about ourselves. Strike a power pose, she says, to boost your confidence (think Wonder Woman with hands on her hips or Superman with fist thrust upward).
   
   What you can do right now:
   Swing your torso and arms down toward the floor with a big knee bend, then swing up to finish with your arms overhead in a big victory V and your face and chest lifted. Repeat three or four times moving and breathing rhythmically.
   

2. Got 1 minute? Recharge with a full-body exercise
   If you choose carefully, you can work scores of muscles simultaneously with one exercise.
   
   What you can do right now:
   Lower yourself down into a push-up (with your hands on your desk or the kitchen counter) as you lift one foot a few inches off the ground. Then straighten your arms as you lower your foot. Repeat several times alternating sides.
   

3. Got 4 minutes? Pump it up
   Grab some dumbbells or an exercise tube, and go for it.
   
   What you can do right now:
   Set a stopwatch, and then continuously perform one minute of each of the following exercises: biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, biceps curls with overhead press, and bent-over rows.