To the a.m. exercisers, the sunrise yoga peeps, and the early birds – you all know the struggle. The real challenge of clocking in a morning workout isn’t setting alarms or going to sleep  super early. The struggle is in dragging ourselves out of our warm, cozy beds.

I mean, who wants to get out of bed and go run? Or go to the gym? Or drive off into the darkness at 5 a.m. for that early hot yoga class?

One of those crazies is me. I’ve fallen in love with a.m. workouts so much that it feels weird not to burn some calories first thing in the morning. I’ve never been a morning person, so getting in this routine was tough. I (and most who’ve known me for a few years) are pretty shocked that I can get myself to the gym without biting anyone’s head off.

Benefits

While different schedules work for different people, I love my  a.m. workouts because of their plentiful benefits. According to numerous studies, I’m not alone; morning exercisers reportedly are more consistent, get better sleep, make healthier choices post-sweat sesh,  and stay more focused, energized, and productive throughout the day.

Sweating in the a.m. ensures my workout gets DONE, since it’s the first thing I tackle that day. There’s no time for excuses, tiredness or talking myself out of stopping by the gym.

Working out in the morning also puts a cocky little pep in my step. I stroll into work refreshed, energized, and proud that I logged an hour at the gym or a five mile run before my day even started. I feel happy, healthy, and in control of my health.

It’s also easier to make healthier choices and avoid the daily slew of office temptations when I’ve already put in some sweat & hard work. Instead of knocking back donuts and coffee just because they’re there, I find myself rationally deciding if the extra sugar & calories are worth it. Most of the time, they’re not; instead of depriving myself, I’m making a choice based on what I actually want.

Make it Easy-Peasy

Here’s a few tips from a former non-morning person on how to make rolling out of bed easier.

1. Pack EVERYTHING up the night before.

It’s so much easier to get out of bed when all you have to do is grab your stuff and go. Lay out your workout clothes, pack your gym bag, prep your lunch for the next day – the more prepared you are, the more likely you are to stick with it.

2. Get enough sleep.

It seems simple enough, but it’s easy to get distracted by binge-watching American Horror Story the night before and not getting enough shut-eye. Naturally, snagging more sleep makes snoozing past your alarm a lot less tempting.

3. Have a solid plan

Lastly, know exactly what you’ll be doing – what muscle group you’re working out, how many miles you’re biking/running, etc. so you can properly budget time for showering & getting to work.