We worked out before sunrise for 6 weeks straight. Here’s how you can too
If the snooze button is your BFF, try this on for size: Work out before the sun comes up. Don’t think you can do it? Neither did we, until we spent the last month at Toronto’s National Ballet School for a series of six Nike Training Club, a.k.a. N+TC, workouts led by Canada’s only Nike Master Trainer, Eva Redpath.
So, every Wednesday since the beginning of May, we’ve been rolling out of bed, albeit hesitantly, and shuffling into the ballet studio to train like athletes. Among the ballet bars, beside floor-to-ceiling windows, we did High Intensity Interval Training, with moves pulled from the N+TC app (download it here). “Nothing bonds a team faster than the burn of Eva’s endless burpees,” says market editor Caitlan Moneta. Well, that, and your super-fit male colleagues breaking a sweat alongside you—who knew HIIT workouts could be tougher than a serious lifting sesh?
It all seems like a cake walk now, but our six-week stint wasn’t without hiccups. Case in point, the morning when exec digital editor Randi Bergman forgot her gym clothes and worked out in a vintage dress instead.
Here are some helpful tips for embracing the pain of an early morning workout:
Just do it—seriously
If you tally the minutes you spent under your duvet weighing the pros and cons of a morning sweat sesh, your workout would probably have been done. So, give yourself no more than one snooze and hit the ground running. You can cry about it after (but chances are you won’t).
Go to bed one hour earlier than usual
If you wake up feeling like death warmed over, there’s no way you’ll even make it off the pillow. Try settling into bed with a book or magazine around 10 p.m.
Dress yourself early
Lay out everything from your socks to your sports bra the night before, and pack your gym bag with your change of clothes for afterward (including shower sandals and toiletries). If you bring your lunch to work, get that prepped as well.
A little dry shampoo and illuminator go a long way
Bringing your entire beauty closet to the gym can be a deterrent, so try keeping it light with just the essentials.
Eat at least half an hour before your workout
A slice of toast with nut butter and banana works wonders, but even a piece of fruit helps fuel you if you find it too early to eat a meal.
Refuel afterward
Replenishing electrolytes is key to getting through the day (and attaining healthy weight loss, if that’s your goal). For us, that means a fresh-pressed juice, some nuts and coffee—STAT.
This weekend, from June 11 to June 14, Toronto is host to Nike Women’s Weekend—the feature event is the women’s 15K race. At the custom-built floating barge, dubbed Crystal Coliseum, you can join in on 33 N+TC classes (sign up here), Nike Talks panels with athletes, shopping at the retail space, and more. If that’s not #fitspo, we don’t know what is. See you there!
 on May 6, 2015 at 5:44am PDT
If the snooze button is your BFF, try this on for size: Work out before the sun comes up. Don't think you can do it? Neither did we, until we spent the last month at Toronto's National Ballet School for a series of six Nike Training Club, a.k.a. N+TC, workouts led by Canada’s only Nike Master Trainer, Eva Redpath.
So, every Wednesday since the beginning of May, we’ve been rolling out of bed, albeit hesitantly, and shuffling into the ballet studio to train like athletes. Among the ballet bars, beside floor-to-ceiling windows, we did High Intensity Interval Training, with moves pulled from the N+TC app (download it here). “Nothing bonds a team faster than the burn of Eva's endless burpees,” says market editor Caitlan Moneta. Well, that, and your super-fit male colleagues breaking a sweat alongside you—who knew HIIT workouts could be tougher than a serious lifting sesh?
It all seems like a cake walk now, but our six-week stint wasn't without hiccups. Case in point, the morning when exec digital editor Randi Bergman forgot her gym clothes and worked out in a vintage dress instead.
Here are some helpful tips for embracing the pain of an early morning workout:
Just do it—seriously
If you tally the minutes you spent under your duvet weighing the pros and cons of a morning sweat sesh, your workout would probably have been done. So, give yourself no more than one snooze and hit the ground running. You can cry about it after (but chances are you won't).
Go to bed one hour earlier than usual
If you wake up feeling like death warmed over, there's no way you'll even make it off the pillow. Try settling into bed with a book or magazine around 10 p.m.
Dress yourself early
Lay out everything from your socks to your sports bra the night before, and pack your gym bag with your change of clothes for afterward (including shower sandals and toiletries). If you bring your lunch to work, get that prepped as well.
A little dry shampoo and illuminator go a long way
Bringing your entire beauty closet to the gym can be a deterrent, so try keeping it light with just the essentials.
Eat at least half an hour before your workout
A slice of toast with nut butter and banana works wonders, but even a piece of fruit helps fuel you if you find it too early to eat a meal.
Refuel afterward
Replenishing electrolytes is key to getting through the day (and attaining healthy weight loss, if that's your goal). For us, that means a fresh-pressed juice, some nuts and coffee—STAT.
This weekend, from June 11 to June 14, Toronto is host to Nike Women’s Weekend—the feature event is the women’s 15K race. At the custom-built floating barge, dubbed Crystal Coliseum, you can join in on 33 N+TC classes (sign up here), Nike Talks panels with athletes, shopping at the retail space, and more. If that's not #fitspo, we don't know what is. See you there!){kind=link}