My Calming Pre-Workout Morning Routine
Not a real photo of my bed. Similar color scheme though :P [photo cred: Unsplash]
Lately, I’ve noticed how my mornings have set the tone for how I tackle the rest of my day. I have two very distinct routines: one for days where my workout is the main event of the day and one where I actually have to be a responsible adult and make money to fund the expensive habit that is ‘track and field’.
I’ll go over my pre-workout morning routine since it’s longer and has very specific points that I like to hit. I’m not a morning person whatsoever, so I take a lot of comfort in sticking with this routine. It allows for less thinking, less stress, and more motivation.
Here’s a quick look at how my mornings are set up before I jump into whatever my coach has to throw at me…
2 Hours Before Practice Starts
My alarm goes off. If I’m extra tired, my second alarm will also go off 30 minutes later.
During the summer,, practice times vary depending on what we have going on, what our coach has going on, what the weather is like, etc., etc.
Generally, though, I like to wake up two hours before I have to start warming up for practice. So if practice starts at 10 AM, I wake up at 8am. I’m going to say I woke up at 8am to make the rest of the routine easier to understand.
8:05am
Bathroom time. The usual hygiene routine commences - I brush my teeth and wash my face with water. I generally don’t use face wash in the morning. If I feel like I was too lazy the night before, I’ll give my face a quick wash with my COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser.
8:15am
I do the rest of my skincare routine in my room. I share a bathroom with a roommate and I don’t like to spend too much time in there, just in case they need to use it, too.
My pre-workout skincare is short and simple: Son & Park Beauty Water as my hydrating toner, whatever hydrating serum I have lying around, Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb moisturizer, and sunscreen. Most days I forget to use eye cream, but every now and then I’ll remember to throw it on.
8:20am
Breakfast time! Right now my go-to breakfast is a big bowl of Cream of Wheat and a cup of tea. I mix two different teas to get the bold taste of black tea and the health benefits of green tea at the same time. Genius, right?
I prefer to eat something filling and simple on practice days. Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat give me long-lasting energy, so I like to stick to them as much as possible.
Not real photos of my breakfast. My food always looks a lot more average than this. [photo cred: Unsplash]
[photo cred: Unsplash]
8:40am
I take my supplements while I’m eating. At the moment it’s a multivitamin, iron, vitamin D, and allergy meds (thanks, pollen!).
I also like to watch or listen to something while I’m eating. Usually a short Youtube video or one of the many, many podcasts I’m subscribed to.
Ever the multitasker, I might even squeeze in some Japanese studying. At the moment, I only use a popular program called WaniKani to learn kanji. I’m looking to buy a workbook for grammar soon.
9:05am
I do a tiny bit of writing. Depending on my mood that might just be writing my to-do list for the day or even scrawling a mini journal entry where I dump some random thoughts and emotions that I’m tired of thinking about.
9:15am
I lie back in bed and close my eyes for another 10 - 15 minutes. Music or a podcast plays in the background. I generally take this time to reset and just spend some time not thinking. It’s hard to explain why this calms me so much, but this is definitely some weird form of meditation for me. I just like to give myself time to slow down and relax for a second.
9:30am
I get dressed, make my protein shake for after practice, fill my water bottle, and pack my bag.
9:45am
And finally off to practice!
For me, slow mornings allow me to find joy in all the little things I do. Doing skincare, making breakfast, writing - I find myself centered and ready for the day when it all goes according to plan.
How do you wake up in the mornings? Would you say you’re more an early bird or a night owl?
