My Pre-Gym Rituals!

I still find getting ready for the gym to be the most exciting part of my morning routine, especially because I know how amazing I'm about to feel. I was thinking the other day that I have a few little things I do every single time before I leave the house. I'm very much a creature of habit, so it makes sense for me to have my own pre-gym routine. Preparation is key, right?

I usually leave for the gym at about 9am. I don't mind going earlier, but I like to miss the busy morning traffic. I'm incredibly lucky that I get to be so flexible with my time. Here's how I get ready:

Blast my gym playlist

Music never fails to motivate me to kill my workouts, which is why I start listening to early into morning routine. Once I've done my morning blog work and I have to do some house chores, I put my headphones in turn on my Spotify gym playlist. It just gets me into a really bad-ass/superhero kind of mood that fuels my workouts.

Pre-Gym Snack 

I never used to eat anything before exercise, but after a while I noticed that half way through a session I would get super-hungry. When I'm at the gym for two hours I need all of the energy I can get, so a quick snack is really helpful. My usual is peanut butter toast, sometimes with raisins or a banana on top. Lately I've been loving these bars, which are full of oats and they give me great energy throughout my gym time. 

Hydrate 

I've tried to make it a morning habit to drink about a litre of water before I go workout. Obviously not all at once, but with my breakfast at 7am until 9am when I leave. I try to drink six litres a day, so this is a great start. And we all know how important it is to stay hydrated while you workout! This means I can go harder for longer and my body can handle whatever I throw at it.

Pre-Workout Drink

This is completely optional, but it works really well for me. I mix a scoop with about half a glass of water and down that sucker. I have to do it just before getting in my car to drive, otherwise I get uncomfortably energetic before I even get there. I always begin with a bit of cardio, so this boost of energy is awesome to get my workout off to a great start.


Organize My Supplements

 

I have two shakers that come with me to the gym (kinda feels excessive, but they are definitely needed.) The first is my post-workout protein smoothie that I made in out Nutri-Bullet. I usually mix in: almond milk, one scoop whey protein, some peanut butter, and maca powder. It honestly tastes amazing and acts as my treat for working hard. The second shaker has my BCAA mixed with water for me to sip on while I working out.

Look in the mirror and feel awesome

Hell yeah! You have to check your gym outfit and say to yourself, "I look amazing and I am totally going to kill this workout!" Learning to appreciate your body for what it can do and how far you've come is important. A little bit of self-love each day can be a powerful thing.

Go Over A Workout Plan

Sometimes with fitness, preparation is everything. To keep things interesting I try and do a different workout everyday I'm there. I have my set days (Mon-Legs, Tues-Arms, Wed-Chest/Back etc) but sometimes it's best to figure out exactly what exercises to focus on. I always enjoy my workouts more when I have a set routine to go through. You can do this with a journal, or even using notes on your phone.



There we have it, my morning pre-gym rituals that help me get in the mood and get prepared for my workouts. Obviously if I go in at about 7am, I just grab a banana and shot some pre-workout before I leave the house. But this is my current favorite routine.

Do you have any pre-gym rituals?
Steph x.