It's not about Perfection

Wow, what a week!  Tonight's post is all about being real with y'all and talking about something that I believe is key to our success on our fitness journey, the idea of perfection, or really, the lack there of.  If you've been following my posts for awhile, you probably know by now that I am very "Type A".  It has taken a long time, and many set-backs for me to overcome my personality type when it comes to health and fitness. A few years ago when I was starting and failing at losing weight, I would take one slip up, one missed workout as a reason to quit.  Now I wasn't telling myself I was quitting, just starting over, but when you have to "start over" enough times, eventually you give up.  This was a vicious cycle for me. 

Trying to be perfect doesn't work. It's not sustainable.  It's the reason so many people start a diet or exercise plan and burn themselves out, quitting because of the stress to do everything exactly they way it's written, following all of the rules to a "t".  This doesn't work. Life will get in the way at some point. You will have a bad day. Your kids, or even you will get sick.  You will have to travel.  There will be holidays, parties, and events with temptations.  It's how you handle these obstacles that will determine your success.  What do you do when you miss a workout?  How do you feel the day after you cheated on your diet?  Do you use these obstacles as an excuse to quit or do you acknowledge that you made a bad decision, or you had a rough day and vow to better today?

Like I said before, a few years ago, I would have made excuses, I would have started over or quit. Nowadays, I view setbacks very differently.  I acknowledge them and move forward.  What's changed? I gained perspective.  4 years ago, right around this time of year, I started yet another diet plan.  The difference this time? I took it day by day.  I didn't look at my plan as a month long plan or even a week long plan. I took it day by day. And I saw great results.  Did I stumble along the way? Of course I did!  And you know what? I saw those mistakes on the scale, but I also noticed something.  Those mistakes reflected on the scale were temporary!  After a day or two back on track, I was seeing progress again.  If the mistakes I made were only temporary. If the mistakes I made didn't negate all my previous successes, then why the heck had I been "starting over" or quitting every time I slipped up before? I had just gained perspective. 

This week, I've been sick. Not like nagging sniffles sick, rather full on fever, can't breathe, can't swallow sick.  This was week 3 of TurboFire for me.  Did I get all my workouts in? Unfortunately, no, but I got most of them in.  Was my eating on point?  Some days yes, some days no.  Salads just aren't appealing with you have a sore throat, you feel me?  The old me would have looked at this week and vowed to start completely over on TurboFire.  I missed a workout, doesn't it make sense to start Week 1 all over again?  Sounds so silly to me now, but the old me seriously would have tried to do it, and you know what? I would have gotten discouraged, and quit.  The new me is simply a day behind on my workouts.  Will I sacrifice a rest day to catch up? Maybe, I am only one workout behind, but if I end up feeling like I need the rest day, I will take it.  Knowing that my eating wasn't perfect, I will be staying off the scale for a week to let everything sort itself out again.

You see, it isn't about being perfect all along your fitness journey.  Every small step you take, every positive decision you make, is bringing you closer to the you that you are working to become.  Now I am not giving you my blessing to cheat yourself, but if you happen to stumble, maybe you already have, acknowledge that you messed up, own it, accept it, and move forward.

Workout Review: TurboFire Core 20 and Stretch 40

I am nearing the end of my second week of TurboFire, and there were several new workouts this week, so I am a bit behind on my workout reviews.  Tonight I will review Core 20 and Stretch 40, the last workout from Week 1.

Core 20 -- 

Dude! This workout works EVERY SINGLE MUSCLE of your core, plus some!  The first half of this workout is a standing ab routine.  You start with your basic standing crunches and oblique work and then Chalene introduces the resistance band to your workout.  This little bit of extra resistance makes a huge difference, my obliques and lower abs were burning by the 10 minute mark.  Then you transition to the floor.  This is where Chalene turns it up!  On the floor, you are using the resistance band around your feet and spend most of your time in a modified v-sit doing various exercises, including some killer bicycles.  This part only lasts for about 5 minutes, but that was more than enough for me!  Then the band gets put away and you continue with a few more sets of bicycles (not my favorite ab move, but it is effective).  You then move into modified oblique crunches where you are on one hip lifting both your shoulders and legs, allowing you to move within your full range of motion on your side.  Way more effective than your standard oblique crunch!  An ab workout wouldn't be complete without some planking and push-ups, which is exactly how this workout ends.

Overall, this workout kicked my butt!  I'm used to feeling the burn during ab routines, but that soreness quickly goes away for me.  With this workout, on the other hand, I felt like it took your typical ab routine and turned it up a notch.  I was feeling this workout the next day for sure!  I will say that the stretch at the end of Core 20 is really short, so you have got to also play one of the two stretch workouts included on the DVD.  Stretching is so important, don't skip it!

Stretch 40 -- 

If you are sore and in need of a good long stretch, this workout will do the trick!  It is scheduled for the end of the week, and I really needed a workout like this one to work all the kinks out of my body and start the new week fresh.  The stretch workout moves at a decent pace, not too fast, but not pain-stakingly slow like some stretch routines I have done.  It is a flow style workout with a natural progression of muscle groups.  Something new I encountered with this workout was the use of the lower body band during some of the stretches.  The band was used in many of the lower body stretches (hence the name).  I feel like the band helped get a deeper stretch and allowed my body to relax into each stretch better.

I love how Chalene is focused on form all throughout the workouts, regularly reminding us to lead with our chests and keep our tailbones up.  One of my pet-peeves when I was teaching group fitness was poor stretching technique.  I'm sure my students were sick of my constant reminders, but form really does matter!  I can see this workout being my go-to stretch workout when I'm feeling sore. I also did this workout right before bed, and I was so relaxed when I was done, that I think I had a better night sleep!  

Workout Review: TurboFire Fire 55 EZ

It's sweaty Saturday people and I am fresh off of my day's workout, TurboFire's Fire 55 EZ.  Of course by fresh, I mean I am sitting here in a puddle of my own sweat writing this review. 

Fire 55 EZ:

I think I have found my new favorite workout!  It's been awhile since I've done a cardio workout longer than 30 minutes. Before starting TurboFire, I did 2 rounds of 21 Day Fix and before that was PiYo.  I could definitely tell that my body is conditioned for the shorter workouts, but I was having so much fun that I didn't mind.  The music was awesome in this workout and included several cardio mixes of songs I have in my own library.  The sequences were quick to pick up and flowed really well.  There was more of a focus on core work in this workout than the other workouts so far in the schedule.  There is very little jumping and only 2 fire drills (HIIT Intervals).  Overall, a little long, but really fun and a great cardio workout!  

The month of January is a really busy month!  Currently, I have a 21 Day Fix Challenge Group that I am co-coaching with my team that is in preseason.  We just started our January Fitness Challenge, New Year, New Rear (a squat challenge).  Monday starts my 30-day Anything Goes Beachbody Challenge Group for my clients who are doing any program other than 21 Day Fix, and we have 2 more 21 Day Fix Groups starting the following 2 Mondays!  Wow! So many people are ready to change their lives and I am so happy to be a part of it! There are still spots in both 21 Day Fix challenge groups later in the month and in the Anything Goes Group starting on Monday.  If you are interested in joining one of my challenge groups and facing your New Year's Resolutions head-on, please fill out the form at the end of this post!  All of my challengers receive daily support, motivation, and accountability in a private Facebook group and one-on-one check-ins weekly (or more) with me, your personal coach. I can help you with meal planning as well! All of my coaching services are completely free! It can't get better than that!

My first 5-day clean eating group just rapped up yesterday, and it was a success!  I received awesome feedback from my participants, and I am totally pumped to be running another clean eating challenge starting January 19th!  For this challenge, a meal plan, grocery guide, recipes, and workouts are provided for 5 days for free with an option to purchase 5 days of Shakology to drink during the challenge for $25.  This is a great way to try before you buy a full month supply! For more information about how to join this group, fill out the form below! 

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The Three Types of Beachbody Coaches

Hey y'all! Long time, no blog.  Sorry about missing what should have been a posting day over the weekend.  We were very busy here in the Hope Household getting everything Christmas-ified.  I am happy to report, that we have all of our outdoor lights up and both our trees decorated.  It's starting to feel like Christmas up in here! I love this time of year.

We just started week 2 in my 21 Day Challenge Group and the results of the first week are coming in.  I am so happy and proud of all of the pounds and inches lost so far.  This group of ladies are rocking the challenge and are going to be showing off awesome new bodies by Christmas!


I wanted to use tonight's post to answer a question that I have been asked recently by several of you about the Beachbody Coach opportunity.  I feel like there's a ton of little pieces of information floating around out there about what coaches are, how they do their job, and what it takes to become a coach. 

I want to start by saying that Beachbody Coaching is whatever you want it to be and you get out of it exactly what you put into it.  Tonight, I'm going to go into detail about the three types of Beachbody Coaches.

(1) The Discount Coach
Who doesn't like saving money? If you could save 25% on a purchase, why wouldn't you? That's the idea behind becoming a discount coach.  Every person who signs up to become a Beachbody Coach receives a 25% discount on all purchases through Beachbody.  As long as your coaching fees are paid, you get your discount.  If you plan on being a regular Shakeology drinker or purchasing multiple Beachbody programs throughout the year, then there is no reason not to become a Beachbody Coach.  Just looking at Shakeology, the amount of money you save after the monthly coaching fee is just under $20 per month. That adds up quick!  Added bonus: if you purchase a Beachbody Challenge Pack, your one-time coach set-up fee is waived.  I highly suggest anyone considering becoming a coach, even just a discount coach, purchase a challenge pack, because you are getting Shakeology and a program of your choosing for a discounted rate (a savings of $50 or more depending on the program you chose) plus the $40 coach set-up fee is waived.  That right there is a savings of $90 or more and then 25% off every future purchase.  So ask yourself: Do you love Beachbody products? Do you love saving money? If your answer is yes, become a coach!

(2) The Referring Coach
So you've completed a Beachbody program and got awesome results. Congrats! Now all your friends, family, and coworkers are asking you "how did you do it?"  You tell them you drank Shakeology everyday and did a Beachbody program, then they go out and buy it too because they want to get the same awesome results you did.  Wouldn't it be nice to get a little financial recognition for the referral you made?  Well, if you are a Beachbody Coach and you direct your friends, family, and coworkers who now want the same program you did to your coach website, you will get a 25% commission on their purchases.  Wouldn't that be nice? And it didn't take that much effort, did it?  All you did was tell someone else what you did to lose weight, or get fit.  Referring Coaches are products of the product.  They are people that have had success with a program and share their success with others.  These coaches are not interested in building and running their own business, but do want to pay it forward and help those around them get fit.  Many referring coaches earn $100-400 per week by doing nothing more than sharing their results with others.  That extra income could go towards family vacations, a new car, eating out, or paying off debt. If you found a program or product that gives you awesome results wouldn't you want to share it with others?

(3) The Business Building Coach
Do you have a passion for fitness, Beachbody products, or helping others reach their goals?  Do you want to be your own boss, run your own business, and set your own work hours?  Does the idea of entrepreneurship excite you?  Then becoming a full-time business building coach may be for you. In order for your business to work, you have to be both committed to yourself and committed to the people you want to help.  This requires a drive and passion for coaching.  If this sounds like you, and you treat this opportunity like a business, there is no limit to how far you can go.  There is no earnings cap at a Beachbody coach.  There are coaches in the network that are making 6 and 7-figure incomes and doing so after only being a coach for 2-3 years.  What other job out there can you think of that will get you a salary like that in such a short amount of time?  Keep in mind, just as with weight loss, this is not a quick or easy task. Coaching is not a get rich quick scheme.  You can make a very good living doing this work, but you have to put in the effort day in and day out to get there.

Now that you have a little more info on the Beachbody Coaching Opportunity, I have a call to action for you. If you are wanting to become a coach or even just considering the possibility of becoming a coach sometime in the future, fill out the form below, so that we can chat more about this opportunity.  If there was ever a time to get into coaching, it is now, before the New Year's Resolution Rush.  Let me help you figure out if this would be a good fit for you!

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Why I am a Beachbody Coach

I'm participating in a fabulous coach training right now with my upline coaches and one of our assignments was to share my "why", or my reason for becoming a coach.  I jotted down a bunch reasons that came to my mind, and it occurred to me, that this opportunity I have been given is just too great not to share with others.  Hopefully my "why" will hit home with some you and I will get the chance to share this opportunity with you.

When I reread all of the reasons I became a Beachbody Coach, I found that I could group my ideas into three big reasons: Helping others, Financial Freedom, and Flexibility.

Helping Others

I am a third generation teacher.  My great Aunt was a 5th grade teacher for her entire 30+ year career.  My mother is an elementary school teacher, currently 5th grade as well. I was an 8th grade teacher until the birth of my daughter.  Teaching, helping, and uplifting others is in my blood, and it is what I love to do.  I am very thankful I had the ability to stay home with my daughter after she was born, but I missed teaching.  I missed seeing the light bulbs going off when my students got it.  I missed celebrating the victories, big and small, when my students reached their goals.  I missed coming up with new ideas to engage and figuring out how to reach the tough kiddos.  I just missed teaching.  

I was given the opportunity to teach Zumba at a local gym a few months after my daughter was born, and I jumped on it.  I had taught Zumba as a second job before I was too pregnant to do so, and I welcomed the opportunity to teach again.  As a Zumba instructor, not only did I guide my students though an hour of fun, fabulous, dance fitness, but I was also able to help them with their health and fitness questions.  I would share the importance of stretching, proper warm-up and cool-downs, water consumption, perceived exertion, suggestions for cross-training, and many other topics that would come up in casual conversation before and after class.  I was back in my element and happy.  Then my husband's work schedule got more demanding.  I wasn't going to be able to continue teaching at the gym because I needed to be home with my daughter.  Family will always come first, and my job did not give me the flexibility I needed in order to keep doing it.  That's when I met my coach, Stacy, and she introduced me to the coaching opportunity.  I now help others reach their health and fitness goals as a coach, and I am able to reach many more people than I was ever able to as a fitness instructor or school teacher. 

Financial Freedom

I had always wanted to be a stay-at-home mother, but I didn't know if it would be financially possible for us to do.  After a stroke of luck with my husband's job, and researching the cost of daycare versus how much I was being paid as a teacher, it was a no brainer.  Daycare would have cost us half my paycheck, and knowing I wanted more than one kiddo, it didn't make sense for me to go back to work.  Our finances took a hit when I left and we had to do some creative budgeting to make ends meet, but I know it was the right decision.  We still have some debt, mostly student loans, but as my coach business is growing, I can see how quickly we will become debt free and it is exciting!  

Flexibility

I mentioned earlier that I had to leave my fitness instructor position because I was needed at home.  I needed a job that gave me flexibility.  I run my coaching business from home, at whatever time of day I have time, usually around my daughter's sleep schedule.  Nearly everything I do is through social media, so I can do it on my laptop, tablet, or phone, so I can work my business anytime, anywhere.  The flexibility is amazing!  It removes so much stress out of my life.  No traffic, no deadlines, no what the heck do I wear today? In fact, right now, I'm writing this blog post wearing flannel pj's and listening to Grey's Anatomy in the background while my daughter sleeps.  Sound nice?

Now that you have read about why I became a Beachbody Coach, are you at all intrigued? Wondering if this opportunity could be right for you too?  My team is holding a Sneak Peak into Coaching where we will be sharing what it means to be a coach, what we do everyday, and the benefits of becoming a coach, including the financial compensation plan. We will also answer any questions you have about coaching.  If you like what you hear and want to become a coach, we will help you do that, if you want to wait, or decide coaching isn't for you, no worries.  This is a no obligation, no risk, no stress opportunity to see what we do and see if its right for you!

Want to join our free Sneak Peak into Coaching? Fill out the form below, and I will be in touch!

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Days 14-15 of the 21 Day Fix and Week 2 Results

Enjoyed a lazy weekend this past weekend.  Our agility training class was moved to a later time for the winter, so we can now sleep in both days of the weekend.  I'm kind of torn about this.  I get into a routine during the week where I get up early and workout before my daughter wakes up, and I know it would be easier to keep that routine if I didn't sleep in on the weekends, but I'm a girl who really enjoys her sleep.  My husband does too, and he is who makes sure I get up in the mornings on the weekdays. You could call him my accountabili-buddy when it comes to dragging my butt out of bed.  On weekends though, he likes to sleep in even later than I ever would, which makes it really hard to get myself up early enough to get a workout in. I know that consistency is key, and its just a matter of finding the motivation to get myself up, no excuses. 

My eating plan was on point all weekend.  We didn't eat out for the first weekend in I can't even remember how long.  I only got one workout in on Sunday, PiYo Sculpt.  Today, I did get both workouts in, PiYo Drench and 21 Day Fix Cardio Fix.  I am officially done with this round of PiYo!  I will share a review of this program as well as my results from the 8 weeks in my next blog post.  It feels great to see myself through a program from start to finish.  Now my focus is just on 21 Day fix. I will have to do some double days to get caught up on my 21 Day Fix workouts, but I should be able to do that no problem now that I do not have to split my focus on two different programs. 

Yesterday marked the end of week 2 on the 21 Day Fix.  Today I weighed in and took measurements.  I am happy to report that I am another 2.8 pounds down and I have lost an additional 3 inches, bring my 2 week total to 5.6 pounds and 8 inches.  One more week to go!

On Mondays, we have out weekly Bombshell Dynasty Team Call with my fellow Beachbody coaches.  Today the topic was how not to lead with your emotions.  It was a great call, and I left it inspired to put even more of myself into helping others through my coaching business. Beachbody is such a great company to work for, and my team has some of the most successful, supportive, helpful, and kind coaches in the business.  It is from this call that I got the Motivation Monday gem I'm going to share today. Here it is:

How would you approach your life differently if there was no chance of failure?

  

Monday Motivation, 21 Day Fix Day 7/8, and Results of the First Week

Motivation Monday

I just got off a team call with my Beachbody team and I am feeling inspired.  The call was about going from selfish to selfless in this business.  I did not become a Beachbody Coach for the money, though I knew the potential was there.  I became a Beachbody Coach to help others experience and achieve success with their health and fitness goals.  Here is one of many little nuggets of inspiration I took away from our team call:

I feel absolutely blessed to have the opportunity to combine my love of fitness with my desire to help others achieve their goals, all while being about to be at home with my daughter.  Team Beachbody is a fantastic business to work for.  They provide all the tools you need to be an effective coach.  I am lucky to be a part of the top team in our organization and have found a wealth of knowledge and support from my fellow coaches.  I could keep going about all the awesome perks of being a coach with Beachbody, there are so many, but I will leave it this.  If becoming a Beachbody Coach sounds like something you might be interested in doing, or you just want to get more information, leave a comment or message me on facebook -----> here.

Days 7 & 8 of the 21 Day Fix

Yesterday, was another busy day. We started out going to dog agility training as a family because we wanted to take advantage of the amazing weather we are having here in NC.  My daughter got to run around and get her wiggles out, while my husband worked the pup.  Afterwards we came home and enjoyed a relaxing Sunday of family and football.  I was craving red meat all day, so I indulged and had a lean burger for lunch and steak for dinner.  I stayed within my proper portion sizes, but the food was so dense, that it left me feeling too full. Blech.  I did save a yellow (carb) serving so I could have a small treat.

Meal Plan:

• Breakfast: hashbrowns and an egg (1y,1r,1tsp)
• Lunch: Cheese burger and salad (1r,1b,1y,3g,1o,1tsp)
• Snack: Grapes (2p)
• Dinner: Steak and green beans (2r,1g,1tsp)
• Snack: Apple (1p)
• Dessert: Dark chocolate (1y)

Today started out late for a normal weekday.  My husband is on call for work, so he was up nearly all night working, and I don't sleep well alone anymore, so neither of us got restful sleep.  Couldn't workout in the morning, but I did get in my Total Body Cardio Fix this evening.  I'm taking a rest day from PiYo simply because I didn't have enough time today to get it in, and I'd rather get an extra hour of sleep than squeeze in another workout.  I will be back at it tomorrow.  This is my last week of PiYo!  

Meal Plan:

• Breakfast: Hashbrowns and an egg (1y,1r,1tsp)
• Snack: Apple (1p)
• Lunch: Cheese burger and salad (2r,1b,1y,3g,1o,1tsp)
• Snack: Grapes (2p)
• Dinner: Steak and green beans (1r,1g,1tsp)
• Snack: Peanutbutter and dark chocolate (1tsp, 1y)

21 Day Fix Week 1 Results

I am super excited to share that in my first week of the 21 Day Fix, I have lost 3 pounds and 5 inches!  I couldn't be happier with my results so far, and I can't wait to see how much more I can lose in the next 2 weeks!  If you would like to join my next challenge group, message me on facebook ------> here.

If you are looking for more fitness tips and tricks or healthy recipes, I post both daily on my health and fitness Facebook group. I also run free challenge groups each month in addition to 30 and 60 day Beachbody challenge groups.  Join us!  We are up to over 300 members!  Click this link ------> Achieving a Fitter Life with Heather Hope

Day 2 and 3 of 21 Day Fix

Three days into the 21 Day Fix, and I am feeling very good.  The eating plan has been easy to implement, and the workouts are short, but very effective.  Here's a breakdown of the last 2 days:

Day 2 of the Fix

Today my daughter had a playdate, so I had to work my meals and workout schedule around it.  I didn't get up early enough to get in a morning workout, which made doing doubles more difficult, but I am proud to say I got it done.  Today's Fix workout was Upper Fix.  I really enjoy arm days, so I really liked this workout.  I'm going to use heavier weights next time.  3 and 5 pounder weren't doing it for me.  I did this workout during my daughter's nap time, and did my second workout, PiYo Sculpt, after she went down for the night.  After so many days of doing morning workouts, I did struggle to workout in the evening.  I just don't have the same motivation at night.  As far as the eating plan went, I was happy with my food choices.  I was a little hungry in the late afternoon, but drinking water helped curb my appetite until dinner.  I am still experimenting with what time to have each of my color containers.  Today I tried having reds (protein) in the morning and my yellows (carbs) later in the day.  I liked this better than Monday's meal plan.

• Meal Plan
• Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs (2r, 1tsp)
• Snack: Large apple (2p)
• Lunch: Tortellini and green beans (1g, 1r, 1y, 1b, 1tsp)
• Snack: Cantaloupe (1p)
• Dinner: salad w/dressing, grilled chicken and mashed potatoes (3g, 1r, 2 1/2 y, 1o, 1tsp)

Day 3 of the Fix

Got my schedule back on track today. Got up early and did my PiYo workout (PiYo Sweat) before the kiddo was up.  Today my husband joined me for PiYo.  He is doing the program as well, but we usually workout separately.  It was nice to have a workout partner today.  I was planning on getting my fix workout in during nap time, but life got in the way of that, and I had to save it until after bedtime.  I just finished the Lower Fix workout a little bit ago.  I have mixed feelings about leg day.  

It was a really good workout, and don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but I am not as much of a fan of sore legs.  You really don't realize how much you utilize your quads and hamstrings until you have tried to sit, stand, or climb stairs after leg day.  On the flip side though, your legs are your power house and the key to revving up your metabolism.  Leg muscles are big muscles and require a lot of energy to function.  So, embrace leg day!  The hurt is worth it. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. :)  My meal plan today was on point.  I was really happy with how it worked out:

• Meal Plan
• Breakfast: cereal w/1%milk, 1 scrambled egg (2y,1r, 1tsp)
• Snack: Large apple (2p)
• Lunch: salad, grilled chicken, and mashed potatoes (3g, 1r, 1y, 1o, 1tsp)
• Snack: Colby cheese and almonds (1b)
• Dinner: Pork Loin and roasted cauliflower (2r, 1g)
• Snack: Cantaloupe (1p)

I love roasted cauliflower.  I have a great recipe that I will post tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Becoming a Morning Person

Let me start by saying I am not a morning person by nature, and that is putting it mildly. Thankfully, my toddler is also not a morning person, so for the past year of my stay-at-home mom adventure, we have happily started our days after 9am.  I recently made to decision to become an Independent Beachbody Coach, primarily to help others in their fitness journeys, but to also contribute to our family finances.  If you read my first blog post, you know that I am one of those people who goes all out when I commit to something.  I have made pretty lofty goals for myself regarding this new endeavor and have been studying the elite coaches in our business to figure out what behaviors have made them successful.  One of the behaviors that all of these successful coaches have in common, much to my dismay, is that they are early risers.  To clarify, when I say early, I mean very early, like 5am early.  Yuck.

The more I researched behaviors that lead to success, the clearer it became. Successful people make it a point to get up early. This lead me to research how to become a morning person and come up with a plan to help me learn this behavior. Here is what I have found:

1. Baby Steps -- Start by turning back your alarm by 15 minutes a day or every couple days. Some people can go cold turkey and turn their alarm back to 5 am in one day, but if you want a better chance at forming a lasting behavior, small increments are the way to go.
2. Create a Routine -- Humans are creatures of habit.  Most of us thrive on routines.  Making a morning routine and sticking to it will help you pop out of bed with your first alarm instead of hitting snooze.  Consistency is key.  You may have heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit.  It can actually take a bit longer than that.  One study I read recently determined it took members of their test group an average of 66 days to form a new habit.  Be patient!
3. Get Moving -- Getting your body moving soon after you wake up will energize you just as much, if not more than, your morning cup of coffee.  Even just a set of jumping jacks will do the trick.  Make a morning workout part of your routine.
4. Accountability -- Tell someone a friend or family member what time you want to wake up.  This helps your mind commit to behavior.  If you need it, ask whoever you tell to send a wake-up text or call.  It won't take long before you are waking up before your accountabili-buddy sends their message.  Don't want to rope someone else into helping you get up?  I found a free app for iphone called BetterMe you can download that Publicly shames you by posting to your Facebook that you snoozed your alarm.
5. Get Enough Sleep -- Your body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep depending on the length of your sleep cycle.  If you are not getting enough quality sleep, you won't be able to sustain early wake-ups and still be productive and efficient in your daily task.  That kind of defeats the purpose of getting up early, doesn't it?  I really struggle to fall asleep at night.  It takes me an hour or two of laying in bed, in the dark, to fall asleep.  A couple of tips I have found and begun to implement are unplugging 45 minutes to an hour before bed.  Electronics stimulate our brains, which is not what we want before bed.  Also, I read an article that stated the blue light emitted by our cell phones can change our biological clocks by making our bodies think it is still daytime when its not. This prevents us from falling asleep quickly after we have put our phones away for the night.  I have also found that for myself, I cannot exercise late at night.  The reason it is good to exercise soon after you wake up is the same reason it is not ideal to exercise late at night.  Try to relax the hour before you go to bed. Read a book, take a warm shower or bath, or do whatever helps you feel calm and content.

Today is day two in my path to becoming a morning person.  So far, so good.  I am still struggling to get out bed with my alarm, but once I get through the morning routine I created, I feel great. Are you a morning person? What tips and trick have helped you get up and going?  Feel free to share in the comment section for this post. I'd love to hear what works for you!