Whether you put on the Freshman fifteen, you’re in your Sophomore slump or you’re a jiggly Junior, a quick morning workout is the best thing to lose weight and get into better shape without an expensive gym membership.
1. 15 pushups
Self-explanatory. If you can’t physically do 15 pushups on the ground (or yoga mat) don’t be discouraged. It’s easier to do the pushups at an angle, like leaning on your foot board of your bed. As long as you make your body perfectly straight and have good pushup stance, you’ll get the same workout of regular pushups with less resistance. Eventually, you’ll gain the proper muscles to move to the floor.
2. 15 triceps dips
You can lean on your desk, kitchen table or foot board like you do with the pushups. Just make sure you’re not using your legs as an aide when you’re doing the dips and your arms start to be tired.
3. 30 squats
Ok, 30 is A LOT of squats. So start off slow. If you’re tired at 3, make it to 5 and stop. Eventually, 5 will become too easy, so start to increase your count. You’ll make it to 30 easily after maybe 6 months. The worst part about any kind of getting in shape is that it doesn’t come with instant gratification.
4. 15 alternating lunges (each leg)
I always lose my balance if I keep my arms by my side, so I put them out straight. Go slow. You’ll have better balance if you go slowly, you’ll build more muscle, and you work your triceps and biceps by holding your arms out straight the whole time.
5. 45-second plank
This is similar to squats. Planks are hard!! Work your way up. Do a full 45 seconds but break it up until your muscles can handle a full 45 seconds. It sounds like no time, while laying in a plank it’s an eternity. I started with 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, until I did 4 planks. Remember that building muscle is a slow process, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t do it all right away.
6. 15 hand-release pushups
After regular pushups, triceps dips, and planks these hand-release pushups are really hard! To make them easier, don’t lift your whole body, keep your knees on the ground. It’s a regular pushup but you lower your whole body to the floor and lift your hands off the ground and hold them up for a breath or 2 before putting them down and doing another pushup.
7. 60-second wall sit
Similar to the plank, it’s hard, demanding and almost impossible to do a full minute wall sit on your first try. I decided to not do these in intervals like I did with the planks. I did 10 seconds for my first week. 15 the second week, etc.
8. 10 arm circles (both ways)
If you buy cheap weights from 5 Below you can go from 1-5 pounds and hold them during the arm circles. If you don’t want to use weights and keep this equipment-free, then up the arm circles to 20 each way.
9. 30 pulsing bridges
These are fun and bring out the hoe in all of us. Lay on the ground with your feet shoulder width apart and your heels almost touching your butt. With your hands by your side, thumbs turned up toward the ceiling, lift your butt off the ground. Use your core, glute and thigh muscles to lift yourself but focus mostly on using your core. Hold in the air, lower down so that you’re almost touching the floor with your lower back. Repeat.
10. 30 crunches
Similar to pushups, self-explanatory. Your abs are going to be sore from the planks, wall sits, and bridges, but push hard to make sure you hit 30 eventually.
Honestly, sometimes I’m too tired and exhausted so I skip the squats, lunges, plank and hand-release push-ups. Living on top of a hill convinces me that I don’t have to do all those leg exercises. Though that’s the lazy-way-out, I’m still making progress. I’m still improving myself. And sending a positive message to yourself is truly helpful in keeping your motivation to do any kind of exercise in the morning. Good luck, let’s start to get Spring Break and bikini ready!
