my fave early morning cardio routine

Okay. So its always a little rough for me to get back into the groove of early morning workouts.

What can I say? I have a really comfy bed and I really love to sleep. And waking up to something as jarring as working out is never an easy battle to win. THAT SAID, whenever I am in the groove of early morning workouts... I feel AMAZING. My workouts are consistent and they give me a rush of energy that no cup of coffee can provide.

So whats my trick? How do I convince my tired bod to leave the comforts of my bed?

WALKING. That's right. What if I told you that I have a secret tool that will turn walking into an excellent cardiovascular workout that will get your heart rate up and your body sweatin'?!

My fave form of early morning cardio is, hands down, walking on the treadmill, on a steep incline, wearing a weighted vest. There is something just super EASY and not stressful about walking, so much so that I can totally convince myself to do it at 5:30am.... AND HUGE PLUS, walking is totally conducive to sipping coffee.

Now, just because this is a less jarring approach to cardio, do not think it is an EASY workout. No way. I get super sweaty and out of breath every single time. Its really just the mental roadblock is easier to clear because walking feels less strenuous first thing in the AM.

So here's my exact Weighted Vest Workout. I strap on my weighted vest and jump on the treadmill and put that bad boy on the highest incline. I then alternate walking one minute holding onto the treadmill rales and one minute walking without holding anything. I do this for 30-45 minutes while listening to a podcast and sweating profusely (lol I am so sweaty and so gross its ridiculous).

Needless to say, this workout is CHALLENGING, so adjust the workout to accomodate your level of fitness. You may find that you need to hold onto the rales the entire workout (which is FINE) or walk on a lesser incline (which is also fine).

So, yes, walking is less jarring, and I somehow am able to convince Sleepyhead 5:30am Serena that walking is NBD and therefore get my butt to the gym for some early AM cardio...but don't be fooled, guys, this weighted vest is a serious game changer. I literally love mine (but this totally could be because I associate wearing the vest with drinking coffee aka the elixir of life).

Affiliate links above at no additional cost to you! And no this is not a sponsored post - this is just a product I have consistently used for about 4 years and I LOVE IT.