Morning workouts prevent late-day distractions from moving your exercise plans to the back burner. Here are five tips to help you rise and shine for your morning workout.

1. Create a home that wakes you. Keep a lamp within arm’s reach of your pillow so you can turn it on the second your alarm sounds. Place your alarm clock across the room, and you’ll have no choice but to get out of bed. Program your coffeemaker the night before so the stimulating aroma entices you to get out of bed. Set timers on lamps throughout your house. When they come on, it will make the rest of the house more inviting and help wake you.

2. Socialize. Engaging in social exercise will make your early wake-up call worth it. Schedule a run or a racquetball match with a workout partner. Introduce yourself to some new faces in the 6:00 a.m. exercise class. The bigger your social group at the gym, the more obligated you will feel to attend.

3. Make sleep and healthy eating a priority. The worst thing for an early morning workout is a night without sleep. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night, as the National Sleep Foundation recommends. Support a good night’s rest by avoiding caffeine and indigestion-causing foods in the afternoon and evening. The more you do throughout your day to promote good sleep, the better your chances for waking rested and ready to workout.

4. Set weekly goals and reward yourself. Center your goals and rewards around your morning workouts. Do you want to exercise four mornings this week? Make a plan. Reward yourself with new exercise gear or clothing when you accomplish your goals.

5. Bargain with yourself. Give yourself a break when you stick to your plan, but require more of yourself when you don’t. If you sleep in and work out in the evening, stay on the treadmill ten minutes longer or add five extra repetitions to your leg exercises. The more appealing your morning session becomes, the more likely you will get up for it.

6. Spread the word. Surround yourself with like-minded exercisers in your social media circles, and then tell everyone about tomorrow morning’s exercise plans. Ask a few people to follow up with you. This extra layer of accountability makes it harder to hit the snooze button.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.