The Reason Savannah Guthrie Sets Her Alarm Earlier Than She Has To Is The Opposite Of Punishment

Savannah Guthrie's morning routine was never for the faint of heart to begin with. In an October 2017 interview with Refinery29, the "Today" show co-host shared that she woke up between 3 and 4 a.m. daily so she could thoroughly research the subject of her interviews and draft questions for them. By 5:30, Guthrie had already clocked in to work. With time, though, the news anchor felt that waking up at dawn just wasn't early enough. 

Speaking to People in November 2024, Guthrie shared that she had set her alarm clock even earlier than her previous wake-up time to get a workout in. "The idea is whereas all my life I was looking to exercise with a mission, to want to look a certain way, it's not about that," Guthrie explained. "It's just move a little every day. Sweat [a] little every day. It's really good for your mental health." 

During a 2025 chat with AARP (via Instagram), the TV personality admitted that although she was a morning person, she still needed a cup of coffee to be able to regularly pull off her early wakeups. On days when she found it difficult to leave her bed in the morning, she would try to keep her mind focused on her morning cup of joe. Moreover, she made a conscious effort to keep the space she would spend her mornings in comfy to make those early hours easier. When she was on her way to work, Guthrie also took a moment to say her prayers and ground herself in the present.

During a January 2018 episode of "Today" (via YouTube), Savannah Guthrie confessed that she wasn't particularly fond of exercising and would mostly avoid the gym. However, finding a workout buddy and discovering ways to move her body that she actually enjoyed had gone a long way in changing her perspective. In a June 2021 People interview, Guthrie shared that she thoroughly enjoyed at-home step aerobics workouts created by YouTuber and fitness instructor Christina Dorner. 

"I kind of like it cause I can't really dance, but this is dance-y," the "Today" show host said. "So I feel it's a good workout for my brain as well." With Dorner's fun workout sessions, 45 minutes flew by in the blink of an eye for Guthrie. The news anchor acknowledged that while her friends poked fun at her for following an '80s workout regimen, she paid them no mind and focused on all the fun she was having. It appears that her friends didn't know that step aerobics is making a comeback, or the fact that it's one of the many exercises that can help you balance your hormones. 

Guthrie's love for old school exercises doesn't end there, though. Speaking to Marie Claire (via Today) in June 2017, the journalist shared that she loved attending a workout class called Bari three times a week. After stating that the fitness class was inspired by Jane Fonda's workouts, she explained that it included "cardio bouncing on a trampoline and strength training." With all this, it seems that Guthrie knows all about the exercises that will put her in a better mood and help her start her day on the right foot.