Advice on Getting Up for AM Workouts?!?

jgnatca

Good point. My gym bag is prepped and ready to go at the front door.

cbills65

I love to sleep and no matter how much I get I always want more. But I want to achieve my goal more than I want sleep so I set my alarm for 4:30 every morning. When the alarm goes off, the battle starts - "Ugh, do I have to? Yes! Get up! If you don't do it now, it won't get done at all." And that is enough. The reality is that this is the only time I have TO MYSELF to workout. Everyone else is sleeping. I know something will inevitably come up after work to sabotage early evening workouts. It just never fails. I know that if I don't workout, I will feel lethargic during the day and ultimately I cannot meet my goal if I don't workout. Once I'm up and moving, I'm great. Wide awake and ready to tackle anything. The secret is winning the fight while you're still lying in bed. After that, it's super easy. Good luck, friend!

oxers

It *sucks*. It's honestly my biggest hurdle to making health gains. My alarm goes off, and I lay there thinking about how great my bed is, but then I remind myself that I'll regret it if I don't go, and I'm awake anyway and I won't sleep as well if I try to go back, so I might as well.

It also helps to fantasize about how much more I can eat through the day if I just get my butt up. Food is a great motivator for me. I'm basically a dog.

skinny4me2be

I love to sleep but I have to work out in the morning, as my schedule doesn't allow me to work out at night. I have found if I wait until later in the day its tougher to work out or I talk myself out of it. So I have to FORCE myself to get out of bed. The first thing I say to myself when the alarm goes off is 'you are not going to make any changes for the better if you don't get up an move'.. the other thing I've done is move my alarm clock across the room so I physically have to get out of bed to turn it off, once I'm up, its a bit easier. I always set out my workout clothes near my alarm, so I have no excuses. I've even heard people will sleep in their work out gear so they just have to brush their teeth/hair and are out the door. It sux getting up so early in the morning, half the time I'm through a good portion of my work out and realize that I'm awake and moving, and by then I'm already feeling so much better and ready to start my day. If you want it you can do it. :-)

naparker333

I used to cardio-kickboxing religiously 6 days a week, for about 10 years. Class began at 5, it took me 5 minutes to rinse my face, brush my teeth, put my hair in a pony tail. It took me another 15 min to get to the studio. I had it timed to the second! I'd sometimes sleep in the workout pants I was going to wear, and hastily throw on a sports bra and t-shirt as I ran out the door. I'd also leave everything laid out and ready for shower/work preparations, so I wasn't beating myself up about being late. It wasn't easy and I ultimately stopped....which is how I ended up overweight again! But if I could go back and re-do the time I quit, I'd have gotten better organized and kept at it!

RGv2

VeryKatie wrote: »

F1tnessCh1ck wrote: »

I started doing challenges and I would be accountable in fitness groups. If I didn't do my workout in the morning, I would be exhausted and not be able to complete it after work - I'm like a walking zombie after work. So, I started getting up at 6 for 30 day shred and 21 day fix, then 5:30 for Insanity and now I'm up at 5:50 every morning for Insanity Max 30. Just find accountability somewhere - somewhere you don't want to be seen failing and you'll be motivated to show up, lace up and get it done!

Maybe this is why I can't do it. I have to get up at 5:45 just to get to work on time. I'd have to get up at 4:15 or 4:30 if I wanted to go to the gym.

Lol, I'm at the gym by 4:30 M-Th.

My mantra has always been..no tricks and no gimmicks to getting up early. Either you want it or you don't

cheekyraspberry

oxers wrote: »

It *sucks*. It's honestly my biggest hurdle to making health gains. My alarm goes off, and I lay there thinking about how great my bed is, but then I remind myself that I'll regret it if I don't go, and I'm awake anyway and I won't sleep as well if I try to go back, so I might as well.

It also helps to fantasize about how much more I can eat through the day if I just get my butt up. Food is a great motivator for me. I'm basically a dog.

That may be the best comment yet -- "I'm basically a dog."

kailibertsch

I've started just the last few weeks. I am trying to start by replacing just one of my workouts a week with an AM workout rather than a PM. It's worked so far. This week I've gotten my butt out of bed twice and worked out in the morning at 5:30. I also sleep in my workout clothes.

adreal

Being a mom of two and also having a husband that likes to work out. The only time I can do anything is in the mornings. I think for me my motivation was if I worked out in the mornings then I was able to spend more time with my kids. My hubby finds it easier for him to work out on lunch. So you just have to find your motiviation and what you want to do.

jasonp_ritzert

When I use to do morning workouts (5 a.m at the Y) before work and life forced me to become a lunchtime/afternoon workout person, I just liked knowing I would have the gym to myself, I could quickly get through workouts, and by the time I was finished most of the world had barely had their first cup of coffee. It's a good feeling to shower, eat breakfast and realize you've already accomplished more today than most will all day.

jgnatca

It took me a while to find something that moved me. Having a race to prepare for does it for me. I avoid pain. Being unprepared for a race is like.....SUPER painful. Not to mention embarrassing.

Freedm16

The most helpful thing I've found is going to bed early to make sure I get 8-9 hours of sleep and having coffee set and ready to go in the AM

Sassiesue86

I know if i eat a lite dinner and go to bed at reasonable time i am excited to get up and eat some breakfast! Hope that helps;)-chels

quiltermn

chriscolh wrote: »

I've been doing my workouts in the mornings for 6+ years now. I've made new friends at the gym that make it more fun to be there... even if it is 3 hours before the sun comes up...!

I've been getting up at 5a.m. for the last 11 (6 of them as a retired person now) years, and driving 18 miles to work out. Am I a morning person, definitely not, but if I don't do it in the morning I don't do it at all. I set an alarm in the bathroom so I have to get up and walk out of the bedroom to turn it off. I get my things ready the night before. I've met some really great people and my 3 closest friends (2 also retired), ride herd on me if I don't show up for a few days. I also find if I say, "see you tomorrow" that's another motivation to make sure I'm there.

NoelFigart1

Honestly, the reason I workout in the morning is that's when lap swimming is scheduled in the pool. But I prefer to work out in the morning because I make too many excuses at night not to. So, it works for me. If you find you're less inclined to make excuses at the end of the day or after work or something, work out then.

Otherwise? Don't give yourself time to decide. Prep the night before and just program your morning zombie brain to pick up the gym bag and go.

clyn27

hahahaha you're funny! Morning work outs, that's a good joke. Seriously tho I have just now started to get out of bed in time to make me and my kids a healthy breakfast (low calorie for me) instead of feeding them sugary cereal. Not to mention those extra 15 mins I have in the morning is my only a lone during the day, I don't even get a moment of piece in the shower. The kids need something, the dog tries to jump in cuz the kids don't leave the door closed or my boyfriend wants to come in and have some sort of important conversation that just couldn't wait. I spend those few moments of quiet relaxing!

Sam_I_Am77

I've been going strong with early AM (at the gym @ 4am) for a few years now and it's not always easy but here are some things that I do.

1. Go to bed at a reasonable time, for me that's 9pm, no later
2. Make sure your nutrition is good, which is something you should have anyway
3. Move your alarm clock / cell phone across the room so you're forced to get out of bed
4. The supplement ZMA before bed helps me wake-up feeling better. I know clinical research is a little mixed on the effectiveness of it but for me it's a must have. Most people could use a little more Zinc and Magnesium anyway.
5. I got this from Dr. Lonnie Lowery actually... put a bottled water and caffeine pill next to your bed. First alarm take the caffeine pill and hit snooze for 10-min. Second alarm, get up.

loratliff

oxers wrote: »

It also helps to fantasize about how much more I can eat through the day if I just get my butt up. Food is a great motivator for me. I'm basically a dog.

I thought I was the only one. LOL

tulips_and_tea

Really good advice has already been given. The only thing I'll add is, once you get the preparation part done, DON'T wait for or expect motivation or a desire to be magically there. Don't give yourself time to think about whether you WANT to do it or not; just do it. Automatically. You'll always feel better afterwards.

And, scratching a big "to-do" item off your daily list first thing in the morning is a great boost to the rest of your day.