What is the secret?

I really really want to be early riser to get my workouts out of the way and possibly be able to incorporate periodically working out 2x a day.

What is your secret to a 5am out of the house gym workout? How did you get in the habit?
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Replies

  • Stac5097
    Stac5097 Posts: 6 Member
    Well that was helpful. Not everyone is a morning person. But thanks for the reply.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Part of it is going to bed earlier. I don't use an alarm clock but I usually roll out of bed between 4:30 and 5:00, have my coffee and either go for a run or whatever my workout is that day. I don't go to a gym though, everything I need is at the house.

    Having said that, if you're not a morning person could you hit the gym at lunch or after work? We all have our own internal clocks.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    There is no secret for me. I just have to get through the suck and then after a few days I realize that it's not that bad and becomes my new normal. obviously there is the regular advice, like get your clothes and stuff put together and ready to go, get your coffee maker set to auto-brew, etc. but really you just have to force yourself out of bed and go do it.
  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    There is no secret for me. I just have to get through the suck and then after a few days I realize that it's not that bad and becomes my new normal. obviously there is the regular advice, like get your clothes and stuff put together and ready to go, get your coffee maker set to auto-brew, etc. but really you just have to force yourself out of bed and go do it.

    :D Yep.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    I can manage to get in an early workout a couple of times a week. Any more than that and I get grumpy - I don't like the early workouts. That said, it's worth it a couple of times a week so that life doesn't get in the way later in the day. How do I manage? Well, just CHOOSE to get up. Getting up and dressed is the hard part. You'll never regret the workout.
    I feel your pain. we all have to find that balance and the trade offs that allow us to reach our goals. It's not always butterflies and unicorns and rainbows for sure. Sometimes it's a stanky 4:45 wake up.
  • ChrisCatMama
    ChrisCatMama Posts: 1,038 Member
    I’ve been a morning person since before I could remember. But for those who aren’t, I think gradually setting your alarm earlier (say by 15 minutes first day) and doing the same with going to bed earlier so you’re not a zombie in the morning.
    I’m up at 3:30 to workout by 4; most times a little earlier. It’s not always easy but it’s the best time I can do it.
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    I'm not a morning person, but I still manage to get up and 4:50am so that I can run before work. I make sure to set out everything I'm going to need the night before. I run at work and shower there, so that means that the night before I'm setting out running clothes, work clothes, shower essentials, and my lunch. After a while you get used to the early hour and it becomes second nature.
  • Stac5097
    Stac5097 Posts: 6 Member
    Part of it is going to bed earlier. I don't use an alarm clock but I usually roll out of bed between 4:30 and 5:00, have my coffee and either go for a run or whatever my workout is that day. I don't go to a gym though, everything I need is at the house.

    Having said that, if you're not a morning person could you hit the gym at lunch or after work? We all have our own internal clocks.

    I do go at lunch or at night. Just was really hoping to wake up early and go. My internal clock is set at 6:30am, but that’s about an hour too late.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    The secret of getting up early is going to bed early. It really is as simple as that.

    This. Getting enough sleep so the getting up is easy and you don't feel like you trashed your whole day. Being light on sleep leads to extra hunger for me, too. Turn your attention to your night time routine, also. Around 7.30pm I better be thinking about getting all my "go to bed" things done - clean up the kitchen, set the coffee pot, check the cats food and water, shower if I need/want to, change, lay out workout clothes and etc etc and leave time for reading in bed. Popping out of a Netflix and Candy Crush binge at 9.30 unprepared isn't going to help.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    Sleep in your gym clothes, prep everything the night before and go to bed earlier.

    The hardest part is the getting up, once you're up the battle is pretty much won.
  • jnomadica
    jnomadica Posts: 280 Member
    TrishSeren wrote: »
    Sleep in your gym clothes, prep everything the night before and go to bed earlier.

    The hardest part is the getting up, once you're up the battle is pretty much won.

    I totally agree with sleeping in your workout clothes. Then all you need to do is force yourself out of the bed, and you are off. This works for me.
    Anyone that will workout with you that early? Having a friend really motivates me for early workouts.
  • Stac5097
    Stac5097 Posts: 6 Member
    jnomadica wrote: »
    TrishSeren wrote: »
    Sleep in your gym clothes, prep everything the night before and go to bed earlier.

    The hardest part is the getting up, once you're up the battle is pretty much won.

    I totally agree with sleeping in your workout clothes. Then all you need to do is force yourself out of the bed, and you are off. This works for me.
    Anyone that will workout with you that early? Having a friend really motivates me for early workouts.

    No, not really and I actually like working out alone because I talk too much 😂🤦🏼‍♀️. I like the sleeping in the clothes idea.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I've left the house 3-4:30 am for nearly forty years. Get coffee and protein shake set night before, gear packed early, with clothes laid out.

    Go to bed early.

    It's a priority to me. I want to train so I do everything possible for adherence.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Stac5097 wrote: »
    jnomadica wrote: »
    TrishSeren wrote: »
    Sleep in your gym clothes, prep everything the night before and go to bed earlier.

    The hardest part is the getting up, once you're up the battle is pretty much won.

    I totally agree with sleeping in your workout clothes. Then all you need to do is force yourself out of the bed, and you are off. This works for me.
    Anyone that will workout with you that early? Having a friend really motivates me for early workouts.

    No, not really and I actually like working out alone because I talk too much 😂🤦🏼‍♀️. I like the sleeping in the clothes idea.

    My suggestion (and what works for me) is to make dates with others to work out. Then you feel compelled to not miss since others are depending on you being there. For a couple years now I have been setting up runs very early in the morning a couple days a week. It has gotten so routine (and expected) that if I am late getting things setup I get pinged. :D It still sucks getting out of bed before the sun rises but it has now become my 'normal'.

    Good luck.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Go to bed early, set an alarm, make yourself leave. It'll suck for a bit and how long "a bit" is will likely depend on whether or not you're a morning person. Eventually you'll get used to that schedule and it will seem more or less normal.

    I have to be at the boathouse for rowing at 5am twice a week and if I'm not there I'm not going to get boated. You can bet that as much as I'd sometimes like to sleep in those days (where "sleeping in" is waking up later than 4:20), I push through and get myself there. I typically don't sleep in my clothes in part because I'd be too warm, but I will get everything ready the night before so all I have to do is put on my clothes, make sure I have my keys, cellphone, and wallet, and leave.
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
    I don't do it often but I will get up very early for a sunrise hike or to beat the storm to the top of a peak. Although I'm not a morning person, I get up early because I'm so excited about what I'm doing. I think most of us will wake early for something we are really passionate about.
  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,022 Member
    For me? Knowing that my gym is rammed at all other times of the day is motivation enough to get up.
  • Togetherstronger
    Togetherstronger Posts: 45 Member
    a very loud alarm, plenty of planning, will to want to improve and the trust in the process. you will one hundred percent get there, just gotta believe you can. then ,everything becomes easier
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    shaf238 wrote: »
    For me? Knowing that my gym is rammed at all other times of the day is motivation enough to get up.

    AGREE. Nothing better than a quiet gym and not waiting for equipment to be free.
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    edited May 2019
    Stac5097 wrote: »
    Well that was helpful. Not everyone is a morning person. But thanks for the reply.

    The thing is that I'm not going to get out of bed for something I don't really, really want to do. I really, really want to get paid, so I get up for work. And I really, really want to run before it gets hot, so I get out of bed for that, but I'm not going to get out of bed at 4:30 for something that doesn't excite me. So find something that excites you and the early hour won't seem so bad.