Dillydallying before working out

JessBbody

I dillydally for a long time before I get to my workout.

After I wake up, I have to have my coffee (an entire pot), eat a little something, and digest. In between doing that I spend long stretches of time reading, playing on my tablet, etc.

Basically I have to work my way up to feeling motivated to workout.

I always get 'er done but it just takes me so long. Usually once I put my workout clothes on I know it's time, but I still piddle for a half hour after that.

I don't feel hungry when I wake up so it takes a while to cook some eggs and digest them.

What I'd like it's to workout within an hour of waking up.

Can anyone relate? Any suggestions? Thank you.

annecantfindausername

I waste a lot of time procrastinating on working out. Totally relate. Even before coronavirus, I always seemed to lose an hour 'getting ready' to go to the gym, before actually going. I don't have any suggestions, but I'm excited to see if anyone else does. I mostly try to look on the bright side of 'at least the workout happens'

WellingTX

Check out Mel Robbins 5 second rule on YouTube.

Hokey but it works for some.

IronIsMyTherapy

Sounds to me like maybe you dont enjoy it? I genuinely look forward to mine. Maybe experiment with different types of activities? Even if its lifting, theres Olympic lifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and dare I say, Crossfit. Find something you enjoy and you'll be consistent and motivated.

JessBbody

IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »

Sounds to me like maybe you dont enjoy it? I genuinely look forward to mine. Maybe experiment with different types of activities? Even if its lifting, theres Olympic lifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and dare I say, Crossfit. Find something you enjoy and you'll be consistent and motivated.

It's true that I don't genuinely enjoy most of the exercise I do. i used to really enjoy spinning but since the gyms closed I can't do that. Since March I've been doing YouTube videos and I don't think of them as fun, I think of them as hard work.

I want to start doing more dance videos. I'm even thinking about signing up for beach body because they have those Cize classes. I think that would be more fun for me.

I would absolutely LOVE to ride a bike but my city is not bicycle friendly and drivers are out of their minds. (I live in a suburb of LA).

When I was lifting at the gym, I did enjoy my gains! I always wanted to try things like the snatch that I saw people doing, it looked like fun.

You're lucky @IronIsMyTherapy, that you love your workouts. I think a lot of people think of exercise as a chore, something they have to do to lose weight or stay healthy.

Lynatea

Just do it...you'll be glad when it's done and proud of the accomplishment.😁 Get an indoor bike if space permits?

AndreaTamira

I'm on here instead of already getting my butt into gear and going for my daily walk. 😅 - And it is beautiful weather and I like walking.

So yes, I can relate.

nanastaci2020

I don't eat first if I am working out shortly after getting up. My weekday mornings:

Up at 5:20. Feed dogs, let them out.
Use bathroom and step on scale.
Get into fitness bra and athletic shorts, get some water.
I am on the treadmill by 5:40.

30 to 45 minute walk. Sometimes bodyweight exercises. Shower, dressed, out the door by 7:10.

I think sometimes about sleeping in, but know I feel good to get moving. I eat after getting to work at 8.

JessBbody

AndreaTamira wrote: »

I'm on here instead of already getting my butt into gear and going for my daily walk. 😅 - And it is beautiful weather and I like walking.

So yes, I can relate.

Sometimes I'm on here for a while just to get up the motivation to work out.
Whenever I begin to think I'm doing a lot of exercise this place reminds me that there are lots of people working out way more and way harder than me.

That motivates me some.

AlexandraFindsHerself1971

I get up and go to the gym first thing.

I lay out workout clothes, and put those on after I wake up, pee, weigh, and take my morning supplements. Then I come downstairs and have one mug of hot tea while reading MFP. Then I grab the keys and my purse and head for the gym. Usually I'm back before my partners wake up, and then I can get on with my day just as normal. If I try to plan it for later in the day, I get busy doing other things and then I just wind up not getting to it.

MaltedTea

Relatable, OP, relatable...up until around 10 minutes into it. Then I'm fine.

It's just working up to that initial 10 minutes every *kitten* time can take upwards of 90 min. But at least it gets done...eventually. But I work on procrastination in a lot of areas so that's a fault I'm working on eliminating...umm, eventually 🤣

What has worked for me so far (this month) is incorporating a morning exercise into a weekday activity: accompanying my son to the train station every morning.

The walk is a 25 min out and back. But since I'm already outside I think to myself 'I may as well run stairs/walk another 30 minutes/do some calisthenics in the corporate quad and have security chase me out again/etc.'

Since the start of his academic year that seems to have worked at least 4 out of 5 weekdays. Let's see how it goes once the snow starts.

In the interim, thanks for the video tip @WellingTX

girlwithcurls2

Totally understandable. I commend you for actually getting it done though! I have found myself lately putting it off until it won't work (schedule-wise, darkness, whatever). Can you work out before eating? I find that I'm OK doing a fasted workout. Two days a week, I wake up, meet my sister and go for a run. I'm not really awake enough to feel hungry, and I'm well into my workout before I know it. One trick I used was to listen to a good podcast, something I would look forward to and save for my workout.

HTH. I totally get where you're coming from.

MidlifeCrisisFitness

Jump rope.

YouTube Jump Rope Dudes

AlexandraFindsHerself1971

girlwithcurls2 wrote: »

Totally understandable. I commend you for actually getting it done though! I have found myself lately putting it off until it won't work (schedule-wise, darkness, whatever). Can you work out before eating? I find that I'm OK doing a fasted workout. Two days a week, I wake up, meet my sister and go for a run. I'm not really awake enough to feel hungry, and I'm well into my workout before I know it. One trick I used was to listen to a good podcast, something I would look forward to and save for my workout.

HTH. I totally get where you're coming from.

I do fasted morning workouts. Ever since I had my kids I am iffy on eating in the morning anyway (Hyperemesis will do that to you) and it works out because about the time I'm driving home I'm starting to happily anticipate my breakfast, and I wind up getting home and eating before I actually get too very hungry.

ninerbuff

Procrastination is the Assassination of Motivation. The longer you wait to do something productive, the more excuses you come with to NOT do it. Habitual behavior should be just to do it routinely and you have less of a chance of dilly dallying.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JessBbody

girlwithcurls2 wrote: »

Totally understandable. I commend you for actually getting it done though! I have found myself lately putting it off until it won't work (schedule-wise, darkness, whatever). Can you work out before eating? I find that I'm OK doing a fasted workout. Two days a week, I wake up, meet my sister and go for a run. I'm not really awake enough to feel hungry, and I'm well into my workout before I know it. One trick I used was to listen to a good podcast, something I would look forward to and save for my workout.

HTH. I totally get where you're coming from.

I can certainly try to workout before eating. I would prefer it that way. It's a little harder now that I'm slashing calories -and not even by that much. I've been hungry for days.

If I'm not starving when I wake up tomorrow I will try to get the jump on my workout right after coffee and before I do get hungry.

Thanks.

Duck_Puddle

Relatable for sure. I am primarily a runner and I’m currently training for an ultramarathon (so doing a lot of very long runs). I love running and it’s a great stress reliever, so I really look forward to my after work runs as time to unwind and unload all the stress of the day.

But sometimes...it still takes me forEVER to get out the door. For a brief time there was a tiny window where I could finish my run between the end of my workday and before sundown (so I didn’t need light or anything) and that motivated me to get out the door. But that is over now (sundown too soon and runs too long to fit).

I always get it done. But sometimes it takes me a while to get started.

No advice-just know you’re not alone. I don’t consider exercise a chore (well-lifting is chore to me, but a necessary chore) and I still struggle sometimes. After 9 years. Oh well. I’m super motivated for my post long-run recovery meals. So I guess that’s something.

AwesomeSquirrel

I would suggest skipping breakfast to see how you like that, and perhaps you could limit yourself to 1 cup of coffee?

I used to roll out of bed and into my yoga mat but have found I like it better to get up and have a cup of coffee before I get going. Nothing wrong with that, but I set a firm start time to adhere to avoid dillydallying. Besides on weekdays I need to leave an appropriate window so I’ll still start work in time!

JessBbody

I just wanted to check in on this thread and say thank you for all of your helpful suggestions.
I have not yet tried working out before I eat because, now that I've been in calorie deficit for over a week I find that I'm hungry almost as soon as I wake up. I barely get a chance to drink my coffee before my stomach is grumbling.

Also, I kind of have this problem where it takes me a whole pot of coffee and about a half hour just to feel awake. I've been this way for years. I'm extremely tired when I get up in the morning.

While I'm sitting there pondering my workout I've taken to googling "workout motivation" and reading tons of articles from such sites as Healthline, Self, various trainers' websites, etc. It's like I need to be reminded of why I'm doing it before I can get my *kitten* in gear.

On the wall in front of where I work out I've taped a sign that says "just do it" and I picture of what I want my body to look like.

That being said, I've done six workouts in the past week, so I'm still getting it done.

If anybody else has this problem maybe we can be accountability buddies and set times for our workouts? I would like to start out by working out just one day a week within an hour of when I wake up. Thank you.

Dogmom1978

I enjoy working out and get genuinely upset if other things interrupt my routine (second unpredictable job for example).

I used to hate it and then I quit the gym. You really need to find workouts you ENJOY or you are destined to fail. At some point, you will stop doing this “chore” as it is an optional chore. You can only make yourself do something you don’t enjoy for so long before you stop.

I found that what I ACTUALLY hated was going to the gym. I built a sweet home gym and I love spending time in my basement now. I love making progress on weights and gaining extra calories to eat by doing cardio. I just added a 50 inch tv to the home gym yesterday so I can start doing some workout videos also. Again, you need to find something you ENJOY to keep you motivated to do it. Trial and error will hopefully help you find something you find fun.

Diatonic12

ninerbuff wrote: »

Procrastination is the Assassination of Motivation. The longer you wait to do something productive, the more excuses you come with to NOT do it. Habitual behavior should be just to do it routinely and you have less of a chance of dilly dallying.

This works for everything. Laying on the couch at the speed of zero and you need to do the dishes, dust, vacuum, laundry, mow, irrigate....every frickity frick frick thing. You have to launch yourself and move quickly. Don't give your brain any time to think about. You have just 15 seconds to ACT and then momentum will carry you along.