Who gets up early to go to the gym?

julesyb1982
julesyb1982 Posts: 136
in Fitness and Exercise
And how the heck do you do it? I've successfully (sorta) gotten up about 35 minutes earlier than usual to do at home aerobics. I would like to eventually wake up one to one and a half hours earlier to head to my gym. I am SO not a morning person, but I know I won't work out after work. How do you do it? How do you pump yourself up? Do you set 100 alarm clocks?
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Replies

  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    Go to bed and get 8 hours sleep. That way you wont feel terrible when you wake up.
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
    I've long since adjusted to the early wake ups for working out and the gym, but the first few days/nights, I had to use an alarm, but right now I'm alarm free.
  • julesyb1982
    julesyb1982 Posts: 136
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    you just do it. set an alarm, go to bed, wake up and hit the door. it might be tough at first but it quickly becomes second nature. i don't even have to set my alarm to wake up at 5:30 am anymore.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    what are you doing right before bed? have you tried ramping down your day more gradually?
    reading in bed helps me fall asleep pretty quickly. start getting ready at 9 if you can, or even 930.

    a glass of wine aint a bad idea either if youre into that sorta thing.
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
    I am normally in bed between 9-10 pm. I prefer to go to the gym first thing for 2 reasons....
    1. its less crowded
    2. Its done and over with and sets the tone for the day

    At first it was hard but i always made sure i got up and went. I wanted it bad enough so i did it.

    Also it helped if the night before i put all my clothes out and had my workout ready and knew exactly what i was going in there to accomplish.

    I used to have to be at work at 7am so i needed to get there early....now i go in at noon and my body is just used to it so i still go first thing.
  • julesyb1982
    julesyb1982 Posts: 136
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    what are you doing right before bed? have you tried ramping down your day more gradually?
    reading in bed helps me fall asleep pretty quickly. start getting ready at 9 if you can, or even 930.

    a glass of wine aint a bad idea either if youre into that sorta thing.

    Oh I'm into wine. But yeah I probably need to shut down the electronics at 9:30 p.m.
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
    I don't go to the gym but I do get up early and work out at home or run. The one thing that helps me is I have a yummy pre workout snack waiting for me before I exercise. a spoonful of almond butter, PB2, 1/2 a protein bar. Something like that.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    You just adjust and do it like anything else in life. I work 7a-7:30p and have a 30 min commute. No gym I have to be up at 5 am, gym day I'm up at 3:30-3:45 to get there at 5 and 60 mins of lifting then get ready. Yes I'd rather sleep in and take my time but somedays I don't get out on schedule and I am too exhausted at 8 pm to want to deal with another human. I want to get it done and get on with my day so I rather give it my full focus in the morning. Prepare stuff the night before, have things packed and in your car and have a plan and it becomes very easy.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    Chamomile tea w/ milk and honey work wonders for me. Puts me out like a light!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    you just do it. set an alarm, go to bed, wake up and hit the door. it might be tough at first but it quickly becomes second nature. i don't even have to set my alarm to wake up at 5:30 am anymore.


    This.
    I make it not an option. If I leave the decision for the morning, I am going to choose my comfy warm bed. I go to bed knowing I am going to get up for the gym, everything is set out, I have a plan and it isn't optional. The alarm goes off and I get up without thinking about it. By the time I am awake, I'm on my way out the door.

    (during contest prep I was getting up at 445 am to get to the gym by 5, workout and go to work for a 12 hour shift).
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
    i don't go to the gym but i get up as early as 5 or 6 to work out at home no real reason besides i can't sleep
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    For the past two weeks, I've managed to force myself to wake up at 4:30am, hit the snooze button for the next 15 minutes, then get up, hit the gym by 5:15, and be cleaned up and ready for work by 7:30am.

    At first, it was painful, because I am so accustomed to sleeping so late midnight-1:00am. So when I changed up my wake up/work out routine, I was running on 4-5hrs of sleep, but after being up so early, my body naturally became more tired earlier, so I now sleep at 10pm, and feel fine.

    My driving factor was my frustration with the gym being so damn packed after work 6-8pm that I could barely get my lifts in, so my feelings for that was more than my feelings of being tired. Now I'm happy as a clam working out in a relatively empty gym and having more engergy throughout the day.


    It sucks for a few days but your body learns to adjust.

    Oh, and it does to help to have your gym bag packed and ready to go so you can just walk out the door. Sometimes, I sleep in a clean pair of sweats, so I can just wake up and go, and still feel somewhat warm and comfy. :)
  • joselo2
    joselo2 Posts: 461
    i admire those whodo. exercise and getting up early are NOT things i enjoy so if i am tryna exercise is have to scedule it in for later in the day else it never gonna happen,
  • mperrott2205
    mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
    I get up at half 5, and im in the gym by 6 :)
  • MrsH2132012
    MrsH2132012 Posts: 67 Member
    I'm at the gym before 5 (I am trying to get there closer to 4:30)...I do it because it is my only free time. No excuses right?! :)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    make it easy. don't make it a chore.

    set your coffee pot up (if it has an auto-on function, use it) and lay your clothes and gear out the night before. you don't want to be fumbling around in the morning looking for socks and your water bottle.

    annoying alarm ringtones sucks. i really started to enjoy waking up earlier when i switched my alarm to "eye of the tiger."

    also, if you want to get up earlier, you'll need to go to bed earlier. and avoid electronics, tv, and alcohol before bed. i know for myself, those things make my sleep a little too restless.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    i admire those whodo. exercise and getting up early are NOT things i enjoy so if i am tryna exercise is have to scedule it in for later in the day else it never gonna happen,

    FTR - I am not opposed to working out when is suitable for you. For some people, first thing in the morning is a requirement. I no longer get up before work because I don't have to. When I was doing that, I either had something scheduled after work, or I was doing 2 a days for contest prep. Other people have family commitments or other reasons for wanted to go first thing.
  • strangeone25
    strangeone25 Posts: 114 Member
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    I take melatonin on nights I can't stop thinking about things. It seems to make a difference.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    what are you doing right before bed? have you tried ramping down your day more gradually?
    reading in bed helps me fall asleep pretty quickly. start getting ready at 9 if you can, or even 930.

    a glass of wine aint a bad idea either if youre into that sorta thing.

    i'm pretty much the same. i have trouble falling asleep, so i'll crawl into bed around 9-9:30, and then read. the thirty minutes before bed i get all my stuff together for the next day, like setting up the coffee pot, making my breakfast and lunch. it helps me wind down and set my mind towards sleep mode.
  • walterm852
    walterm852 Posts: 409 Member
    I get up at 5:14
    - its the only way I can make sure I get it in with all the kids activities and family needs at night
    - great way to start the day

    How to do it
    - Just do it, in the beginning it will be an adjustment, but you will start sleeping early because your body needs it.
    - find buddies to join you. Not letting down a workout partner is huge. But when I am solo, I still get it done.

    Contrary to others
    - I really dont get used to it, I would love to sleep in
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    Getting up early for the gym is a habit you can form just like any other routine you get accustomed too.

    Going early has advantages, no crowds, workout over early in the day, as mentioned by other posters.

    Start setting up the alarm and get up and go!
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    I don't go to the gym, but I get up around 430 to work out before the kids wake up. I have to go to bed early so I'm not tired, have my coffee ready brewed via auto timer, and have my workout clothes sitting out on my dresser. Then I just sip my coffee and plug my music into my ears, within about 10 minutes I'm ready to run the trails by my house, do the spin bike, weights, or whatever i'm in the mood for. I know that if I wait until after work I won't do it so I know I have to.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
    I just set the alarm and get up. I like the people at the Y in the mornings, they are so positive and uplifting.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night. I cannot fall asleep for at least an hour. No matter what I do. I have lots of anxiety and racing thoughts. I've tried anti-anxiety medication but it doesn't help much.

    I take melatonin on nights I can't stop thinking about things. It seems to make a difference.

    I take trazodone for that exact thing, night time anxiety. Panic attacks as I'm laying in bed if I don't take it, and it helps me fall asleep, the good thing though is it doesn't knock me out, I can still hear the baby and get up with her if I have to.
  • flexninja
    flexninja Posts: 3
    yeah buddy best time to excersie. starts your morning off with a kickstart and a a boost of energy for the rest of your day. for maE LIFTERS testosterone is the highest in the morning and helps you get in the right mindset.
  • bigjretrac
    bigjretrac Posts: 80 Member
    I've found that I have the best results when I pack everything for the gym the night before. I have everything laid out so the only thing I have to do is brush my teeth, wash my face, get into my gym clothes and GO! Anything more than that, and I won't go.

    PS- I use Melatonin on tough nights too, and it seems to help :D
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
    I generally get up about 2 hours early to hit the gym - when have clinic at 9 I will aim to be starting my lifting routine by 7 or so just so I have enough time to shower/change and head to work

    that being said I think it's a lot easier for guys then gals - I literally hop in the gym shower get out, towel off - throw on some deodorant and change into slacks/shirt/tie - or just scrubs and head in.
  • ccburn5
    ccburn5 Posts: 473 Member
    I do I do!! 5:30 a.m. 3 days a week. Its a routine now!!!
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    I've never been a morning person. I'm still not really, but I get up at 4:30 to work out anyway.

    In the beginning I had to not think about it at all. I would just roll out of bed as soon as my alarm went off, and start moving. If I thought about why I was getting up so early, I would say screw it and go back to sleep.

    I'm used to it now, but I still lay everything out the night before.

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