Advice for becoming more of a morning person?

MaiLinna

I dunno, I've always loved that extra free time I feel I have when I wake up early in the morning. I love new days. Unfortunately that vigor is gone by noon and I just want to sleep. -_- Then the sun sets and I'm hyper again. I wish I knew what was wrong.

ckmama

I am a morning person and live with 3 non morning people. I have tried everything I can to help them have a better attitude in the morning and be motivated upon rising.

I find that taking a shower in the morning helps you wake up. Drinking coffee. Pretending like you have something exciting scheduled for that morning. Getting up before others and having quiet time is the best reward. It is nice to have 2+ hours to just do as I want, Collect my thoughts.

I wake up automattically at the same time every morning, no alarm clock, no matter what time I went to bed. I'm not the best sleeper and sometimes can't sleep but i still get up early. I think that comes with age.

Have a glass of water by the bed and drink some in the morning when you go for your morning pee.

You could also set a routine for the morning so you feel as if you "have something to do": read, workout, internet forums, coffee, wash clothes, whatever.

Good luck. I know my 2 kids and husband will never be morning people.

bkyoun

Since daylight savings is this weekend, just keep getting up at the same time and it'll be an hour earlier on the clock.

This

Blueberry09

Since daylight savings is this weekend, just keep getting up at the same time and it'll be an hour earlier on the clock.

Excellent idea!!

SkinnyFatAlbert

Assuming you have time at night I say why change? The best time to workout is one you can actually stick to. That's different for everyone. Fit your workouts and your eating habits around a schedule that works for you. If that means working out after work and preparing meals in advance in the evenings or in bulk on the weekends then do that instead. If you find yourself having as much trouble getting motivated after work or on a lazy Sunday as you do in the mornings then there's a bigger issue that goes beyond the time of day.

JRadd14

I struggle with it too. For me to get my workout in requires getting up around 4:15am. I have stretches where I do great, others not so much... I struggle getting enough sleep and if I'm really sleepy it's so hard to get out of bed!!

What helps me...
- As numerous people have said, just "do it"! Commit to a full week and see how you feel. You'll get used to the time and it will become more automatic.
- Have your workout clothes laid out the night before. Be sure you have some layers or a couple options if needed in case it's warm/cold/whatever...
- Put something in the crockpot the night before... numerous oat/oameal recipes out on the web. Or have something premade such as hardboiled eggs... pair with some quick cook turkey sausage and an english muffin, fruit - breakfast in less than 10 min. Have your coffee on a timer to go off when you want to wake up.
- I will take ON Amino Energy, but anything with a bit of caffeine can help get the body moving.
- Put your earbuds in and start cranking some great music as your getting out of bed and getting ready to get you in the mood.
- Set a calendar alarm or note to alert you at your wakeup time with an inspiring message, such as "You can do it!" or "It's going to be a great day beautiful!"
- Check a sleep rhythm calculator to see when you should go to sleep/wakeup based on our natural sleep rhythms. Most people get to little or too much sleep, both of which will leave you tired. Sleep cycles are around 1.5 hours... if you wake up in the middle of one you'll likely be tired. Keep in mind it takes about 15min to fall alseep, so the count would start then.

Good luck... can't wait to see other tips & tricks!!

codycsweet

I never wanted to get up early for a workout, until a few months ago. I prepared myself by setting my alarm 45 min earlier than normal. For a week I did this but didn't get up to work out, I was just getting my body and mind adjusted. The following week I was up every morning to do my t25. I have done well with a morning workout and will sometimes get in a pm one to bc I have so much more energy. It is what works for you. I was finding when I went back to work the end of August it was hard to get in a workout at all and now I've adjusted and if I for some reason don't get up early in the am I will still get in a workout after work now bc it's part of me and my routine. Yesterday I didn't work out in the am but I made it to a Zumba class in the evening.
BTW I love my bed especially now that it is colder and darker in the mornings

PeaceHappinessBalance

Get as much prepared as you can the night before. Have a plan for your breakfast, have your coffee cup under the coffee machine ready to go. Go to bed about the same time everynight and wake up about the same time everyday, even on weekends. Lay your clothes and gear out at night as well. First thing I do I drink some coffee. Eventually your body and mind will get used to this and it will become easy. Also tell yourself that after the first 10 minutes of your workout you will probably feel MUCH more energy and motivation.

elyelyse

Lots of great suggestions...here's one more...

Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room so you have to get up out of bed to turn it off. Getting out of bed is the hardest part (for me at least). Once my feet hit the floor and I'm out from under the covers, it's easier to get going.

caitmarshhh

I just downloaded a new alarm clock app on my phone... the alarm won't go off until I turn a light on. This forces me to get up to turn the light on and once it's on the brightness helps wake me up. It seems to be working so far. Before that, I tried setting multiple alarms, setting my alarm for 30 minutes before I actually had to be up, and other things like that but they didn't seem to help, no matter how early I went to bed the night before.

MaryElizabeth29

I've gone to bed in my workout clothes before. It helped to get me out of bed, knowing I was already dressed and ready to go.

Amazing!

ShortInSeattle

Check out the book "early to rise" by Andy Traub. I am a lifelong nightowl but have been getting up at 5:30-6:30 voluntarily for 6months after following his steps. Good stuff!

lawlorka

I used to be the type of person that rolled out of bed about 20mins before I had to leave the house, and then slept in til 11am at the weekends.

What changed? I got a dog! My OH works nights, so the dog HAS to be walked before I leave for work every morning so it will snooze for a few hours so my OH can get some sleep!

At the weekends, he's awake waiting to be fed and walked at the same time - he doesn't know what a weekend is!

So I'm up at 6am every weekday and I get up at 7am on weekends. The first week or two was hard, but then you just get used to it, and now I wake up about 5mins before my alarm myself because I'm in a routine.

Saying that - if my OH is off, I stay in bed!!!!!

The_Enginerd

Have you considered what bacon can do for you?

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Bacon-Alarm-Clock

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityofate/2012/08/the_wake_n_bacon_alarm_clock_l.php

BetseaPea

WOW! I am amazed by the number of awesome, thoughtful suggestions from all of you!!! Thank you so much! It seems like planning ahead is a theme throughout these posts, so that's where I'm going to start. Keeping it up will be hard, but at least I'll have a forum for reporting my progress. Again, thank you all for your wonderful suggestions!! Wish me luck!

tx_megan

I agree with a lot of other people on here. The old "If you fail to plan, then plan to fail" motto. If left to my own devices, I will make bad eating choices every time. So I only keep 'healthier' foods in the house (single w/ no kids, so I only have myself to worry about!), and make sure there is always something cooked or pre-packaged available for me to eat or take with me so I don't get stuck in that 'nothing to eat, so I will pick up fast food or take-out' scenario if I'm out, or at home, I will 'binge' on edamame or fruits and veggies, rather than chips and ice cream.
I wouldn't say I'm a 'morning person' by any means, but it has definitely gotten easier for me since I started on MFP. I decided to do my exercise in the mornings, because it really sets me up for a 'good day', both mentally and with making better food choices too. But that means my alarm goes off at 5am every morning so I have time to get a jog in before getting ready for work. For the first few weeks, it was horrible, I hated it and literally felt like a zombie when I would exercise. About three months in now, I wouldn't call it fun, but it has definitely gotten A LOT easier! I feel like I'm at a point where I really Want to get up each morning... I'm losing weight steadily, feeling better, getting into smaller sizes with my clothes... all of those things have certainly helped with the motivation. All those things will come with time, but to start, it can be really tough. You just gotta do it!
Best of luck to you... I can say from experience that none of it is easy, but it is definitely worth it!

MarkC1963

I get up M-F at 4:30 AM to take a 5:30 RPM class at my athletic club. As others suggested, I get my clothes ready the night before and have them in the bathroom near the shower. I use a vibrating alarm in my bed to ensure I wake. I immediately go to the bathroom, take my vitamins and some caffeine, weigh myself, and get right into the shower for a very hot soak. This feels so good that I actually look forward to it and it motivates me to get up every day.

Hope it helps. -Mark

novakac

Yeah, I'm so not a morning person. In fact, I've been fired from jobs, flunked classes.... and finally went and got myself diagnosed with DSPS (delayed sleep phase syndrome, fancy medical term for "night owl")

Things that help me (and I've gotten SO much better)

- Limiting caffeine after 3 pm (not 7, as other suggest).
- Not changing my routine drastically on the weekends.
- Not eating before bed.
- Taking a very very small dose of melatonin at 6:00 or so in the evening.

- Lots and lots and lots of light in the morning. Seriously, I don't care about how dark it is at night as long as it's light in the morning.
- Coffee. Love love love it.

SherryTeach

I am really happy if I can sleep past 5:00 am. I haven't set an alarm for nearly 15 years. Here's how I did it:

1. I had kids.
2. I got a dog that wanted breakfast at 4:30 am.
3. I got older. I always wondered why my grandparents were up at the crack of dawn. Now I know.

seltzermint555

I have no clue about motivating oneself to work out in the AM. I have only been able to do that during a period of time when I wasn't working, and could get myself up and at it by 9 or 10 am. But I work a typical 8-5 and there's no way I'm going to work out at 5 or even 7 am so it's not gonna happen for me either ;-)

However...when it comes to eating breakfast, I think I've got that covered. Years ago, I used to leave it up in the air, and would end up grabbing myself a fast food breakfast a few times per week. SO much of my calories, fat, sodium right off the bat and I had to eat it quickly so it wasn't even that enjoyable either. Or, I would just grab stuff in the kitchen that sounded good at the time and was not always the best choice. Now, I preplan most of my meals but especially breakfast. So I don't have to think about it.

I know not everyone can handle eating the same stuff over and over, but I have a "default" breakfast I'll do when I am short on time. Walk zombielike into the kitchen and scramble 1 egg with onion & bell pepper that is already chopped up (I keep it on hand), spritz pan with canola and fry, flip and stick a small tortilla on top, flip again. Spread on a tiny bit of chipotle dressing while my K cup is going and I have an egg taco and coffee within about 7 minutes or less. Works for me.

GGDaddy

3 things that worked for me:

1) Like others said, put your alarm on the other side of the room so you have to get up

2) Go to bed with a cup of water on your nightstand. Drink it before you turn off your alarm. Try it, you'll be amazed at the whoosh of energy,

3) Get up at the same time every morning, and no more than 2 hours later than that on weekends. The cliche that it takes 21 days to become a habit is true. Suffer through the first 3 weeks, then no kidding it's your new normal.

Good luck!

Froody2

Just get older. My bladder wakes me up every morning now, much as I hate it.

I sound like my grandmother lol.

stumblinthrulife

I'm a firm believer in "Fake it 'til you make it"

If I want to change something about myself, I act like the person I want to be and eventually my brain catches on and I stop acting and keep doing.