Morning workouts..... how do you do it?

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jess_erin
jess_erin Posts: 69 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am not a morning person.... but I would love to be. I always leave my workouts to after work but lately I've been missing them because of other things. I think it would be so good for me and my schedule if I could make myself workout in the morning. Any practical tips on how I can make the transition?
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Replies

  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
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    I LOVE working out in the morning. It gives me an exra burst of energy to get through my day. But, I am not going to lie I only workout morning during the summer and on weekends. In the winter I do my workouts at night.

    To get my *kitten* out of bed I...set my alarm and put it on the otherside of the room. I lay out my workout clothes and accessories (ipod, water, etc) the night before. I set my coffee pot to be ready when I return from my morning run as a little treat while I watch the news. Honestly it will become habbit if you just keep at it.

    The reason I don't work out mornings in the winter is because it's too cold & dark so I switch it up to evening workouts.

    Find what works best for you & stick with it ~ you won't be sorry :smile:
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    just get your lasy *kitten* outa that warm bed at 4am and kick some *kitten*!
    HOW BAD DO U WANT it????
  • novembersuse
    novembersuse Posts: 77 Member
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    I've recently started getting back into 6am runs before work, and so far I'm really enjoying it! It took me about 2 months of setting my alarm early before I actually managed to get up for one (too cold, too dark, too tired, too rainy) and eventually I pinned a notice beside my bed that said 'do you want to make excuses, or do you want to run?'. A bit silly, but it actually worked.

    Getting up and dressed is tough, but finding the streets deserted and quiet is really nice, and makes running alot easier. And the feeling when you get home, and you've done your workout/run/gym before most people are even awake is great. And then your evenings are free for you to spend however you like, guilt-free :)
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    I was always an afternoon/night exerciser, but decided I wanted to switch to before work for various reasons. I now get up at 4am to workout, but in the beginning it was very hard (and still occasionally can be).

    I will share what worked for me.

    1.) Having everything set out and ready to go. No thinking required. My workout clothes and things are all laid out, my work clothes are all set, my lunch all packed, etc.

    2.) Put your alarm out of reach. This way, you actually have to get up to shut it off.

    2.) No shower the night before. I hate being dirty (it drives me nuts) and I cannot show up to work looking greasy. Thus, I have to get up early to shower anyway, so I mine as well get up that extra 30-60 minutes to workout and then shower. (This is really what convinced me some days when I wanted to roll over.)

    I hope you find what works for you! <3
  • nyboer
    nyboer Posts: 346 Member
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    I hate to wake up early in the AM - my bed is just way too comfy! :yawn: Especially this time of year: fall/winter. Having said that, I will *not* workout in the afternoon/evening so if I don't get up early it doesn't happen. When I get home from work I would much rather spend my time making dinner, picking up, petting the dog, seeing my husband, or going out with friends.

    I'm not sure how long you exercise but I do one 30 minute DVD and that's me done for the day. (My husband and I will walk our dog after supper but that doesn't count as it's not a calorie burner.) I set my alarm for 5:45, get to hit snooze two or three times, and then get up to WO. All my WO clothes are waiting for me in the bathroom - no muss, no fuss.

    When I'm in the habit, it's not so bad waking up early. But, when I get out of the habit I find it so much harder to get back to it. :grumble: Yesterday was my first early AM WO in almost 2 weeks and it sucked. A big one. BUT, I had so much more energy throughout the rest of the day. When I try to get back into the habit I tell myself the night before that I'm waking up early to WO tomorrow and that's all there is to is. I find that if I set the expectation I'll more likely follow through.

    Plus, I have a handful of friends on MFP that get their WO done in the AM and that helps me to get up early too. It's nice not being the only one sometimes. Seeing my early-AM MFPers post their WOs guilted me into it again. :tongue:

    We can all tell you our tips/tricks but everyone is different. What works for me may not help you. It really boils down to how badly do you want to workout/get fit? If you want it badly enough then you'll get up early and do it. Bottom line.

    Feel free to friend me if you want - I'll happily kick your butt into it :laugh:
    I am not a morning person.... but I would love to be. I always leave my workouts to after work but lately I've been missing them because of other things. I think it would be so good for me and my schedule if I could make myself workout in the morning. Any practical tips on how I can make the transition?
  • bads1
    bads1 Posts: 39 Member
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    I don't think it has anything to do with being a morning person really. Translate your motivation for working out at night to the A.M., so that you can do what you want at night. The snooze on my alarm is 9 minutes, and for years it was my favorite button. One morning, after hitting snooze, I asked myself, what's the point in 9 more minutes of sleep? I'll feel the exact same way in 9 minutes as I do now, but I'll be stressed because I'm running behind schedule wise.

    At night I have the willpower to set my alarm to get up early for the gym, and in the morning I ask myself what's the point in hitting the snooze or resetting the alarm? I could blow off the gym, and sleep another hour, but I'll still feel the same, and an hour's sleep after I already woke up isn't that great (for me). But I know the feeling I'll get as I walk OUT of the gym, the sense of satisfaction can be overwhelming.

    It's my motivation...
  • svsl0928
    svsl0928 Posts: 205 Member
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    Once you start it you will not want to stop. You have to set your mind to do it. The evenings at my gym were crowded. In the morning, your body is rested. In the evenings, there are plenty of reasons for excuses. I also the gym was too hot in the summer months.
  • sandra80
    sandra80 Posts: 308 Member
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    I wake up at 430AM Mon-Fri and do an hour on the treadmill. When I'm done, I get that rush from it. It makes me feel more alert and awake. I never WANT to wake up for it but I know it will make me feel better when I'm done. As for advice.....I don't really have any other than to say, you get used to it. it's my routine now.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    just get your lasy *kitten* outa that warm bed at 4am and kick some *kitten*!
    HOW BAD DO U WANT it????

    I :heart: Youse!!
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
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    I just started doing my workouts in the morning, and it is SO much better. I won't lie, I hate getting up at 4am knowing I could sleep for another hour lol. I was like you, doing them in the afternoons, after work. But recently my kids schedules have gotten more hectic so I kept missing workouts.

    Working out in the morning is better for me because I know I've done it, it isn't hanging around in the back of my head stressing me out all day. For me, it is much easier to come up with a list of excuses later in the day than the one excuse (sleeping) for not doing it in the morning.

    I agree with everyone about things that help, setting out your clothes and workout gear ahead of time so they're ready to go. Not showering the night before helps too. I keep my alarm next to my bed though, I tried moving it but still ended up shutting it off just as much. I set it early enough that I have time to hit snooze twice before I get up.

    Good luck!
  • dcr5452WECHANGED
    dcr5452WECHANGED Posts: 121 Member
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    Go to bed earlier.Refrain from going out after work for beers or drinks. This never helps.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    The first week can be challenging. You do need to go to bed earlier, too, so that you aren't ending up short on sleep.

    I have everything ready the night before and I just have to get up and throw some clothes on. I have the luxury of coming home to shower, but there are plenty of women at my gym who shower there and get ready for work and go straight to work. If you have everything ready before you go to bed, it's not too much to take.

    It comes down to just doing it. There isn't a trick that makes it happen, other than setting your alarm and having the discipline to get up and do it.
  • Lorelli12
    Lorelli12 Posts: 7 Member
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    I...absolutely....hate....mornings!!!!! But I love the morning workouts! I get up at 4:35 M-F to get to the gym. One thing that helps me is a partner, at least to start out the habit. If you have a crazy friend that can meet you and make you accountable that will help develop the habit. Also what helped me, which seems so simple but works, is when you do get up in the morning and workout take a minute to remember how you feel, I mean seriously take a minute and remember that feeling. Then remember how you feel when you don't get your workout in. It's about how it makes you feel. I never never never regret waking up and getting my butt to the gym, but if I don't, I don't feel as positive. It's not easy but you can do it!
  • KristinNicole82
    KristinNicole82 Posts: 164 Member
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    I don't, mornings and I don't get along.
  • Lorelli12
    Lorelli12 Posts: 7 Member
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    Also, I set all my clothes and necessities out the night before so that it doesn't take me but a few minutes to get dressed and ready, less time to talk myself out of it.
  • dirty_dirty_eater
    dirty_dirty_eater Posts: 574 Member
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    Alarm goes off at 3:25.
    Monday through Friday mornings I ask myself "Self (that's what I call me). Self, are you getting your lazy *kitten* up for the gym today or what?" Every morning, self says "Stupid question! Of course I'm getting up."
  • _Tara_R
    _Tara_R Posts: 688 Member
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    My workouts are so much better in the mornings.....I have more energy. I used to do them in the evenings...but I would either talk myself out of them to spend time with my family or something always came up.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I set my alarm, it goes off, I get up....

    If you're not a morning person just workout later in the day. It is irrelevant when you workout...the best time to workout is whenever you're going to crush it...and if you suck in the mornings then you're just going to have a substandard workout.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I set my alarm, it goes off, I get up....


    :angry:

    I was going to post this, almost word for word.

    It'll likely take a couple of weeks to get used to it, and you may find that you need to go to bed a little earlier.
    But, yeah. That's pretty much it.
  • KJohns110
    KJohns110 Posts: 2
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    Start with simple calisthenics in your living room. Begin with something as simple as a neck roll. This will start the routine and you won't have to get dressed, find a gym and go through all that hassle.

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