New Routine Adjustments

PhearlessPhreaks

I have recently started working out early in the morning; my 4mo wakes between 4-5:30 for her morning bottle, and I often toss and turn when I try to go back to sleep, so I've started going to the gym instead. I've been a night owl for most of my life, and while I do enjoy getting my workout in first thing in the morning, I am ready for a nap by 8-9am, and feel lazy for a good portion of the day. I'm hoping my body will adjust to the new routine and I won't be so tired for most of the morning, but I'm curious what others who work out in the morning (before school, work etc...) think.

AM workout enthusiasts, when you started your routine, how long did it take for your body and energy levels to adapt?

PhearlessPhreaks

bump

PhearlessPhreaks

I'm the only one on MFP who works out in the AM despite being a night person? :sad:

cantfail

Are you actually getting enough sleep? If you are getting up at 4:30ish, to get 6 hours of sleep, you would need to go to bed about 10:30. With a 4 mo. old, I bet you are sleep deprived in general. :yawn:

wicked65

I started working out in the morning about 4 weeks ago. I get up by 5:30 at the latest and head to the gym.
When I joined the YMCA, I laughlingly told one of my co-workers that she would never see me there at that hour of the morning. I'm really enjoying it. For at least 1.5 yrs my doctor has been telling me if I exercise, I will have more energy....I finally believe him. If I come back home and have nothing I HAVE to do, I can easily go back to bed and sleep the morning away; but if I continue my day, go to work, work 7 or 8 hours and come home . . I find I'm no more tired that I would have been if I crawled out of bed at 7 am, didn't exercise and went to work. I am even finding little energy spurts to do some housework in the evening. I am a former shift worker and night owl....but now I look at the clock at 10pm and it's off to bed. It's weird and wonderful!

PhearlessPhreaks

Are you actually getting enough sleep? If you are getting up at 4:30ish, to get 6 hours of sleep, you would need to go to bed about 10:30. With a 4 mo. old, I bet you are sleep deprived in general. :yawn:

Yeah, I get about 5-7 hours a night, occasionally more; sometimes less. I'm trying to get to bed earlier to see if that helps...

PhearlessPhreaks

I started working out in the morning about 4 weeks ago. I get up by 5:30 at the latest and head to the gym.
When I joined the YMCA, I laughlingly told one of my co-workers that she would never see me there at that hour of the morning. I'm really enjoying it.

...but now I look at the clock at 10pm and it's off to bed. It's weird and wonderful!

Yeah, I know what you mean!

Nessalee77

I find that if I get out of routine for a couple of weeks, (like over the dead of winter, when I start working out in my lunch breaks instead of mornings) it takes me one weekend of half-assing it and then a solid week to get back into it, and the first weekend after a full week back I am totally exhausted. The second week is easier, and by the end of the third my energy levels are higher than when I started.

Of course, I have no kids. I do work an 8-5 job though.

Hope that helps!

PhearlessPhreaks

I find that if I get out of routine for a couple of weeks, (like over the dead of winter, when I start working out in my lunch breaks instead of mornings) it takes me one weekend of half-assing it and then a solid week to get back into it, and the first weekend after a full week back I am totally exhausted. The second week is easier, and by the end of the third my energy levels are higher than when I started.

Of course, I have no kids. I do work an 8-5 job though.

Hope that helps!

Thanks! That is what I'm hoping for- more energy, rather than being tired most of the day!