How early do you get up to exercise?

Nlongenecker

Part of the reason I don't exercise the way I should is that I have this rule in my head that getting up at 4:30am is just plain wrong! This is what time I would need to get up most mornings to workout 1 hour. I try exercising at the end of the day but I am usually shot or let other things get in the way. Then I decided to do 20 min in the morning & 20 min at night. But the night exercise is still not working. Maybe I just need to stop whining about the early mornings. I thought if heard from other people that get up at a similarly ridiculous time, I wouldn't feel so bad.

MrsUnderwood

I work out after work because I can barely get up with enough time to get ready in the morning...I've NEVER been an early riser.

JustAmy

I get up at 5:00 am so I have time to workout, I absolutely know that I won't workout after work. I just treat it like my job, I wouldn't skip work, so I can't skip my workout either!

The best part is that you get it over with first thing and know it's done:bigsmile:

gambitsgurl

On weekends I've been getting up at 5 to work out. On week days 5:30.

moranc

I've tried getting up early to work out and my body just refuses to cooperate! So, my best time is at night. I just get in my head first thing in the morning that I will be exercising at night and then think about it most of the day so that I'm determined to work out and not let anything else side track me until I'm done. But I only do about 20-30 min a day or every other day...with 2 young kids, that's about all I can do at this point.

Good Luck! Anything is better than nothing so even if you get your 20 min in the morning, I think that certainly helps too.

kaymac

Of course getting up at 4:30 in the morning is wrong I agree! BUT I know that if I don't do it first thing (by that I mean setting a clock) it won't get done for sure. Plus and this is a big plus...you will tap into your fat stores more readily than if you were to wait until later in the day to workout. I absolutely hate getting up so early to do this but later on in the day when I'm done with my job I'm just so glad I don't have to go and workout.

stringcheeze

Who said you had to get up early? Unless that's really the only time you can work in 20 minutes, exercise when it's convenient (and not a hassle) for you -- you're more likely to stick with it.

Getting a decent amount of sleep will be very much more beneficial than getting up early to exercise. You're cutting into your body's chance to rest and repair, so you're working against yourself.

vdub88

I will say that it helps. I set out my workout clothes out next to the bed the night before. I get up change, run tot he bathroom turn on the tv and jump on the treadmill. I get up at 5 to start my day. When I do this it does make my day different and honestly it frees up my evenings. I can work out more if I chose, but if I miss it I'm ok because I know I already had it done.

Its not easy and I will be honest Mondays I have good intentions on getting up early but I never seem to make those monday morning work outs. But I still get it in at night. up at 5 work out for one hour jump in shower and then get the kids up. it was VERY hard habit to get into but I also heard you burn more fat if you excercise first thing in the morning as well. So there may be an added benefit.

:bigsmile:

JENROMERO

Exercising in the morning seems to be the only way that works for me. At night after work, dinner, laundry, playing chauffer for the kids.....it just doesn't happen. So, I set the alarm for 5:15 and after hitting the snooze button a couple times, I get up to do 30 mins on my stationary bike. I know it isn't a die hard work out, but honestly, it pays off for me! I did it 4 days in a row last week and lost 3 lbs. Its something I can be consistent in doing....and I can do it in the quiet of the morning, enjoy the news on the tv while I exercise. Maybe wake up at 5am and get in 30 mins for now.

absie107

i have class at 9 MWF so I get up around 6:20 to work out until 7:30, do tai chi, then shower, then eat a nice breakfast/do homework, then go to music theory. lol.

T and TH I have class at 8, so oftentimes I skip the morning workout and go around 2:15 PM or at night if I have to. Saturdays I try to wake up slightly earlyish because it's nice when everyone is still crashed from Friday night and it feels like I have the whole campus/rec. center track to myself.

Sundays... well... rest day! I don't think it matters how early you're up. On the contrary, sometimes I do better in the afternoons when I've had food in my stomach and more energy as a result. Totally agreed on the sleep thing with stringcheeze. I usually get 7ish hours so I'm good waking up that early.

djstargater

I get up at 0330 every morning and get to work before 0430 to work out. Of course I work out with a Military Police training company so I have to be here that early if I want to work out with them before they start the training day. Some days it is very hard to get up that early believe me.

Chenoachem

I getup between 3:30 and 4am to workout. I try to be done by 5:30am to shower and be to work by 6:30am (with getting daughter ready and taken to her school)

mzenzer

5AM here. Frankly yeah if you can't workout in the evenings you need to just get up early and do it. No whining I'm not naturally an early riser either, but because of my job I don't always know when I'm going to get home and if it's somewhat late, then it's a mental chess match going on in my head with the two sides battling over workout/don't workout, and you can guess which one usually wins. Plus, I feel much better during the day and have lots of energy when I workout in the morning. If I skip it, the difference I feel during the day is noticeable. I also go to sleep earlier and get a more solid rest, which allows me to put more into my workout. Once you get in a rhythm I think you'll love working out in the morning.

Plus, early in the morning is my time. Everyone else in the house is still sleeping. I haven't checked email yet and am not stressing over a mailbox full of crap I have to do that day. No one's calling me. It all makes for a much more focused, enjoyable time to workout.

mlh612

I feel the exact same way - I do good to get up on time as is. I have tried to get up early to exercise, but I don't have the same amount of motivation if I wake up extra early. I find that the early evenings work best - I'm more likely to push harder and plus it helps me sleep better!! :happy:

danibabs

I feel bad waking up my boyfriend any earlier than is necessary cause he has a really hard time getting back to sleep and works night shifts 4 days a week. Which is pretty much just an excuse for me to not get up before 7, because I am NOT a morning person. I get annoyed with anyone who even looks at me before 8am.
To get myself to work out after work I have a couple strategies.
1) Two days a week I have classes that I pay for per class, and my gym has a 24 hour cancellation policy so if I skip it I lose the money.
2) I go straight to the gym after work and don't let myself go home first. If I'm still in "go" mode I can't make excuses not to workout. But if I stop at home first, take my time getting changed, maybe chat with a roomate, watch some tv, all of a sudden I'm not going to the gym.

avaricious

i love that quote and the movie.

Kath712

Part of the reason I don't exercise the way I should is that I have this rule in my head that getting up at 4:30am is just plain wrong! This is what time I would need to get up most mornings to workout 1 hour. I try exercising at the end of the day but I am usually shot or let other things get in the way. Then I decided to do 20 min in the morning & 20 min at night. But the night exercise is still not working. Maybe I just need to stop whining about the early mornings. I thought if heard from other people that get up at a similarly ridiculous time, I wouldn't feel so bad.

I totally hear you! I'm hoping the early-risers here on MFP will give us the inspiration to get up early. I'm currently getting up at 5:30, and I keep telling myself I could squeeze in my workout if I get up at 5:00. But like you said, it just feels so wrong. :noway: I'm so not a morning person.

Tomorrow might be my day, though. Mondays and Tuesdays are busy in the evenings for my family, so it will be hard to get in a workout. Maybe, just maybe, I will have the gumption to get up early tomorrow. I'll let you know! :bigsmile:

Cina04

Wake up 5am to do my morning workout
(I give myself 30mins to drink my N.O Xplode pre trainer drink - it gives you energy and helps burn more cals)
I start working out at 5:45am - 6am while my girls are still sleeping

Than I do my afternoon workout at 2pm during naptime.

I can't workout at the end of the day because my husband goes to the gym, dinner, bedtime, college, and I read that working before bedtime isn't a good idea. There were a few times when I had to workout at 8pm because I didn't wake up early to do one of my workouts and I don't want to use the excuse that my day was too busy.

amandalc980

I don't think I have ever been aware of a 4 in the morning. I always considered that to be one of those mythical things like unicorns and Santa. People who wake up early to work out AMAZE me. I have to be at work at 6, so I would have to wake up at 4 if I wanted to work out in the morning. EUGH! Add in the shower and blow dry time that just takes too much work. I love my afternoon/after dinner workouts. I have been sleeping soooo good since I started working out after dinner.

BMTVA

I like early morning workouts for cardio but the kids seem to know my schedule and they get up too! :ohwell: I like evenings for cardio.

Right now I do cardio at 9am with the baby in a stroller while my 3 older homeschoolers get started on reading.

beautifullyjaded

for the moment i am a stay at home mom and my husband has to be to work at 830 every day so i get up at 545 in the morning and go work out and im home by 730-745. befor when i was working i would get up at 430 in the morning so i could be to my gym by 5 am when they opend. i hate mornings to and i dont like getting up now cause i could sleep in till 7 or 8 but its worth it to lose thoes pounds!