How to become a morning exerciser?!?

Edwiner

Just a quote I once read and fits perfectly to this topic, " You'll get a lot more compliments for working out than for sleeping in"

kms1104

I know I'm not the OP, but thanks to reading this post, I DID IT! I woke up at 5:15 and worked out!

I need to get into practice, because it WAS hard (I did not "pop" out of bed like I need to at 5. I hit snooze twice but got up before it went off the 3rd time).

I'm a teacher, and it's teacher work week, so I have a little practice room (since I don't have to be at work until an hour later than when the kids come back)... but I realized I can still get a good 30 minute (I usually do 45) workout in with varying the intensity of the elliptical or other machine I'm on. It was a "harder" workout, but I feel a lot more awake than I would if I just drank my coffee, watched the news and checked facebook (and MFP).

All the responses that mentioned turning lights on probably helped the most, usually I'm "anti" lights in the a.m. just the little light over my stove on.

Thanks guys!

follmer20

I have no choice but to get up early as my 3 year old doesn't take naps during the day. Im a stay at home mom so I made myself get up at 4 for a 5 am workout. I've been going back to sleep though so I'm not dead tired in the afternoon. It was rough at first because I was used to sleeping in with the kids. But anymore, the alarm goes off, I get up. No snooze button for me. Takes me about 19 minutes to fully function but I'm up the first alarm! Your body gets used to it just like it gets used to eating healthy, drinking water and anything else you want to change. Make yourself do it for a week and you should be good! :-)

kgb6days

I am not and never have been a morning person, but I make myself do my runs in the morning before work. I set my clock, get up and go to the gym and run on the track. There just isn't anywhere safe for me to run outside at 0500. After I'm done, I really feel good and my exercise for that day is done. I do Zumba in the afternoons after work, and strength training is after work, but running I do in the morning. The good part - by the time I'm really awake - it's over!!!!

FitGirl329

I DID IT TOO! I got up at 5:30 this morning to work out! I didn't even want to bang my head against the wall when I got up. I think I had told myself so many times last night at I was going to do it, that it just happened. Now, to see what time I'll start crashing this afternoon or this evening! LOL!

deadbeatsummer

Ok so after his thread, I did it today - it was great! I used a sleep calculator and got up at 5:30am and ran 5k before breakfast. I did start to feel sick but it was honestly fine!

FitGirl329

Two days in a row. I could have gone back to sleep. But then I thought about how great it was to have my evening (that ended up being packed with activities from work up until bedtime) free. I got right out of bed.

Is it OK if we use this thread as a daily update/motivational thread too?

ColtyHan

I have had a sick toddler, so I haven't made it out in the morning yet, but I got an alarm clock app for my phone that makes me do math problems before I can shut it off. I will see if that makes me get out of bed tomorrow.

RougeIllusion

I am a naturally a morning person, I'm usually up by 8 without an alarm but I wanted to start getting up at 5:45 to go to the gym. One of the biggest things that helped me was going to bed earlier the first couple weeks. I was in bed by 9:30 some nights and it really helps to feel rested when getting up early. I'm use to it now so I usually go to bed around 11 or 11:30.

Good Luck

Cmonnowguys

I used to hate working out in the morning, but once or week or so I have to (I'm in the military) and now I find it pretty refreshing. It helps if you wake up an hour or so before you actually start. Makes the transition a little smoother!

fervc6064

I'm struggling with this too. Not a morning person.

laurelobrien

1. go to bed at a reasonable time - much easier if you stop looking at screens (computer, ipad, etc) in the hours before bed
2. set out exercise clothes before sleeping
3. wake up in the morning, work out
4. repeat

I found it way more doable when I got a coffee machine that made good coffee easily/quickly. The promise of a caffeinated run is worth getting out of bed for, and generally simplifying the steps between waking and getting out the door is a plus for lazy morning people like myself. if I have to root around for leggings or socks at 7 am I end up saying "$%^& it" and roll over to the other side of the bed.

KoRnKraZy

Coffee

JusticeGirl25

I love working out in the morning so I can get it out of the way! Get up early in the morning, work out for an hour or so, take a shower and go about my day. When I get home, I'm too tired to work out!

stepheatscake

There's no button you push to become a morning exerciser. You just DO it. You get out of bed, push every excuse aside and get out. It's discipline.

Victorian131

I tried so many times to get up early and exercise and I did for a while, I used to get up at 7 and go swimming for 45 mins before work. After I had done it I felt great but after a while, despite getting the same amount of seep (between 7 and 8 hours) I felt so exhausted when my alarm went off I would basically just sit and cry, most of the time I wouldn't even have the energy to put my swimsuit on and collapse in to a bawling big pitiful heap on my bed until it was time to actually get up for work ( so so so lame and pathetic I know) by around 10am I would be feeling fine.
It was suggested I may be anemic but I went with just pathetic. I've never been a morning person, unless I get around 10-11 hours sleep I never wake up naturally and can never get out of bed without snoozing at least 3 or 4 times (sometimes I sleepwalk and turn my alarm off outright and miss work all together).
Working out in the evening isn't great either as I have a back problem that is worse at the end of the day. I work a desk job so the only exercise I get in a day is the 30 minutes walking I do around the site on my lunch break. Needless to say, I'm not losing much despite eating between 1200 and 1500 a day.
I will keep persevering with morning workouts and trying to overcome my inherent pathetic responses to cold mornings. Im glad to see other people finding it hard but having to strength to push on anyway. I realy admire you all.
Vix

bookworm_847

I get up at 5 AM every morning to exercise. I'm not a natural morning exerciser by any means. At first I really had to make myself get up and do it. I had my workout stuff all ready to go right next to my side of the bed, so I had no excuses not to get up and do it.

I was really tired at first, so I'd just do a little bit. When I started, my workouts would be 20-30 minutes. As I got more used to it and as it became more a part of my routine, I increased the frequency and duration. Now I'm at 5-6 days a week for 60 minutes during the week and more on the weekends.

It took a little while, but now I love it. I work out at home and being there when the house is so peaceful really helps me to be able to focus and get the most out of what I'm doing. It's pretty awesome too to be able to see the sun come up. Seeing the sunrise while I'm working my tail off is sort of symbolic in a way (at least to me).

Showmm

I love this topic. Definitely will try some of this advice when I try yet again to start a morning exercise routine.

cmcis

bump

Ninguneado73

In order to run I have to get up at 4:30 AM. Which makes me go to bed early, between 9:30 PM and 10:30PM. I also eat some lean cuts and some bread the night before a long run. You will do great!