Morning exercisers - advice?

TArnold2012

Ok...I am NOT a morning person. My typical morning goes something like this:
Alarm goes off at 6, hit snooze, sleep for another half hour until bf leaves for work & wakes me up between 630-7, get up and stagger to kitchen to make coffee, lounge around and drink my coffee while casually getting ready, leave the house at 8 for work.

Now, I just joined the gym, and I find i'm having a difficult time getting into an evening routine, I would like to go in the morning so that it's just done and I don't have to worry about whether or not something comes up after work. I have tried morning exercise before (doing 30DS at home) and found that I didn't get that burst of energy everyone talks about, I actually just felt more tired and kinda sick. My question to all of you morning exercisers is...how do you do it? What do you eat before you workout? Ideally i'd like to get up at 6, and workout from 630-730, but I have visions of myself looking like a zombie on the treadmill or something lol. Any advice for how to make this transition easier, or how to achieve that "feel good" feeling afterwards so I don't feel awful and sleepy at work? Thanks!

You don't say if you completed the 30DS. If not I would suggest starting there again and working up slowly from there. For me I always want things fast and often overwhelm myself into giving up to many times. Start with level 1 and stay there until you can complete the circuit with ease (just b/c its a 30 day program doesn't mean it has to be completed in 30 days. It is better to take 40 to complete rather than overwhelm yourself and give up at day 13) then move up and do the same with level 2 and 3. W

By the time you complete level 3 it should be routine by that time and then you can consider adding something more or different to work up to 60 minutes a day.

In addition you may want to consider getting up 30 minutes earlier so you have some relax time either before or after exercising.

I hope this helps

Amberh82

It definitely takes some getting used to. Keep with it and you might start to feel better and you will actually just get up instead of sleeping through the alarm

thunderchld

I am a morning person too, and I usually wake up without an alarm. I set one, just incase, because I am paranoid. My routine is something like this:

Wake up at 4 AM, Let the dogs out (we have a large fenced in back yard), Grab a granola bar and get dressed.
Have a glass of water and make lunch. Get all my stuff together ** and head to the gym.

Now, a few things that have helped me is I actually pick out all my clothes for work on Sunday night - everything, shoes, socks, undies. Have it all set up so I just grab the hanger , throw a clean towel, undies, and shoes in my gym back and go.

Once I get to the gym, I found having an iPad helps. I can watch Netflix and catch up on a show. If I don't want to stay long, I will watch a 30 minute show. If I want to go longer, 1 45 min or 2 30 min. It allows me to track my time and sidetracks me from how long I've been on the treadmill.

yoovie

The truest thing you need to love here is this:

Its uncomfortable until it's a habit.
Its going to feel foreign until its the norm.
Its going to be weird and energy sapping at first.
Its slowly going to morph.
It will eventually become something you adore. need.
It wont take nearly as long as you think.
Maybe a month/month and a half.
You WILL need determination and willpower and the need to prove you want this - more than you'll need motivation.

You dont need motivation to make it happen- but having something at the end of your workout and before going in to work - like a coffee - a sexy healthy breakfast at some adorable cafe, some special morning tradition you create that you love - may help.

1holegrouper

One motivator for me to go to bed earlier is that my wife insists on watching Little House on the Praire, omg. So, I have no problems falling asleep. I would much prefer running in the early AM to staying awake to watch that!!

shiseido_faerie

The truest thing you need to love here is this:

Its uncomfortable until it's a habit.
Its going to feel foreign until its the norm.
Its going to be weird and energy sapping at first.
Its slowly going to morph.
It will eventually become something you adore. need.
It wont take nearly as long as you think.
Maybe a month/month and a half.
You WILL need determination and willpower and the need to prove you want this - more than you'll need motivation.

You dont need motivation to make it happen- but having something at the end of your workout and before going in to work - like a coffee - a sexy healthy breakfast at some adorable cafe, some special morning tradition you create that you love - may help.

I love this, and printed it out - thank you! Little reminders to myself until it doesn't suck so much.

shiseido_faerie

One motivator for me to go to bed earlier is that my wife insists on watching Little House on the Praire, omg. So, I have no problems falling asleep. I would much prefer running in the early AM to staying awake to watch that!!

LMAO!

scgroom

I find it helpful to turn off my computer about an hour before bedtime, and stop watching television about 15 minutes before bedtime, and to try to be in bed by 10-10:15 p.m. It makes it easier for me to get up at 5:30 to workout. I generally don't eat until after I've worked out, but that has more to do with taking my thyroid medication first thing in the morning.

IronPlayground

I'm up at 5:00 in the gym by 5:30. I don't eat before. It was a hard transition at first. After a while, my body just got used to the new hours. Took a couple of weeks, though.

eli_802

i never eat before i exercise in the morning. i can force myself out of bed, but i can't force anything into my nauseous stomach except for water. by the end of my workout i do feel hungry though, and then it feels great to fill up on healthy food. good luck!

MizCJ84

Unfortunately there is no secret to how people get up and workout in the morning. It just takes real determination. I am also NOT a morning person. I hate mornings, but I do my very best to wake up at least a few mornings a week to workout. When I miss my morning workout because I couldn't get out of bed, I ALWAYS make it up in the evening. I do not allow myself to search for excuses any more because excuses made me fat for so long. I skipped my morning workout yesterday morning. In the evening my friend came over because she needed to get away from her family. I let her come over but I did not use her coming over as an excuse. I simply told her to find something to do while I work out. I was proud of myself because the old me would have used her as an excuse.

akaporn

My secret of Getting up early is to go to bed early the night before.

iWaffle

6:00 am - Alarm goes off
6:01 am - Finally convince myself to get out of bed
6:02 am - Visit the restroom
6:03 am - Step on scale. (sigh - Shouldn't of had that brownie last night)
6:04 am - Check for abs in mirror... Nope. No abs yet. Looks like it's cardio time again.
6:05 am - Put on workout clothes
6:06 am - stretch on the floor as I put on socks and shoes
6:07 am - Splash water on face. Comb down any major stick ups so I don't scare everyone.
6:08 am - Small drink of water
6:09 am - Get in car, drive to gym
6:13am - Arrive at gym.
6:14 am - Grumble that the two treadmills with a working television are taken up by people walking and talking to each other.
6:15 am - Start jogging on treadmill
6:18 am - This sucks. Wish I was still in bed
6:20 am - Those ladies finally quit walking and chatting. Now leaning on treadmills and chatting.
6:25 am - Fairly good song on iPod shuffle. Didn't notice that I'm already running on incline mode
6:30 am - Sweating a fair amount. Actually feeling really good
6:40 am - Tell myself a sweatband wouldn't look that bad.
6:45 am - Done already? Wow that went by fast. This stuff wakes you up better than coffee. Time for a cool shower and a good breakfast.

Advice: Just Do it. I never regret it.

aaronf289

Most days no....but if I do, I drink a protein drink right when I get up. Have to be careful though, some protein drinks can go right through you, if you know what I mean. I prefer to work out on an empty stomach, but everyone is different.

KaciWood19

I am the same, I hate getting up early. It is def. easier when I am extremely motivated and in my "no excuses" phase. But when I'm NOT motivated and I don't want to get up, I feel guilty that my dog isn't going to get walked so that forces me. And I remind myself how easier the nights are if I get it done in the AM. Making myself get up and drive to the gym helps because it gives me a half hour to wake up a bit and have some water. If I try to workout at home, forget it, I'd just go back to sleep!

jkandktmom

Like most of the others I am SO not a morning person! But for the last week I have been getting up and doing yoga- it is at my house so I don't have to get up really early. 30 minutes of yoga in the morning and I don't need coffee and Im not falling asleep at my desk- which is a mircle!

As far as breakfast I wait and eat when I get to work. Like I said I really hate mornings so anything that doesn't require getting up even earlier works for me.

sr_patterson

I have always struggled with morning workouts, but a friend got me going to a class at 6:00 in the morning and it's not bad...now that I have gotten used to it. Usually, I would find that my heart rate escalates much faster in the morning and I have no energy or stamina. But I have taken a few tips that seem to work. First of all, it's so much easier to start morning exercise this time of year when it's light outside. Second, I drink a COLD glass of water when I get up and eat a banana (can't eat much more than that before working out). I also have to get a good night sleep or it becomes too easy for me to rationalize staying in bed. Finally, have a workout buddy. There is no way my butt would make it to class if I didn't know that they expected me there. If I was doing it on my own I would stay tucked in my comfy bed!!! Good luck!

montana_girl

I get up at 5:30, get into my exercise clothes, and get moving.

A couple of tips that help me stay on task... I make sure I get to bed early enough that I am getting 7-8 hours of sleep and I get my workout clothes/gear together that I am going to in the morning. When the alarm goes off, I immediately get out of bed, make the bed (which reminds me I am NOT crawling back into bed), and get into my workout clothes, and get going. If I stop to do anything else, I start to talk myself out of it.

Like one person said, you just have to be determined and make yourself do it. Find little tricks that keep you on task and moving forward. Eventually it will become routine -- but it does take awhile!

paulsmisses

Ok...I am NOT a morning person. My typical morning goes something like this:
Alarm goes off at 6, hit snooze, sleep for another half hour until bf leaves for work & wakes me up between 630-7, get up and stagger to kitchen to make coffee, lounge around and drink my coffee while casually getting ready, leave the house at 8 for work.

Now, I just joined the gym, and I find i'm having a difficult time getting into an evening routine, I would like to go in the morning so that it's just done and I don't have to worry about whether or not something comes up after work. I have tried morning exercise before (doing 30DS at home) and found that I didn't get that burst of energy everyone talks about, I actually just felt more tired and kinda sick. My question to all of you morning exercisers is...how do you do it? What do you eat before you workout? Ideally i'd like to get up at 6, and workout from 630-730, but I have visions of myself looking like a zombie on the treadmill or something lol. Any advice for how to make this transition easier, or how to achieve that "feel good" feeling afterwards so I don't feel awful and sleepy at work? Thanks!

i get up at 630 with kids but cant do workout til i drop them at school at 9am and head straight from there to do my walk/run etc, not back to work until august and not sure how i am going to fit all my stuff in by then!

bpwparents

I too am not a morning person but only have time in my schedule to do the gym in the am. It is not easy getting up at 5am but here's a few tips to make things easier:
1)Have your workout clothes ready the night before (for some reason if I have to expend the energy to track them down in the am, I'm not as likely to get out the door. Don't know why this is)
2)Have plenty of water and a piece of fruit before you head out the door.
3)It still takes motivation to do it but get up!

I feel better after I go even though it kills me to get up. Make sure you're getting to bed early enough too. With working out in the morning, it also sets me in the "healthy" mode for the day. Good luck, you can do it!

heykaraoke

I am not a morning person either. I just force myself to get up and go. My alarm rings at 7. I get up and put on my workout clothes. I drink some water and eat breakfast, usually 2 low-fat whole-grain Eggo waffles with a tablespoon of roasted red pepper hummus on each. At 7:30 I wake up baby girl, get her dressed, make her oatmeal. I pack her lunch, my lunch, and my gym bag. Out the door by 8:15 at the latest. Drop her at daycare by 9, get to the gym by 9:30. Do 30 minutes of whatever - elliptical, stationary bike, treadmill. Sometimes a combo of those. Soon I'll add in some strength training too. Shower and get dressed, get to work at 11. Walk the night deposit to the bank - 20-30 minutes of brisk walking there and back. Get to the store at 11:30, eat my lunch, open the store at noon. Boom! My morning workout routine. And I feel energetic all day. It's great. I try to be in bed by 11 most nights so I get enough sleep.

brian90

It is hard at first. you just have to jump yourself up and workout. Your body will get used to getting up at that time after a week or 2.

vfnmoody

[[/quote]

I usually go to bed around 930-10PM, I'm not a great sleeper (up several times in the night, around 3AM i'm usually up for about a half hour - 45 mins) so I try to go early to make sure i'm getting some in! Thanks for the advice, I will keep at it, I love the idea of it being done with before work!
[/quote]


I do not work out in the "morning" unless I am working night shifts.
Than I work out when I get up.
Do you have the option to work out when you wake up a 3A.M.?
The poor sleeping may give you a chance to change your schedule. Make 3 A.M. your new get up time. Work out; climb back in to bed if you feel the need.
Next day you might find you sleep a little later. Repeat untill you are getting up at a more normal time. Working alternating shifts lets me work out whenever my body tells me it is time to be awake.

mzerica

I am not a morning person either and there are days where the snooze button wins. But I just keep reminding myself of WHY I'm doing this. Also having a partner helps with keeping me accountable

shiseido_faerie

6:00 am - Alarm goes off
6:01 am - Finally convince myself to get out of bed
6:02 am - Visit the restroom
6:03 am - Step on scale. (sigh - Shouldn't of had that brownie last night)
6:04 am - Check for abs in mirror... Nope. No abs yet. Looks like it's cardio time again.
6:05 am - Put on workout clothes
6:06 am - stretch on the floor as I put on socks and shoes
6:07 am - Splash water on face. Comb down any major stick ups so I don't scare everyone.
6:08 am - Small drink of water
6:09 am - Get in car, drive to gym
6:13am - Arrive at gym.
6:14 am - Grumble that the two treadmills with a working television are taken up by people walking and talking to each other.
6:15 am - Start jogging on treadmill
6:18 am - This sucks. Wish I was still in bed
6:20 am - Those ladies finally quit walking and chatting. Now leaning on treadmills and chatting.
6:25 am - Fairly good song on iPod shuffle. Didn't notice that I'm already running on incline mode
6:30 am - Sweating a fair amount. Actually feeling really good
6:40 am - Tell myself a sweatband wouldn't look that bad.
6:45 am - Done already? Wow that went by fast. This stuff wakes you up better than coffee. Time for a cool shower and a good breakfast.

Advice: Just Do it. I never regret it.

lol, this was awesome, thanks. Especially 6:04 haha!

tapout22002

get enough sleep, eat, drink, and walk around a little bit outside in the fresh air to wake yourself up before you start working out. That's the only way i could do it.

damorzacon

I have the wierd combination of being a night owl and a morning person (once I'm finally up that is). When I'm finally able to drag my happy out of bed here's what my morning looks like:

4:30 - alarm
4:33 - fall out of bed
4:35 - put in contacts and change clothes
4:40 - grab a handfull of nuts and some water
4:45 - shoes on, in the car to the gym
5:00 - 5-10 minute warm up on the stationary bike
5:10 - heavy lifting begins
5:30 - (Mondays only) Spin class
6:30 - headed home

It's gotten much easier since I started. I can't really even "sleep in" anymore. I start to wake up on my own between 5 & 6 on the weekends. I've also noticed that if I miss my workout I don't feel as energized the rest of the day...I crave it now.

You just have to make yourself do it and realize that if you let yourself slip for any reason for ONE day, the next day it's just that much easier to come up with an excuse. It's a daily reminder I have to give myself and it works.

SaraBelle0312

I know this was posted a week earlier but I needed it. I am working on getting up earlier myself. Everyone has great advice!

mmessinger0718

I really struggle working out in the morning. I tend to yawn the entire time and I just don't feel like I get the same quality workout as I do in the evening. My advice to you would be workout as soon as you get home from work so you can still have time in the evening to do any extra activities. You will feel great in the evening and probably sleep a little better too.

myfitnessnmhoy

I cycle in to work when I can (14 miles with some decent hills), and if I haven't had a few calories before I head out I tend to feel awful and my cycling speed is a lot slower.

I now grab a slice of bread and a glass of water the instant I wake up, and get 100 carb calories down along with a little water. It's usually about 15 minutes before I head out, so by the time I hit the big hills (15 minutes into my ride) I'm starting to feel some energy. Once I get in to work, I'm usually hungry enough to snarf down the refrigerator oatmeal I made up the night before.

Trying to exercise after a 12 hour fast (overnight) is a nearly complete no-go for me. But just 100-200 calories is enough to make it a lot easier.

I am in no way a "morning person". Many of my missed cycling opportunities are because I want the 40 extra minutes of sleep that driving gives me. I'm still pretty good about doing it most days when they aren't calling for thunderstorms or severe weather.