Morning exercisers - advice?

michelec64

I am so not a morning person but between the long hours at the office, and 1 hour commute each way that goes with it, early morning is the only time I can get my workout in.

I wake up at 4:20 a.m., head to the bathroom just long enough to take a bio break, brush my teeth and splash water on my face; throw on my workout gear; have a glass of water and then head out so I can be at the gym when the doors open at 5:00. It was extremely hard the first month I did it, but after that it became second nature. And I ALWAYS feel better after I've put that time in, because it really is an accomplishment to stick with exercising day in and day out. The funny thing is that attitude has also crept into my weekend workouts. I don't get up nearly as early, but I make sure to go to the gym within an hour of waking up so I can get that workout over and done as quickly as possible.

I can't workout with a full stomach so I usually wait until I get to the office to have breakfast (usually between 8:30-9). But if you have to eat go with something light like a piece of fruit or a protein bar (I'm partial to Luna and Clif Bars). Also try to get at least 7 hours sleep. I can usually get by on 6.5 hours but I don't push it further than that.

Just stick with it, and you'll be amazed at how much it becomes an important part of your daily routine. Good luck.