How do you motivate yourself for early AM workouts?

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  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    I have every thing in the bathroom ready for me the nite before. This way ur not looking for stuff and wasting time. Also set alarm and get up!
    Before I retired I used to wo at 4:30am now that I'm retired I wo at 5:30 . Love my am workouts!!
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
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    I try to roll out of bed before I can fully wake up and think about reasons why it's okay to hit snooze. Plus, thinking about the added calories I'll get to eat back is motivation enough for me.

    It doesn't hurt that I have a 50 lb dog who knows once the alarm goes off breakfast isn't far behind. She'll jump all over me if I try to go back to sleep.
  • narci1503
    narci1503 Posts: 12
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    Thanks for all the tips. I have been trying to get to my gym in the mornings, but never make it on time. I am going to start this Monday. Thanks again!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    There is no way that I would ever stick to a morning routine, unless I started working a night shift. :noway:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I used to be an early morning workout girl. I don't know what happened. I just can't seem to fall asleep before 12 anymore.... I can lay down at 10... but that's it -- I just lay there. How do ya'll go to sleep so early, to feel rested?

    On nights I feel "restless" I take a 3mg melatonin about 30 minutes before I want to go to bed. Works like a charm. Melatonin is naturally produced in the body and regulates sleep. You can find it in the vitamin section.

    ETA: melatonin leaves no sleeping pill "after affect" either

    I would say that melatonin affects people differently. I tried it one time, and I slept, but then it was hard to get up, and I drank 3 or 4 Red Bulls and was still exhausted all day.

    I hate that stuff. For me, it's worse than street drugs.
  • n8na
    n8na Posts: 76 Member
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    don't think about it just go!
  • birdieaz
    birdieaz Posts: 448 Member
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    Ok you guys are making me feel like a lazy butt for whining about waking up at 6:30 to work out. Wow so impressed at how committed some of you are. My biggest problem is I'm a night owl, there is no way for me to fall asleep before 12am even if I do wake up at 6am. Most days I'm avg. 5.5 to 6hrs sleep max
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    When I go to an early class I know I am done for the day. That helps
  • lleabrooks
    lleabrooks Posts: 87 Member
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    Bumping to read later.
  • Runs4Wine
    Runs4Wine Posts: 416 Member
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    For me not working out in the AM means it' won't happen. So I set my alarm early enough that I give myself time for one snooze button so I feel better about not feeling rushed if I don't want to.

    I have my clothes laid out ready to go.

    I just get out the door.

    Doing it enough times I actually wake up before my alarm on most days "itching" to get out.

    It's also the only time of day I have completely to myself without family/work pulling me in different directions.
  • betrayalunknown
    betrayalunknown Posts: 63
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    "EXERCISE IN THE MORNING....




    .... BEFORE YOUR BRAIN FIGURES OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!!"


    :)
  • breakingthecyclept2
    breakingthecyclept2 Posts: 29
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    I motivate myself by telling myself that no one can do this for me. Early AM is the only time I have since here in Texas the temps have been above 100 for the past month or so.

    Hang in there! :-)
  • jmayweather24
    jmayweather24 Posts: 11
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    Working out in the morning is like sex in the morning. It makes the whole day soooo much better lol. But seriously, I love a tough workout before going to work. I can focus better and I have more energy than a morning coffee can give.
  • ChrisGoldn
    ChrisGoldn Posts: 473 Member
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    i work 2nd shift so im up in the morning getting my son ready and off to school and then im off to the gym usually by 8:30, and i love it. During the summer months we move to morning shifts.. forcing me to go after work and i hate for 2 reasons... i'm tired from working and don't feel like being there alot of times and the gym is usually packed making my workouts even longer then usual.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I get up 15 minutes extra early and enjoy a cup of coffee. When my alarm goes off, if I think, "urrrggh do not want workout", I just change that to "mmm, yummy coffee is waiting". Then, when I've already had some coffee, I can't go back to sleep so might as well work out!

    I'm the queen of tricking myself into stuff :)

    ETA: Also I take Unisom to get me to sleep on time. It works great for me but I'm sure different people have different methods (or aren't completely useless when they're tired, like I am). I also get in bed a little early and listen to podcasts, to keep my brain from going into stress-land. Anything about natural history or science...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  • 3liza
    3liza Posts: 32 Member
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    Just posted this on another forum:

    Just changed my exercise routine to mornings because of advice from my RD. She says that if you work out on an empty stomach in the morning, then the exercise burns fat because that's the only fuel readily available. If you workout during the day or evening, it will burn sugar for fuel. Do what's right for you.
    Actually you might want to research that. I was told the same but read on way too many websites that if you do exercise on an empty stomach your body feeds off of the protein of your muscles instead of the fat storage. So this isn't true at all. Also you might burn a lot of fat during the workout(not from where you want*) but you won't get to burn extra calories throughout the day.
  • kirdyq
    kirdyq Posts: 165 Member
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    I have to say, it is motivating to read about how many people DO get up at 5am or earlier to start their workouts. It just seems like most people I talk to at work don't have to get up as early because they are not in the same morning situation as me - husband gone before I have to leave, which means I'm getting myself, a 4yo and a 1yo ready for the day.
  • moisyrocks
    moisyrocks Posts: 38 Member
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    Bump
  • francineb4
    francineb4 Posts: 20 Member
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    Workout buddy is key. Every week I met my neighbor at 6 am. First thing I did when the alarm went off is check my.phone and pray she bailed. But she never would.I would be pissed Like others said, after a month or so it became a habit I dint even think about. Now in am the bi##h that never bails on my new workout buddy.
  • kirdyq
    kirdyq Posts: 165 Member
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    Getting back to it, and love reading these! :smile:

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