How do you make up early for your workout!?

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MrsSized
MrsSized Posts: 16
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a trainer at 5:30am four days a week. I would like to wake up early on the other days (I only have time for workouts in the early mornings) but always find myself sleeping the morning away. I'm missing 2-3 days of crucial at home cardio each time I hit snooze.

What do YOU do to hop out of bed!

Replies

  • ninakale
    ninakale Posts: 49 Member
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    I asked the same question a few months back and someone told me about an alarm clock that simulates a sun rise. I bought one and it has absolutely helped me be able to get up at 5am for workouts. It is by Phillips and it starts to brighten the room about 30 minutes before the alarm goes off. The alarm that I use is birds chirping. Here is a link.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XN4RIC/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00

    Good luck, it is amazing how your day opens up when your work out is done in the am!
  • aviduser
    aviduser Posts: 208 Member
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    On the days I am in the gym early (4 days a week), I have people waiting on me (trainer or class). On days I am out for an early ride, I am sometimes alone, and sometimes meeting people.

    One suggestion--if it is very hard to get up at 5 or 5:30 am, you need to go to bed earlier. Try hitting the hay at 9:30 pm for a few nights in a row and see what a difference that makes.

    Good luck.
  • angusmike
    angusmike Posts: 97
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    Buy an alarm clock.
  • jsheehan46
    jsheehan46 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have been getting up at 4:30 for so many years it is habit now....i'm one of those people that when i wake up my mind starts going and I might as well get out of bed. Couple of thoughts...

    - if you need 7 or 8 hours of sleep make sure you are in bed at the right time.....i go to bed around 9pm
    - No TV in the bedroom
    - I have used melatonin if I need help sleeping
    - I stop caffine at noon everyday
    - Move the alarm clock to where you have to get up to turn it off
    - #1 thing that works for me - my dogs know it is time to eat if they hear the alarm and I get the wet noses in the armpit thing :)

    Good luck!!
  • ChantiC
    ChantiC Posts: 137
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    I have the same issue for sure!!! What helps me is having my workout clothes right beside my alarm to be reminded. Also I am bad about hitting snooze so I set my alarm 40 mins before I want to get up to workout. So I can hit snooze 4 times and then I am like ok time to get up. Also I think about my kid lol. I try to get in my workout before he wakes up, because he's five and doesnt leave me alone and makes it hard for me to concentrate on exercising. Also I like knowing I have the whole day after I workout in the morning and its already done with lol. But it's hard.... So kudos to you for waking up and at least seeing a trainer 4 times a week :)
  • PJ64
    PJ64 Posts: 866 Member
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    I put my alarm clock on the other side of the room next to the bathroom and my workout gear.
  • ziggyc
    ziggyc Posts: 191 Member
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    Buy an alarm clock.

    really...
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    I only just recently found the best thing that works for me, in terms of the alarm, is setting it to a news radio station. Beeping was just too annoying and I just snoozed it for hours, and music puts me back to sleep. Talking, however, wakes up my brain really quickly! I even have a really hard time falling asleep if there's someone talking outside and my windows are open.

    Now, I'm up every day at 5:30, regardless of when I get to bed (I try to be sleeping by 9:30). It works every morning!
  • bethanyweathers
    bethanyweathers Posts: 296 Member
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    I wake up at 6am every morning to work out, because I know my friend/trainer/whatever you want to call him (friend first, then became trainer) will be waiting for me. I don't want him sitting there wondering where I am. If you know someone has also gotten up that early to help YOU, it will be a lot easier to get up for them.
  • crastatter86
    crastatter86 Posts: 9 Member
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    Moving the alarm clock has always helped me. Move it to a spot that is completley out of reach for you so that you have to actually get out of bed to turn it off. Once you are out of bed, the hardest part is STAYING out of bed! I usually get up and turn off the alarm, turn on the light (light stimulates you to 'wake up') and sit on the edge of the bed and wake up a little more by stretching. Within a few minutes I am up and running!
  • cre8vecheryl
    cre8vecheryl Posts: 13
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    I just do. I wake up early anyway but my old routine was coffee, read the paper, pinterest and facebook...the night before I set out my workout clothes and shoes and put them next to the bed and I grumble and moan and get my butt up and dressed - and I am always happy I did in the end! Maybe that's why I do it despite the voice in my head telling at me to lounge with coffee or go back to sleeo...I know how good I will feel.

    I give myself lounge with coffee morning on Sunday - then it's something I look forward to with the hubby hubster. :)
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I joined the Army when I was 18.... LOL I was one of those kids my dad would dump a glass of cold water on to get me out of bed before noon.. LOL but went in the service and have never been able to sleep past 5:45 a.m ever since. :-)

    Seriously though you just got to create the habit. Set your alarm clock for the same time everyday, put it on the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed, and make sure your getting to bed early enough to get a good nights sleep.. I am in bed by 10 every night because I am up early.... Once you do this long enough it should become a ritual, it should get easier... Best of Luck
  • MrsSized
    MrsSized Posts: 16
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    Obviously I own an alarm clock, I just REALLY like to turn it off
  • MrsSized
    MrsSized Posts: 16
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    I will try moving the alarm clock far away...... I usually put it somewhat of a distance but I think it's still too easy to turn around and get back in bed!

    I get home from school around 9:30, probably in bed by 10:30. So I can't really get to bed any earlier unless I walk in the door and run into bed.... routine routine routine I guess. Thanks for the suggestions!!!
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I have been getting up at 4:30 for so many years it is habit now....i'm one of those people that when i wake up my mind starts going and I might as well get out of bed. Couple of thoughts...

    - if you need 7 or 8 hours of sleep make sure you are in bed at the right time.....i go to bed around 9pm
    - No TV in the bedroom
    - I have used melatonin if I need help sleeping
    - I stop caffine at noon everyday
    - Move the alarm clock to where you have to get up to turn it off
    - #1 thing that works for me - my dogs know it is time to eat if they hear the alarm and I get the wet noses in the armpit thing :)

    Good luck!!

    I try to do these things...but completely fail at going to bed on time. Don't tell my kids about that last one, they'll use it to convince me we should have a dog!
  • slim_photographer
    slim_photographer Posts: 310 Member
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    I've set 4 alarms every 5 minutes on my phone. 4:30, 35, 40, 45 This has proven to be the most reliable way for me to get up even when I really really don't want to.
    I would set 10 alarms every two minutes if the 4 I already have didn't work.
    I go to the bathroom anyway, even if I think I would go back to sleep. I get in the shower still telling me that I can go back to bed if I really really want to but after I shower I find that I'm always well awake.
    I hope this helps :)
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    What motivates you to get up at 5:30 on your trainer days? Obviously you CAN get up at 5:30. You just have to figure out why. Is it because somebody is waiting for you? Get running buddy? Is it because you have cash on the line? Pay a running coach.
  • fabfindz05
    fabfindz05 Posts: 92 Member
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    My runs begin prompty at 5:15 during the week. My motivation is that I do not want to burn extra energy trying to catch my running group.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Honestly, all the tips and tricks in the world aren't going to help unless you have the personal motivation to get out of bed and do it.

    When my alarm goes off in the morning, it doesn't matter if I've had two hours of sleep or 10 hours, I still want to stay in bed. But it's the motivation on the other side of getting out that bed that makes me get out. Is it something I *have* to do, like go to work or get to the airport? Is it something I really want to do like go pick up my niece for a play day or breakfast with friends? Or is it something that I'm simply motivated to do to make me a better version of the me I want to be, like go out and run 13 miles before the cloud cover clears so it's not too hot.

    Whatever it is, it's ultimately always just your choice if you get out of the bed or stay in it. All the melatonin, special clocks, etc. in the world won't change that, they may help to make you feel more alert once you're up and moving, but they won't get/keep you out of the bed.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    I joined the Army when I was 18.... LOL I was one of those kids my dad would dump a glass of cold water on to get me out of bed before noon.. LOL but went in the service and have never been able to sleep past 5:45 a.m ever since. :-)

    Seriously though you just got to create the habit. Set your alarm clock for the same time everyday, put it on the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed, and make sure your getting to bed early enough to get a good nights sleep.. I am in bed by 10 every night because I am up early.... Once you do this long enough it should become a ritual, it should get easier... Best of Luck

    Solid advise.

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