Morning Workouts

clarkeje1
clarkeje1 Posts: 1,627 Member
edited January 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone! I wanted some advice on morning workouts. I work a lot (most days I work from 7am-9pm) so I've been having a hard time consistently working out. I've tried working out between my 2 jobs (at 4pm) and I like working out at that time but I am getting behind on my work and now I'm stressed and have to play catch up. I've also tried working out when I get home (at like 930pm) but then I'm up until about midnight and sometimes I'm too tired to follow through on my workout. SO I thought I might give morning workouts a try BUT I'm definitely not a morning person! I hate mornings! So I'm writing to ask for advice and specifically for people to answer these questions
1) Do you have any tips on how to wake up early to workout?
2) Do you find that you can workout as hard as you would in the afternoon?
3) Do you think morning workouts would benefit someone with my schedule?
4) How long does it typically take you to get up/workout/get ready and leave for work?

Replies

  • KBrenOH
    KBrenOH Posts: 704 Member
    If I jog in the morning, I have to allow myself an extra hour. 40 minutes for the exercise itself, 20 minutes to shower and get ready.

    I will say that morning workouts are impossible for me, because I'm not a morning person, I've never been a morning person and I probably will NEVER be a morning person hehe. Having said that -- on the rare occasion where I am awake early enough to exercise.. I feel better throughout the day.

    Your schedule is insane - so I commend you on trying to find a solution. I would have to think that a morning workout would be your best option so that you're not getting home past 9pm, still having to exercise and then try to wind down from that as well.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,627 Member
    My schedule IS insane... My work schedule is very flexible but the problem is I'm either working too much and I'm able to pay my bills or I'm working a good amount and I'm broke lol
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,627 Member
    Can I get some more advice on this???
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    Multiple ways to get up earlier I have read. None of them claim to make you into a morning person, they just claim to make it easier to get up and get the workout over with. 1. Sleep in your workout clothes, or at least leave them right beside your bed along with your shoes. Have your water and a small snack beside the bed as well if you need a snack before you work out. 2. Set the alarm clock up away from your bed so you must get up to turn it off. This way you are already out of bed so you might as well exercise. 3.Find someone to work out with you at the unearthly morning hour so that you are expected to be somewhere and will not let that person down. I am not a morning person. All these things have worked for me here and there. I just have to actually follow through with the alarm clock placement or it's all a bust!! I do feel so much better with this system than afternoon or evening workouts though. Makes for a great day!

    Good luck!
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
    Hey everyone! I wanted some advice on morning workouts. I work a lot (most days I work from 7am-9pm) so I've been having a hard time consistently working out. I've tried working out between my 2 jobs (at 4pm) and I like working out at that time but I am getting behind on my work and now I'm stressed and have to play catch up. I've also tried working out when I get home (at like 930pm) but then I'm up until about midnight and sometimes I'm too tired to follow through on my workout. SO I thought I might give morning workouts a try BUT I'm definitely not a morning person! I hate mornings! So I'm writing to ask for advice and specifically for people to answer these questions
    1) Do you have any tips on how to wake up early to workout?

    ***I wake up at 5 am to work out. Unfortunately it started w/ a lot of stress and i just got used to it. the key here will be building the habit. it sucks but you'll get used to it.

    2) Do you find that you can workout as hard as you would in the afternoon?

    ***Yes, if not better. Again your body makes the adjustment. That being said, your energy level will always fluctuate day to day depending on many factors.

    3) Do you think morning workouts would benefit someone with my schedule?


    ***Yes, i have two jobs, 3 kids...It really helps to get the workout out of the way then you have the rest of the day to do your thing

    4) How long does it typically take you to get up/workout/get ready and leave for work?

    ***two hours. 2.5 if i want some extra time
  • sweetteacher123
    sweetteacher123 Posts: 178
    I worked out at 5:00 a.m. for many years when my kids were little because I didn't have time and child care after work. It is hard to get up. I like the advice given by others, like the alarm clock on the other side of the room (which I still do, by the way). One thing I did was I watched television while I was working out. At the time (again, this was years ago), I watched Sex and the City on DVD and The Sopranos, two series I absolutely LOVED! I was only allowed to watch them while working out, so it was an incentive for me to get up and keep watching.

    I will tell you, though, that some mornings my workout was a bit tired, just like I was. However, it was better than not working out at all!
  • Tyrone_S
    Tyrone_S Posts: 94 Member
    It's all I can do to make it from my bed to the shower in the mornings, always prefer to train in the evenings.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
    It's all I can do to make it from my bed to the shower in the mornings, always prefer to train in the evenings.

    Personally i need at least 2-3 hours to decompress after a work out. i cant sleep if i work out before bed time...
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I think it's totally insane to wedge a workout into a 12 hour day. If you cut sleep (which will happen whether you work out morning or evening), EVERYTHING will suffer. The extra stress will not help your body reach its goals.

    I'd concentrate on nutrition instead. During the week, walk or cycle where you can fit it in (& it makes sense, ie as part of your commute). Do *ONE* *heavy*, full-body workout on the weekend to hang on to muscle.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
    I think it's totally insane to wedge a workout into a 12 hour day. If you cut sleep (which will happen whether you work out morning or evening), EVERYTHING will suffer. The extra stress will not help your body reach its goals.

    I'd concentrate on nutrition instead. During the week, walk where you can fit it in (& it makes sense, ie as part of your commute). Do *ONE* *heavy*, full-body workout on the weekend to hang on to muscle.

    this sounds good in theory, but if you only diet, you will be starving if you are using a calorie deficit method. the only days im not starving all day are the days i work out cuz i get to at least have a few hundred more cals
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    kill it!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I think it's totally insane to wedge a workout into a 12 hour day. If you cut sleep (which will happen whether you work out morning or evening), EVERYTHING will suffer. The extra stress will not help your body reach its goals.

    I'd concentrate on nutrition instead. During the week, walk where you can fit it in (& it makes sense, ie as part of your commute). Do *ONE* *heavy*, full-body workout on the weekend to hang on to muscle.

    this sounds good in theory, but if you only diet, you will be starving if you are using a calorie deficit method. the only days im not starving all day are the days i work out cuz i get to at least have a few hundred more cals

    I know what you mean - cardio helps me control appetite too. But if the deficit isn't too big - say 10% - and macros are really attended to, to keep hunger down (high protein and fibre, maybe less room for error here), it might be manageable. Obviously the rate of loss will be slower, but OP might be more likely to actually achieve/survive it.

    Lol. Obviously your body doesn't have goals. Your goals, I meant.
  • jdub224
    jdub224 Posts: 120
    I work out at 6AM Monday-Friday. Doing Insanity with a friend. I drive 30 minutes toward my job to workout. I find that I get up easily because I am motivated by the results.

    I find that working out early is a great start and awesome stress reliever. On the advice of a personal trainer I do not eat before working out, I drink a recovery shake right after my workout, then a protein shake about 2 hours later.

    Sometimes I follow this up with an evening workout too.

    I think working out in the mornings is awesome.
  • Beth24793
    Beth24793 Posts: 63 Member
    Multiple ways to get up earlier I have read. None of them claim to make you into a morning person, they just claim to make it easier to get up and get the workout over with. 1. Sleep in your workout clothes, or at least leave them right beside your bed along with your shoes. Have your water and a small snack beside the bed as well if you need a snack before you work out. 2. Set the alarm clock up away from your bed so you must get up to turn it off. This way you are already out of bed so you might as well exercise. 3.Find someone to work out with you at the unearthly morning hour so that you are expected to be somewhere and will not let that person down. I am not a morning person. All these things have worked for me here and there. I just have to actually follow through with the alarm clock placement or it's all a bust!! I do feel so much better with this system than afternoon or evening workouts though. Makes for a great day!

    Good luck!


    Im going to give your system a go in the morning, hopefully it works :)
  • sarahg2290
    sarahg2290 Posts: 54 Member
    Seems like you've gotten quite a bit of advice, but I'll chime in too :) I have a similar schedule, but a little less busy. I commute for my job so my work-day including drive time is from 7:30am-7:30pm. I only have a break from 11-12 everyday and I use that to eat and run errands. I have started working out before work, because I KNOW by the time I get off work and eat dinner, I am not motivated to go to the gym.

    1) Do you have any tips on how to wake up early to workout?
    **I get everything ready the night before, pack my lunch, pack my work clothes, sleep in my gym clothes, etc. so that I roll out of bed and go!
    2) Do you find that you can workout as hard as you would in the afternoon?
    **I actually think I work out harder because I am not at the end of my long, stressful day. I am surprisingly awake by the time I get to the gym which is onluy 10 min from my house.
    3) Do you think morning workouts would benefit someone with my schedule?
    **I think if you can get to bed at a reasonable time, they would definitely be possible and benefical to your schedule.
    4) How long does it typically take you to get up/workout/get ready and leave for work?
    **I wake up at 6am, leave almost immediately, get to the gym by 6:15, workout until 7, shower and get changed to leave by 7:30.
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
    Lately in the morning I have incorporated the following:

    Pull ups: 50 (five sets of 10)
    Push ups: 100 (five sets of 20)
    Crunches: 150 (five sets of 30)
    Squats: 100 (five sets of 20)

    All body weight stuff, I try to work everything into a 10-15 minute window.. that gives an unbelievable boost of energy early on in the day!
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