Morning Workouts

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jhassan1980
jhassan1980 Posts: 28 Member
in Motivation and Support
Does anyone have any tips on how I can motivate or force myself out of bed for AM workouts? My boyfriend does it but I can't get in the groove. I feel like my evenings are too hectic after work and I can find too many things to do instead of exercising. I'd like to have it done with before work so I don't have to decide after work.

Any input would be helpful.. And feel free to add me if you need a friend :)

Replies

  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
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    For me, and getting up to workout before work is new for me, it is just like all the things I have quit doing (drugs, booze, cigs, etc). I have to think it all the way through.. Think about my goals, how I have felt hitting mini goals, how I will feel after workout, how I will feel mentally if I don't... That usually does it for me

    Basically I don't let the quitter voice talk me out of things I know are best for me.
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
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    caffeine! and just getting into the routine, takes time to adjust to
  • helyg
    helyg Posts: 675 Member
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    For the first few weeks I had to force myself to get up and exercise. But once I got into it I realised how much better it made me feel for the rest of the day, and so now the thought of that feeling gets me out of bed.

    It is harder at this time of year though with the dark mornings.
  • meglet175
    meglet175 Posts: 98
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    Start small. Try a 20 minute workout. As you get used to it (and start feeling the energy boost that comes along with moving daily), set the alarm a bit earlier and work out a bit longer. Before long, you'll be a morning exerciser. (And this comes from a night owl by nature who has become a lark by necessity.)
  • morningcoffeeyum
    morningcoffeeyum Posts: 16 Member
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    I exercise before work, getting up at 5:30. For me the most important thing was to find an exercise program that I enjoy and a great playlist on my ipod. All the best
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Just get up and do it. Lol. I made this same post a while back but really the only thing you can do is just make yourself get out of bed. That is the only hard part for me. After I'm up, I'm fine and ready to go. (Assuming I got enough sleep the night before) And once I'm there at the gym, and especially after I'm done and I've taken a shower and I'm all ready for work, I feel so awesome about myself. It's only 7am and I've already accomplished so much.

    Go to bed earlier if you aren't getting enough sleep. In order to get up at 5 to go to the gym I need to go to bed around 9, 10 at the absolute latest.

    Pack your bag before you go and lay out your clothes and pack your lunch if you need to. I don't really need to do that because I like having around 30 minutes to gather myself and my things and eat and all that. I hate being rushed in the mornings. So I get up at 5 and I don't usually leave until at least 5:30...


    It didn't take time for me to adjust though... as long as I get enough sleep, I can be a morning person. As soon as I've gotten over that hurdle of actually getting my *kitten* out of bed, I am just peachy... after my very first time getting up and going to the gym before work, I fell in love and it is now my favorite time to go.
  • Brian_VA
    Brian_VA Posts: 125
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    Get everything ready the night before. Set the alarm and give yourself one snooze before you have to get up. Tell yourself the night before that you ARE going - no equivocations. And when you hit the snooze button, think about your workout and visualize yourself doing your best ever. Then, when the alarm goes off again, get up and do it.
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
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    Make sure you get to bed early. If you are trying to get up after 4 hours of sleep, you won't do it.
  • AverageUkDude
    AverageUkDude Posts: 371 Member
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    An early night and something to kick start the day? I tend to put a teaspoon of honey in my oats for a bit of a sugar hit on my way out for the day. Really helps with the 6am gym visit.
  • carly_am
    carly_am Posts: 145 Member
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    I'm the same, but I really think its about getting into a routine. I mean getting up for work in the morning is just something you're used to, so you just do it? So make it an hour before and you'll soon get used to it.

    I try and motivate myself in a way that probably isn't that good - I think to myself the more exercise I do and calories I burn, the more I *can* eat to reach my intake goal. So a 15 minute run in the morningbasically means I can have an extra couple of pieces of fruit with my lunch and so I'll have more energy to do more exercise after work :)
  • dlbinin
    dlbinin Posts: 66 Member
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    You just have to do it. There's no special trick to do it. I haven't been doing it long, about 3 months now. I am NOT a morning person. I force myself out of the bed. Once I get out of the bed I am fine. No issues. Just force yourself out of the bed. Like you, my evening can be crazy and very unpredictable. I have learned to love morning workouts (still not a morning person, there's a difference). It makes me feel good to know that no matter what the day brings, my workout is DONE. Nothing can screw it up. That is a powerful feeling. Force yourself for one week. If you hate it then try something else. But I bet you will feel good knowing its done. Especially the first night something comes up out of the blue and you realize that if you hadn't gotten up early this would have derailed your workout. I get up at 4:30 AM and start my workout around 4:50 AM. Good luck to you.
  • jhassan1980
    jhassan1980 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thanks for all the info!! I will update & let you all know how it went :)
  • writemusic4him
    writemusic4him Posts: 312 Member
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    I set my alarm clock in the bathroom so I have to get all the way out of bed to turn off the alarm versus hitting snooze :)
  • beckyc77
    beckyc77 Posts: 12 Member
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    Just know that if you get up and go you won't regret it!! Such accomplishment early in the day is very motivating. If you over sleep or talk yourself out of it you will have the nagging feeling of something else that you have to do for the WHOLE day.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I woke up at 3 am this morning to workout. That's how much I hate going to the gym after work.
  • jhassan1980
    jhassan1980 Posts: 28 Member
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    So I woke up and got it done. I feel good about it! I was worried I'd feel tired and sluggish before work but I don't. It's not as bad as I thought it would be :D

    Lets see if I can do it again tomorrow!!
  • dlbinin
    dlbinin Posts: 66 Member
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    Great job!!! We are right there with you.

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