Tricks for getting exercise in early.

travelgirl77
travelgirl77 Posts: 99 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all!

During the week, I need to be up and out of the door by 5:15 to get to the gym, work out, and back to the house before my husband leaves for work, and the kids get up. I am so bad at this! I need some tricks to just getting it done. I know I will have more energy throughout the day, so it will be great for me. But, my bed is so nice and toasty:)

Thanks in advance!
Sarah
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Replies

  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Put the alarm clock in another room. No tricks for motivation though, you just need to do it.
  • savlov30
    savlov30 Posts: 233 Member
    Have you ever thought about doing home workouts instead of going to the gym?
  • fimary
    fimary Posts: 274 Member
    Sorry, i think you must be a saint if you can get up at that time and go to gym etc... before getting the kids up and getting them out the door. I would be asleep by 8pm if i did that

    good luck
  • carly_am
    carly_am Posts: 145 Member
    I don't know if this will be any help to you, having a family and all (plus it sounds kind of stupidly obvious) but go to bed at like 9pm. Honestly if I want to be up early I have to go to bed SO early.

    Also just don't even think about it, when your alarm goes off GET UP!! Don't give yourself a second to even think oh it's early or oh I'm a bit tired. Just get up!!! :)
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    For me, it's easy but I love how empty the gym is in the morning. I'm a morning person so once my alarm goes off, I'm up, I'm actually usually up before the alarm goes off :laugh:

    Like someone said, set the alarm in another room, if that won't work, set it across the room from you so you have to get out of bed and get it. Have your workout clothes set and ready at the bed or the bathroom or somewhere easy. Once you do it a couple times, you'll get used to it. Don't give yourself the choice of going or not, just go
  • rlmiller73190
    rlmiller73190 Posts: 342 Member
    I have to workout as soon as I get up because otherwise I know that I will not do it during the day. To be honest, this might seem strange, but anytime I wake up and don't feel like working out, I think about what I want to eat that day. There's usually a scoop of ice cream or a cookie in there, so I get up, lace up my running shoes, and hit the road. I saw a water bottle on Pinterest that I really want. It says "I run because I really, really, really like dessert." Food is honestly my greatest motivation. It takes 30 days to create a habit, so you honestly just have to push yourself really hard the first 30 days, then it should be smooth sailing :)
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    For me, it's easy but I love how empty the gym is in the morning. I'm a morning person so once my alarm goes off, I'm up, I'm actually usually up before the alarm goes off :laugh:
    This is me as well....now its just a habit and even when I'm tempted to stay in bed, I remind myself that I usually feel crummy all day when I don't go! Its really not an issue anymore, just a part of my daily routine.
  • savlov30
    savlov30 Posts: 233 Member
    It takes 21 days for a habit to stick. Try it for 21 days and see what happens.
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    I cannot imagine going to the gym that early, kudos!

    Anyways investing in a silent alarm might be a good idea, there are watches that vibrate you awake or if you have an iPhone you can get the Sleep Cycle App (I think it was a dollar) and it slowly wakes you up, it vibrates softly and vibrates harder the longer it goes and the music can be soothing and goes from quiet to somewhat loud over a long span of time. I set it to wake me up 10 minutes before I want to and I find that I wake up more alert and feeling more refreshed. It also can give you an idea of how well you are actually sleeping which is important to weight loss/management.

    Hope you find something that works!
  • aswearingen22
    aswearingen22 Posts: 271 Member
    My husband and I both work full-time, are both runners, and have 2 kids ages 7 and 3. I get up 2 mornings a week to get my runs in at 5:30ish before getting ready for work, helping get two kids ready for school, and hopefully be at work by 8:30am. I HAVE to go to bed early the nights before (by 10) and likely also the night I worked out so early as I'm dragging by 4pm. My schedule is:

    Mon - rest (or yoga dvd after kids are in bed)
    Tues - 5:30am run outside or on the treadmill in my basement depending on my mood/weather
    Wed - 4:30pm run or class at the gym after work/school depending on my training schedule
    Thurs - rest (or yoga dvd after kids are in bed)
    Fri - 5:30am run
    Sat - short run (outside, in basement, or at gym with kids in the kids gym, depending on weekend schedule)
    Sun - long run (10+ miles) - I generally get up early and do it around 7am, and am going to start running with a running group

    On Tues/Fri, if I don't get up and do those at 5:30am, I don't have another opportunity the rest of the day because of kids activities after school and in the evenings. I'm training for spring half marathons, so I *have* to get those workouts in, so my training schedule keeps me accountable. You just have to do it. Another good way to keep yourself accountable is to find a friend to go with you. Knowing you have to pick her up at 5:30 each morning, or she's picking you up, doesn't allow you to hit the snooze button.
  • klbaierwalter
    klbaierwalter Posts: 308 Member
    I have actually just started doing early morning workouts and so far, I love them! The gym is basically empty (I belong to a 24 hr gym), there's no one on the roads really either, so it's just nice and calm. I have so much more energy to power through my days. I just set my alarm for 4:15 and when it goes off, I get up walk around for a few mintues to make sure I'm coherent enough to drive. I get myself together and head out the door. My fiance leaves around 4:30 in the mornings, so he's up too (when he starts his new job, he won't need to be up until 5:30, so that will probably pose quite a challenge for me to keep getting up). I also know that because I went in the morning, I don't have to try to find a time to fit it in after work in the evenings. Yes, it does mean I have to go to bed early if I want to be able to actually function the next day. Monday-Friday (days that I work) I go to bed around 8:30 pm and get up around 4:15/4:30. On Saturdays and Sundays I can be a little more relaxed because no one is at the gym that early on a Saturday or Sunday anyways.

    You just have to suck it up, get up and get it done.

    Good luck :-)
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    Lately, I've been trying to get in the habit of waking up earlier than usual to get my cardio in in the morning. I get up, have mny workout clothes in the bathroom and get dressed. I do have a cup of coffee, then workout. But, my treadmill's in the basement, so I don't have to go very far. It's still a push some morning's to get up and get moving!
  • sss1966
    sss1966 Posts: 110 Member
    My alarm goes off at 520 am to exercise before work? Lay your clothes ready, get em straight on and.... Just do it! Before ur head tells you not to, I can so easily talk myself out of it
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    Go to bed earlier. It really doesn't come with tricks, it comes from simply doing it, developing a habit and make it more a priority than anything at that moment. Your own motivation needs to come from inside you and how bad you want something.
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    Have you ever thought about doing home workouts instead of going to the gym?

    This. And what everyone else said about getting everything ready the night before. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and it won't be as difficult to get out of bed.
  • rgrange
    rgrange Posts: 236 Member
    1: get up
    2: go to gym
    3: ???
    4: profit
  • savlov30
    savlov30 Posts: 233 Member
    Sleep in your workout clothes and go to bed early:)
  • traceycostella
    traceycostella Posts: 32
    I to have just started early mornings again, I get up at 5.45 and im at the gym by 6.15 when it opens, my biggest motivation was driving... i tried to get to the Gym by 6.15 before i had a car and oh my goodness it was soooo hard (its a 30 minute walk) so if you dont drive that may be motivation for you :)

    Good luck
  • Priincess_Natalie
    Priincess_Natalie Posts: 367 Member
    Try sleeping in your gym clothes. The alarm goes off, get up and out the door before you have much time to think about it. The only way I can accomplish this is to avoid facebook or any distractions in the morning and just do it. Once you are there you will be glad you did :)
  • ECW202
    ECW202 Posts: 13 Member
    I lay my clothes out the night before and while I am in bed that night getting ready to fall asleep, I remind myself how great I will feel when I wake up and go to the gym in the morning. The other "trick" is to just get out of bed when the alarm goes off. Don't even think about it, just get up, put on your workout clothes, and head out the door.
  • CupcakeCrusoe
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,440 Member
    Agree with some who have said sleep in your gym clothes. I sleep in my sports bra the night before a run (at 445 in the morning D: ).

    I, too, think about working off breakfast, and what a wonderful breakfast it can be, when I run first thing.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Put the alarm clock in another room. No tricks for motivation though, you just need to do it.

    Haha. You can by novelty alarms for people that love the snooze button - I used to have a helicopter that would lift up and fly round the room, and the alarm wouldn't stop going off until you had caught it and put it back. That used to get me up no problem.
  • bigbird1979
    bigbird1979 Posts: 17 Member
    I have this problem too. I say every night I going to get up early and go workout. Well the baby wakes at 3. I get up and give him a bottle and then I go back to bed and at 5 he wakes up for good. But at this time his dad gets up with him and I still sleep. I am so tired and can't dare to even think of working out. I hate it. I should just suck if up and go. I wake up at this time but stay in bed. I guess I am so lazy. I have been able to get up and go sometimes but not all the time. I go to bed at 9. So thats pretty early.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Sleep in your workout clothes and go to bed early:)

    This is what I do. It really makes it easy to just get up, lace up the shoes, and roll out.
  • glubben
    glubben Posts: 45 Member
    I get up everymorning at 4:50 and head to the gym. THe biggest thing for me is having everything I need ready the night before and going to bed earlier. Sad to say. I'm 31 years old but usually in bed on week nights by 8:30
  • thescrumisfun
    thescrumisfun Posts: 355
    I put my stuff out the night before (work out clothes, protein powder, heart rate monitor) and then I put my alarm AWAY from my bed. In that way, I actually have to get out of bed to turn it off, so I don't disturb my roommate. Then I'll make myself stand for a minute or so, go pee, and then I'm pretty awake. Sometimes the bed is so cozy though....tehe.
  • traceycostella
    traceycostella Posts: 32
    Haha. You can by novelty alarms for people that love the snooze button - I used to have a helicopter that would lift up and fly round the room, and the alarm wouldn't stop going off until you had caught it and put it back. That used to get me up no problem.
    [/quote]




    HA HA HA i need to get me one of those sounds like fun :)
  • khemory
    khemory Posts: 47 Member
    I moved my work outs to 5:15 am as well. My boyfriend and my 2 year are still in the bed, so I still have to get him ready and out the door as well as myself ready for work all before 8am. I love the early work outs though! I feel like its a great start to my day and also I know that by the time 5:30 comes and I have to go home and make dinner, give my son a bath ect. I will not be motivated to work out. I did not think I would be able to stay awake after getting up and exercising but I actually have more energy and feel better throughout the day. Hope you find what works best for you :)
  • linubie
    linubie Posts: 4 Member
    Do you guys eat before you do your early morning workouts/runs? I've tried to workout early morning on an empty stomach but it doesn't work for me. I get all woozy and light-headed. But if I eat something and then work out right away I feel nauseated. Neither are really conducive to a good work-out.

    Someone recommended that I wait 20-30 minutes after eating before I work out, but come on, seriously? Who has time for that in the morning, when time is at a premium to begin with?
  • Jribeiro86
    Jribeiro86 Posts: 108 Member
    Okay, this may sound dorky, but it was suggested to me recently, so I'm paying it forward-- log how you feel about working out in the morning (i.e., thoughts, impressions, rewards, etc.). It doesn't have to be as involved as journaling or anything like that-- Even if you just leave a brief status message here on MFP, you will be forcing yourself to really analyze the benefits of getting up so early for fitness. If it truly matters to you and pays off enough in your mind, you'll make a point to go. It's as simple as that. :smile:

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