Early Birds - what inspires your morning workouts?

leemay001 · March 2013

Good morning,

As the subject says: What inspires you, or motivates you, to workout early?

I hate mornings, so I set an alarm for 7am, get up and take a thermogenic pill then crash again. Then my next alarm goes off at 7:30 and by then the caffeine has me up and running and I can jump on my exercise bike. But even then I can't just sit and spin all out whilst staring at a wall, so lately I've been catching up on Naruto episodes. They're perfect cause a) they get you pumped, b) they're almost exactly 20 min so you can base the workout on the amount of episodes watched and c) there's hundreds of them. I have well over 100 eps to keep me going (100 eps x 20 mins, 2000 mins of exercise, not bad).

Without this process I don't think I could ever get up and work out before heading to work. What about you guys / girls?

Lee

loriepaulin · March 2013

For me the motivation is knowing that it is done for the day. I have to be at work at 9am so I set my alarm for 6am, allow myself 30 mins to wake up and then I put on my workout clothes and go do my DVD for 30 mins. This gives me time to relax at home after the workout is done and then I know when I get home in the evening it's done and over and I don't have to anything else for the day. I love it!

I didn't use to be a morning person, I always worked out after dinner, now I can relax, read, etc...I LOVE IT.

leemay001 · March 2013

For me the motivation is knowing that it is done for the day. I have to be at work at 9am so I set my alarm for 6am, allow myself 30 mins to wake up and then I put on my workout clothes and go do my DVD for 30 mins. This gives me time to relax at home after the workout is done and then I know when I get home in the evening it's done and over and I don't have to anything else for the day. I love it! I didn't use to be a morning person, I always worked out after dinner, now I can relax, read, etc...I LOVE IT.

I also start at 9, but my work is a 5 min drive away so lucky me I can get up at 7:30 :P Also, being male probably means I get ready quickly too. Although your method wouldn't work for me, as my morning 20 min workout is nothing compared to the workout I do after work. Either an hour taekwondo lesson or another 40-60 minute workout (2-3 Naruto episodes, haha :P).

nicolemtracy · March 2013

I just do it because I have the most motivation and will power in the morning. If I wait to do it until my husband comes home from work (around 6pm) then I'll find an excuse and not a very good one either; I'm too tired, I don't feel like it, ect ect.

concordancia · March 2013

It guarantees that I get it in. If I waited until after work, he might want to play TV or go out or get frisky, or a million other things that would distract me from getting my workout done.

montana_girl · March 2013

I think for me, it's just a matter of getting it done. If I tell myself I will do my workout after work, I rarely do. Plus, I've noticed when I workout first thing in the morning, I do a lot better with my eating throughout the day.

So really no inspiration, more of need to just be done with it! :laugh:

Madelinew22 · March 2013

my kids get me up at 630 everymorning and then i drive to the gym~30 min drive and kill my workouts for 2 hrs(daycare only provided for 2 hrs 9-11am) thats my motivation, if i get lazy i dont get to workout, then im mad. plus i love it!!

kg4ulu · March 2013

I also like that I am done for the day. I am at work by 7:15 so I'm in my workout room by 4:30. I also burn more in the mornings. This week I'm finishing up Jillian Michaels 6 week 6 pack this week and I also do arms every other day. Every day I do approximately 45 minutes of cardio (elliptical or treadmill). This also helps with my food planning for the day. I know if I'm going to be higher one day I make sure I reach a certain number to account for the calories. Finally, my body is used to 4:30 now and I don't sleep past it even on the weekends

wolfchild59 · March 2013

The only thing that gets me out of bed for an early workout is either it being a race day or a day that's going to get too hot to run really early. Otherwise, all of my workouts during the week are after work or in the early afternoons on the weekends.

When I trained for my first half, it was during winter/early spring, so even my long runs often weren't started until 2pm or later. (I remember chasing the sunset, trying to get home before dark, a few times)

melindanew · March 2013

If I don't do it then, I don't have time in the afternoon. And then I remain a lard*** if I don't, so I just do it.

I'm up at 5:45 and out the door by 6 for the five min walk to the gym, work out for an hour, shower, change and get to work by 8:45 on the train.

Because when I get home, there's dogs to walk and uni work to do (I work full time and I do law at uni), OR there's lectures to attend. If my husband is overseas as he often is, there's dinner to sort out and all the work that goes with just living in the house - laundry, dishes, pet care - which he normally does most of if he's home. (Although this seems unfair, the situation was reversed when he did his MBA, so it's working for us. And fortunately we gave up trying to keep up with the floors and the bathrooms and we pay someone to do the heavy cleaning.)

By the time I get to bed at 10 or 11pm, I haven't stopped since I left the house. This is all shortish term pain (only another 2 years to go!) but it gets tiring. It's self inflicted but I love being a law student, so there's that.

On weekends I can sleep in till 6:30 so I can have breakfast, get to the gym by 8, work out, shower change and get to the library when it opens at 10 and stay till it closes at 6pm, then out to dinner with my husband so we get to spend some time together. Same with Sunday minus the out to dinner.

When uni is on break, I go to the gym after work and sleep in till 6:30 every day! I actually do better then, it seems that my body perfers afternoon workouts, but I take what I can get.

aaariel00 · March 2013

I find that if I don't "get it over with" in the morning, I will make excuses and not go later in the day. It was really hard switching to morning workouts, but now I have SO much more energy all day. I'm loving it!

aprilslusher · March 2013

I take the kids to school every morning and head to the gym. If I don't go in the morning then I have to wait until my hubby gets home from work and then go. Which, for me waiting on him means not going until 8pm or later. It's also easier knowing that you have a set amount of calories early on in the day and it makes it easier planning dinner and snacks. :flowerforyou:

Dlibo1013 · March 2013

I like the feeling I get after morning workout. It seems to last with me all day.

irvingaescobar · March 2013

Which thermo are you using? I use OxyElite Pro (original formula) and I dont crash at all.

Capt_Apollo · March 2013

i don't like people very much. so i like to get to the gym at about 6am, right when it opens. even better if i go with my lifting buddy.

nothing inspires me to do it. i don't need motivation to go out and do it. i'm past that. i've decided that exercising is going to be a part of my life.

i prepare. i have my alarm clock set for 5am, with eye of the tiger as the song. i allow myself to hit snooze ONCE. i have my coffee pot set to go off at that time too, so it's ready when i get up. i pour myself a cup of coffee and while i'm drinking it, i get dressed in the gym clothes i've laid out the night before. i grab the gym bag i packed the night before, and usually out the door by 5:45am. there is no scrambling around for items to bring, no wasting time looking for what to wear.

preparation is the key to success.

007bondage · March 2013

Bed Wetting.

devil_in_a_blue_dress · March 2013

Bump -- because this girl hasn't gotten out of bed before 8 in YEARS.

queenbear5 · March 2013

I wake up between 3 and 4 am, and there's just nothing else to do at that time besides laundry. So after I throw a load in, I lace up and run on the treadmill. I'm currently watching reruns of "Angel" on Netflix during my workouts. It makes the time pass enjoyably. It's nice getting my exercise out of the way early, so I can enjoy the rest of the day however I please.

Chordata25 · March 2013

My motivation is my workout buddy. I love chatting with him and racing each other on the treadmill so the fun I have is a reason to get up at 6:45. It's great too b/c if we both don't feel like working out first thing in the morning (b/c of schedule change or just tired) we make sure to meet up and workout later in the day.

CakeFit21 · March 2013

i don't like people very much. so i like to get to the gym at about 6am, right when it opens. even better if i go with my lifting buddy.

nothing inspires me to do it. i don't need motivation to go out and do it. i'm past that. i've decided that exercising is going to be a part of my life.

i prepare. i have my alarm clock set for 5am, with eye of the tiger as the song. i allow myself to hit snooze ONCE. i have my coffee pot set to go off at that time too, so it's ready when i get up. i pour myself a cup of coffee and while i'm drinking it, i get dressed in the gym clothes i've laid out the night before. i grab the gym bag i packed the night before, and usually out the door by 5:45am. there is no scrambling around for items to bring, no wasting time looking for what to wear.

preparation is the key to success.

Did I write this? Except, I get up at 4:30 so I can wash my face and sit down while I drink the first half of my coffee.

leighdiane91 · March 2013

It's weird but during the week i have to be at work at 730 and have an hour long commute. But for me, getting up at 4 is not an option. I have tried, but even though i go to bed at 930 every night, my body can't handle it that early in the morning. So i go after work during the week and then i go at 730 every Saturday and Sunday.

Capt_Apollo · March 2013

i don't like people very much. so i like to get to the gym at about 6am, right when it opens. even better if i go with my lifting buddy.

nothing inspires me to do it. i don't need motivation to go out and do it. i'm past that. i've decided that exercising is going to be a part of my life.

i prepare. i have my alarm clock set for 5am, with eye of the tiger as the song. i allow myself to hit snooze ONCE. i have my coffee pot set to go off at that time too, so it's ready when i get up. i pour myself a cup of coffee and while i'm drinking it, i get dressed in the gym clothes i've laid out the night before. i grab the gym bag i packed the night before, and usually out the door by 5:45am. there is no scrambling around for items to bring, no wasting time looking for what to wear.

preparation is the key to success.

Did I write this? Except, I get up at 4:30 so I can wash my face and sit down while I drink the first half of my coffee.

i totally sit down to drink at least one full cup off coffee, and was my face an brush my teeth. no one needs to smell the combination morning/coffee breath.

AmyRhubarb · March 2013

I'm with those who know that if it doesn't get done early, it doesn't usually get done. And the feeling of regret at the end of the day for not having worked out finally outweighed the difficultly of getting up early and getting it done!

My alarm goes off at 4:45 and I am working out by 5am, done by 6. Get my kid off to school, and on with my day, knowing my workout is complete! :drinker:

Capt_Apollo · March 2013

It's weird but during the week i have to be at work at 730 and have an hour long commute. But for me, getting up at 4 is not an option. I have tried, but even though i go to bed at 930 every night, my body can't handle it that early in the morning. So i go after work during the week and then i go at 730 every Saturday and Sunday.

sounds to me you'd rather stay up until 930pm than wake up at 4am to work out. not a problem at all.

Bubbl3s25 · March 2013

My daughter rows so I am up at 5am most mornings, making lunches and then off to the lake. You will then find me power walking around the lake by 5.30. Beautiful now, not so great in the winter.

acogg · March 2013

Because morning time is my time. Once I get my workout done, nothing or no one can take it from me. Plus I don't want to shower again.

never124get · March 2013

My work days are pretty abnormal compared to the 9am to 5pm Monday - Friday type gig. I work shifts, 5am to 5pm Thursday - Wednesday and then I'm off a week and then I do it all again a week later...working out on my week off is pretty normal, wake up whenever I feel like it, usually around 9am 9:30ish...and workout, no big deal. Well on the days I work I have to get up anywhere between 2am-2:30ish....sucks yes but once I'm up and I workout I feel good knowing that all I have to do is go home, eat dinner and maybe do some laundry and then go to bed around 8pm-8:30ish. I've run on little sleep all my life, I guess it's easier for me, when I tend to sleep a lot I get really tired. It's strange. But yeah, motivation is knowing that I don't have to worry about doing it later after work...that gets my butt up out of bed.

gabbygee1 · March 2013

I'm two sided here. I like to do my workouts in the morning to get it over with but I also hate getting up early.
I've been slowly waking up 10-15 minutes earlier each morning to get used to 1.) daylights savings yay and 2.) more time for morning workouts and waking up.

So what I do is split my workouts, my hardest is in the morning (strength, pilates, or a brief cardio on a stationary bike), and my easiest is in the evening when I get home (yoga, jogging, arm workouts).

I save my long run days for the weekends since after standing all day at work I am in no mood for hefty workouts.

This works for now. I would love to do a half hour run in the morning but that'll take some schedule tweaking...plus it's mighty cold out there right now!

lilpoindexter · March 2013

I get up at 3:30AM, Im at the gym around 3:40 or 3:45AM. At first I was embarrased to go in the evening and have everyone pointing at the fat guy that could only do 10 minutes on the eliptical...but as I lost weight, I tried it in the afternoon, and I hated the crowds, So i went back to 330AM to have more machines to pick from, and frankly, on the days I lift weights, I feel more "awake' at work. I have to go that early because I have a long commute and have to leave my house at 6AM. On weekends Im probably in the gym around 6 or 7am

MouseTmom · March 2013

Considering I have to be up at 5:00 to get to work by 7 there is NOTHING that could inspire me to workout in the morning before work. I am NOT getting up in the middle of the night to get a work out in. I do walk at lunch time and try to do kettlebell and/or ride my exercise bike at least 4-5 times a week. I also keep a 7 pound weight in my desk and do weight lifting with my arms a couple times a day.

ElizabethKalmbach · March 2013

If I don't do my rowing BEFORE the toddler wakes up, I will be rowing with a 35 pound weight hanging off my back, asking me all manner of questions for 50 minutes...

Early Birds - what inspires your morning workouts?

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