Getting up early to workout

JennS19
JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
So I think now that I'm back in school for the semester, on Thursdays I'll have to get my workout in before I go to work because I leave right from work at 6pm to go to school and don't get out of class until almost 10.

So I need some advice, for those of you who get up early in the morning to workout.....any tips to actually getting out of bed in the morning? I'm SOOOO not a morning person and I usually hit my snooze button a few million times before dragging myself out of bed and into the shower. Any suggestions?
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Replies

  • shellshalla
    shellshalla Posts: 263 Member
    I would like to see others advice as I'm having the same problem!
  • katthomas
    katthomas Posts: 22 Member
    I have NEVER been a morning person - until I started working out in the mornings. It took about 2 weeks of my FORCING myself to get up at 4:30 am but now - - - I LOVE IT! I even get up early on the weekends when I don't have to. I love getting my workout done early - and if I have time later I may get in another workout but.......if not.......I've gotten it in for the day.

    You just gotta make yourself get up early by reminding yourself WHY your doing it
    and having clothes ready the night before helps me out to.

    Good luck!
  • Banner1375
    Banner1375 Posts: 25 Member
    Well the first thing may seem kind of obvious, but go to bed a little eariler the night before. This seems simple, but it took me awhile to get it. One other little "trick" is I set my phone alarm for 10 min before I need to get up and then set it at the right time. The first bell is a "get ready to get up" alarm.

    Once you do it for a few days your body will adjust and it won't be so hard.

    Good luck.
  • princesslmc2
    princesslmc2 Posts: 264 Member
    LOL! Great question. And one hard to answer from a morning person's perspective since I'm not usually prone to hitting the snooze button (but sure am tempted!).

    I just view it as something I *have* to do every day - must check it off my To Do List. So I might as well get it over with as soon as possible. Or, remembering the feeling I have after I'm done waking up and eager to get that feeling early on the day. Or just rolling out of bed, eyes half shut until I get through the warm ups of my routine.... I eventually wake up and start feeling good (sometimes not even till I reach the halfway mark in my workout).

    It's definitely not something I *want* to do every morning... but once I'm done, I'm always glad I did it.
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
    Remember that an adult's sleep runs in 90 minute patterns. Go to bed allowing yourself 30 mins to fall asleep (women take longer to fall asleep than men normally), then try and allow yourself a number of blocks of 90 minutes. The theory is that at the end of a 90 minute sleep period, your sleep is lighter so it's better to wake up and you'll feel more refreshed than say if you were woken after 45 mins. So you could go to bed at 11.30pm and if you set your alarm for 6am you'd have had 4 90 minute blocks and should wake up fresh as a daisy!
    For children the periods are 45 minutes.

    Remember it's only a theory though! External factors like children and noisy neighbours are not accounted for. :laugh:
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
    Remember that an adult's sleep runs in 90 minute patterns. Go to bed allowing yourself 30 mins to fall asleep (women take longer to fall asleep than men normally), then try and allow yourself a number of blocks of 90 minutes. The theory is that at the end of a 90 minute sleep period, your sleep is lighter so it's better to wake up and you'll feel more refreshed than say if you were woken after 45 mins. So you could go to bed at 11.30pm and if you set your alarm for 6am you'd have had 4 90 minute blocks and should wake up fresh as a daisy!
    For children the periods are 45 minutes.

    Remember it's only a theory though! External factors like children and noisy neighbours are not accounted for. :laugh:
  • zcostilla
    zcostilla Posts: 23 Member
    The two best things I can think of are
    1. Make sure you wind down before trying to go to sleep. And turn off the TV. You want proper rest, not just a number of hours with your eyes closed.
    2. Go to bed a half hour earlier than you think you need to

    I have my clothes ready before bed. If I don't get enough sleep, the pump from working out keeps me going, but I try to get a cat nap after work.
  • JennS19
    JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
    Sometimes I hit my snooze button without even realizing I'm doing it, like I"ll be dreaming about an annoying sound and then it just goes away. Maybe I need to move my alarm away from the bed.
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
    sorry don't know why that posted twice!!
  • autumnleann
    autumnleann Posts: 15 Member
    Well, I only work out twice a week in the morning before work. The only way I hold myself accountable is to meet my faithful workout partner! We keep one another on the ball and that really helps...

    Other than that, I really don't know how I'd do it... because I hate mornings! :)
  • sheenmarie3
    sheenmarie3 Posts: 38 Member
    I am not a morning person at all either....for the last week I've been trying to get up early to workout and just have to make myself. Its getting easier and easier. The first couple days I wore my workout clothes to bed...but now I just have them ready so its a lot easier. The less effort you have to take will make it a lot easier...it will get easier and easier each day and you will feel great. I just have to remind myself that I will be done and don't have to think about my workout for the rest of the day :) And go to bed at a reasonable time :)
  • franzy
    franzy Posts: 259
    I've been doing it for 1 1/2 weeks I've been getting up at 5am every morning except Sat. and Sun. I made it my challange every week day for myself. When my alarm goes on at 5 I sit up and thank God I made it to another day then I think of why I have to get up and workout. Don't get me wrong I'm not a morning person but I want to feel and look good. :happy: I'll be hard the first few days but you'll get use to it.

    Franzy
  • aythakay
    aythakay Posts: 26 Member
    Here is a trick I do (mental) that helps me the nights before marathon days long runs (when I have to get up at 4 am) I sleep in my running clothes! I like to move as little as possible in the morning until I wake up and it helps if I am already dressed :)
  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
    I wouldn't skip work by sleeping in, that's how I look at getting up early to workout, like I don't even have a choice in the matter:bigsmile:
  • aythakay
    aythakay Posts: 26 Member
    I am also an assistant coach and run with a running group so I kind of HAVE to show up.....
  • ladybug91254
    ladybug91254 Posts: 232 Member
    I think this was just posted or something similar. I get up before work and go the gym. I lay my clothes out (gym & work) so that everything is ready to go. I set my alarm and DO NOT hit snooze, get up and get going. I also try to plan to go with others as then I am less likely to be lazy.
  • johnthefatman
    johnthefatman Posts: 205
    A really bright light helps kickstart the day - especially if its one of those SAD daylight lamps.
  • championnfl
    championnfl Posts: 324 Member
    My key,
    Is to get your feet on the floor,if your getting 8 hrs sleep its just discipline. AM workouts before breakfest are very beneficial,all calories burned are from stored reserves vs. cals eaten before workout are taken from food consumption.
    Good luck, if you want it bad enough will not be a major problem.:noway:
  • raven58
    raven58 Posts: 9
    This would be hard for me since I get up at 5 to get out the door by 6 to be at work on time and I shower the night before. But, I do plan my clothes the night before, my husband usually makes my lunch and leaves it in the fridge, so I only have to dress, accessorize and makeup, pack the lunch, kiss the cats (hubby is still sleeping) and go play in traffic.

    Actually I don't usually get home until 7:30 pm so I've been having trouble finding time to work out. I am trying to sneak it in. I park a little farther away, take the stairs instead of the elevator when I can, and then do long walks on the weekend.

    Good Luck!
  • sherry_80
    sherry_80 Posts: 86 Member
    I set my alarm to radio instead of the buzzer- i SET IT LOUD, and my alarm clock is not were I can reach it, so if i am gonna turn it off i gotta get up. I Get up at 4:00 am , so far i am on week 2.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    I just asked this question the other day, because I hate getting up early and when I did AM work outs last winter I did good for about 6-8 weeks but then I slowly stopped getting out of bed.

    I find the best way to go is to make everything as easy as possible. I pack my gym bag and lay out my work out clothes the night before. I am also a fan of hitting snooze so I set my alarm for earlier than I have to actually get up. I set it for 4:45, 5:00, and 5:15 which is when I have to get up. I turn on the softer light in the bathroom because the bright light is just too harsh when I"m that sleepy at 5:15....then I do the bare minimum, splash water on my face, brush my teeth, put my contacts in, get dressed and go. The less crap I have to do or run around looking for, the better.

    So far I am doing good, but today was only the third day....plus I have the crunch time motivation of needed to fit into my wedding dress in 25 days.....but my real problem comes after several weeks of going, where I either get up, make it to the bathroom but then decide to go back to bed...or in my sleepiness I just say F it and turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. For that I have no advice because I cannot seem to find a way around it.
  • rmccully
    rmccully Posts: 319
    I think you just have to tell yourself hey this is what you want to do and do it. It will take work at first but then it will come real easy and you may wonder why you didn't do it before.
  • Rissa1428
    Rissa1428 Posts: 30
    Put your alarm somewhere so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off then once you are out of bed you can convince yourself not to lay back down since you are already up. I have to do that because I will just lay there and keep hitting snooze.
  • Ngolden1
    Ngolden1 Posts: 58 Member
    I never used to be able to do this either, and then I sucked it up and started doing it, and it is the BEST way to work-out. It is over and done with for the day and you won't be able to talk yourself out of it. I did four things that made it easier:

    1. Don't lay there when the alarm goes off. The second you hear it, jump out of bed and get going. Do not lay there for a second.

    2. Make a rule that if the alarm goes off then you are getting up. If you are having insomnia in the night and you make the decision to turn off the alarm then, then that's ok. But if the alarm goes off then get up.

    3. Do it everyday. This way you get used to it, and you will always be tired earlier in the night.

    4. Take the time to drink a cup of coffee before working out. Not only does the coffee wake you up, but you have a moment to focus and allow your body to adjust to being awake.
  • rubysparkle
    rubysparkle Posts: 362 Member
    I am going to try this tomorrow. I have been finding it so hard to get exercise in after work in the evening.

    I am going to do the 30DS tomorrow, the only problem is i'm not sure i can cope with jillian that early in the morning :(
  • JennS19
    JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
    I'm going to do this tomorrow to, since class is on Thursday tomorrow will be my first day to put it to the test. :smile: I know we can do it!
  • JennS19
    JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
    This morning I took everyone's advice and at 6am when my alarm went off I got right up! I had my clothes all ready to go and I put my DVD in and worked out! I even did my extra Ab Ripper DVD this morning even though all I wanted to do was get in the shower! Thanks for all the suggestions!!
  • BigGail
    BigGail Posts: 465 Member
    This morning I took everyone's advice and at 6am when my alarm went off I got right up! I had my clothes all ready to go and I put my DVD in and worked out! I even did my extra Ab Ripper DVD this morning even though all I wanted to do was get in the shower! Thanks for all the suggestions!!

    Thanks for the lovely message - I'm really glad the 90 minutes thing worked for you too. I can't even remember where I heard it to tell the truth, but it has always worked for me!
  • donewiththeweight
    donewiththeweight Posts: 9
    Bump. I have this problem/
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    Sometimes I hit my snooze button without even realizing I'm doing it, like I"ll be dreaming about an annoying sound and then it just goes away. Maybe I need to move my alarm away from the bed.

    Move you're alarm to the opposite side of the room.
    I have an annoying rooster sound on my cell phone to wake me up.
    I lay my workout clothes out at night.
    I used to pack my work clothes and put them in the car at night.
    Some people use a pre-workout drink to help them wake up. They use Jack3d or Fuzion K-akg.
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