Tips for a Non-Morning Person to Wake Up at 5am

kctj0815
kctj0815 Posts: 8
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
My routine right now is workout at night, shower at night... all fine.

But then the next morning... I sleep until the last possible second (because I know I don't have to shower)... I rush to get ready for work...am usually a few minutes late leaving... have a quick breakfast at work... and then I'm tired all day.

Plus... anytime I have to do something after work and I get home late... I skip my workout...

I have to and want to stop doing this but I'm not much of a morning person!

My plan/goal is to wake up every morning at 5am... workout... shower... eat breakfast... and leave my house by 7:10am...

I was all amped to start this this past Monday but then I pulled a muscle in my lower back Saturday (at least I think that's all it is) so haven't been able to workout at all.

Any tips on how to get my butt outta bed every morning? I'm going to put an alarm clock on the other side of the room... but that's all I can really think of... anything you all do that you think would help me out?

I wish my motivation were enough but unfortunately... I like to sleep!

Replies

  • MonsteRawr
    MonsteRawr Posts: 95 Member
    I've always been a person who's able to make myself get up (even if I really don't want to,) so I don't have any good tips.

    However, my dad, who was an early morning runner, used to sleep in his workout clothes. That way, all he had to do was get out of bed, throw on his shoes, and run our the door. He used to say that he had to get moving before his brain figured out what was going on!

    Good luck!
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
    Well I can't help get you motivated, but I will tell you that you get use to it. I use to work out after work, but since having children, found the only time I could fit it in was 5AM.

    I actually enjoy it now and no longer need an alarm clock most days (I still set it, just in case).

    It's nice having the whole world to yourself while most people are still asleep.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    My suggestions? 1) Work back to it- both in # of days per week and in how early you get there. 2) Find a kind of exercise you enjoy or can have goals for (that you care about). Easing into it, and wanting to be up in the first place are the 2 biggest components to getting up early, to me.
  • bjmk19047
    bjmk19047 Posts: 123
    My motivation was my boyfriend -- he would text me at quarter-to-5:00 to make sure I was up and ready to meet him for our 3 mile walk. :smile:
  • Dafrog
    Dafrog Posts: 353
    Man I use to think I was not a morning person until I took a 3rd shift job, then I realized quickly I wasnt a get out of bed person. The alarm clock out of reach sounds great. I use my cellphone that way I can pick a really annoying ringtone to wake too. Anything can be developed to a habit. Just takes some getting use to. Good luck.
  • GrandmaGayle
    GrandmaGayle Posts: 5 Member
    I wrote a contract to myself to get up at 5AM to workout...I feel much better working out in the morning, I like you seem to have the same schedule except I have no kids at home...My evenings are usually taken by something or I am just too tired after getting home from work at 6ish..I am trying not to let myself down by not getting up...make sure to sign your contract if you make one...that makes you responsible...
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    Maybe you should continue eating breakfast at work, so you have less to do in the morning at home since your goal is to be out of the house fast.

    The other thing... Can't you wake up at 6am, do a 25 min workout, shower, be out at 7:10, then go for a walk during your lunch break or when you get home???? I think that extra hour would help you A LOT!!!
  • Teresa652
    Teresa652 Posts: 217 Member
    I get up a little earlier and do a quick workout in the morning. Something to get my brain and body going. I'll either do 10 minutes on the elliptical or 10 minutes of yoga. Then have a quick shower and off to work I go. I find that I'm too tired to workout at nights.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    Oh good lord, i don't know how people do that. I know, that's not helpful. I'm not a morning person either, and my advice is: don't force yourself to be if you're not. If you put off exercise at night due to various other things, soon enough, you'll be putting off your morning workouts due to being too tired, being too sore etc. It's WAY easier to make excuses half asleep and tell yourself "just a few more minutes" over & over & over until you're late then it is to make excuses at night. If you KNOW about yourself that you put aside a workout when you have other things to do, be concious of that & when you try to "brush it aside" tell yourself NO, this is a priority. I don't think that getting up at 5am is the answer or what will work if you're just not a morning person. But again, just my opinion. I'm speaking from experience with that.
  • teetee1281
    teetee1281 Posts: 1,076 Member
    Try setting another alarm too, about 5 mins after the first. So if you are a snooze person, you will have too many alarms going off. Also, try incorporating the habit on the weekend too. I mean you can wake up earlier than you plan so you can workout. once you realize the different in energy the whole day, you will be more motivated to wake up early and workout. It doesn't come overnight, it takes time, be patient.
  • Bearface115
    Bearface115 Posts: 574 Member
    I've always been a person who's able to make myself get up (even if I really don't want to,) so I don't have any good tips.

    However, my dad, who was an early morning runner, used to sleep in his workout clothes. That way, all he had to do was get out of bed, throw on his shoes, and run our the door. He used to say that he had to get moving before his brain figured out what was going on!

    Good luck!

    lol i love that tip, " before your brain figures out what is going on! I have work 2 days a week starting at 5:00 and i have to be outta the house at 4:30, i have learned to zombily do it and motivate myself to just do it... it's work and u get out early..
  • gbtesq
    gbtesq Posts: 84 Member
    You're not alone. I too want to get up and do a quick workout in the morning. I was supposed to start 11 days ago but nothing yet.

    A few years ago, I used to get up and do it religiously without a problem. I don't know what happened. I don't have kids at home but I just find that I have a ton of other things to do when I finally do come through the door at night. Otherwise, then I'm just too tired and the couch keeps calling my name.
  • hallewood
    hallewood Posts: 1 Member
    I was struggling to do this to, but I did it and I am still doing it.

    What I did was made sure that I was in bed at 9:30pm and I put my cell phone on my nightstand and set the alarm to go off at 5am. I have been successful for almost two weeks doing this now and honestly, the first two days were the hardest. Now I am loving it because it frees up my nights so I have time to make a healthy dinner for my family and I don't have to feel guilty for feeling tired at night and not wanting to go. So many things can de-rail your evening workouts but not a whole lot comes up at 5am that you have to say no to! ;)

    I go Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday at 5am and then Wednesday evening to a spin class - that way it's only ever two days in a row that you have to get up at 5am which is not so hard.

    You can do this - and you'll be glad you did! :)
  • stacybolstridge
    stacybolstridge Posts: 16
    It's really hard for me to, but I've done it a couple of days this week and I don't mind it! They say that you should get up at the same time every day, so I'm going to start doing that. You have to reprogram yourself to wake up at 5. Just like you are reprograming yourself to eat better and excersise. We aren't born with motivation. It's something that we learn by ourselves or by others exmples. You can do it because that is your time for you.
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member
    I have to start prepping to go back to school about a week ahead of time. You could use the same trick I think. I am soooo not a morning person, but what helps me get up at 5:30 is to start setting my alarm clock up by 20-30 minutes each day until I hit 5:30. It really doesn't take too long to get used to. Within two weeks, I start waking up before my alarm even goes off. I NEVER in a MILLION years thought I'd wake up ON MY OWN at 5:15am!!! (Oh, & under no circumstances can you hit snooze!!) :wink:
  • secostley
    secostley Posts: 409 Member
    I feel your pain on this one. I was in the exact same boat. What I started doing was eliminating my excuses for getting up early (I actually get up at 4 a.m., gym at 5:30, home, shower and off to work by 7:30 a.m.). Here's what I did:

    1. Ironed and got everything ready the night before
    2. Packed the gym bag that night and sat it by the door
    3. Forced myself to go to bed early (I'm a night owl)--so I'm in the bed by 10 p.m.--11 p.m. max

    When I'd get up, I would immediately put my workout gear on, grab a bite, and head out. Don't wait to dress at the gym! Put yourself in the workout mindset as soon as possible.

    It took about a week to get used to it. My body rebelled like crazy, but I pushed through. My body eventually adjusted and I'm glad it did. By working out early in the morning, fewer things interfere with me getting it done--unlike my old lunch time workouts that always seemed to get "mysteriously skipped" by some unforeseen event.

    Let me know how things turn out for you.

    Shawn
  • cmo115
    cmo115 Posts: 73 Member
    I've always been a person who's able to make myself get up (even if I really don't want to,) so I don't have any good tips.

    However, my dad, who was an early morning runner, used to sleep in his workout clothes. That way, all he had to do was get out of bed, throw on his shoes, and run our the door. He used to say that he had to get moving before his brain figured out what was going on!

    Good luck!

    LOVE LOVE your dads idea!
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