Exercising in the early AM?????
healthymom2011
Posts: 26
I want to hear from all of you out there that exercise in the mornings. I need some motivation to get up out of bed and do it! I know there are good reasons to exercise in the mornings, I have many different things I can do, I have access to two gyms, I have two dogs that would love to go for a walk, I have a mountain of DVD's I could do and not even have to get dressed but I can not get my *kitten* out of bed to do any of it!
The funny thing is that I set my alarm almost every morning to get up early and exercise and some time through the night I change it! What is wrong with me? I get okay sleep these days, my 3 year old daughter is still not a great sleeper but I am getting more sleep then I was so I should feel more rested but I don't.
Any suggestions on how you get up and get going??
The funny thing is that I set my alarm almost every morning to get up early and exercise and some time through the night I change it! What is wrong with me? I get okay sleep these days, my 3 year old daughter is still not a great sleeper but I am getting more sleep then I was so I should feel more rested but I don't.
Any suggestions on how you get up and get going??
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I just remind myself that there is more daylight time now, the weather is getting nicer now, and I would really like to be outside with my family after work. In order to do that, I MUST get my work out done first thing in the morning. I have my clothes all set out, make a protein shake the night before, so that when I fall out of bed in the morning, all I have to do is slide into the clothes and drink my shake. By then, I'm awake and ready to go.
Good luck!!0 -
Don't fight your body clock! (that's why I workout at night).0
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I just do it haha. I tell myself that my day is going to be a million times better if I get my lazy butt out of bed and do some exercise.0
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I have no problem getting out of bed in the morning, so I don't know this from experience, but I've seen people say that you should set your alarm and put it ACROSS the room, so when it goes off in the morning you HAVE to get up out of bed to at least turn it off. And then it's also harder to change it in the middle of the night!0
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I had to just get up and do it. After a couple of weeks it will become routine and will be easier to do.0
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i get up at 4:30 every morning without fail to workout! what REALLY helps me is having a workout partner/group. i run with a group usuallly and i have a workout partner who also meets me for strength training. is there someone you can meet???
i also find it helps to follow a schedule every week, so i write down my planned workouts and stick to it!0 -
I lay out my workout clothes on the floor so I step on them. Then I hand my heart rate monitor at eye level so I see it when I use the restroom in the morning. My running shoes are in the kitchen by the computer (so when I log into MFP I see them). It all makes sense in the morning!0
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Just do it! It's just a habit you have to form, and get your body trained to your new time table. Go to bed early, and rise early - soon enough your body will adjust.
My alarm goes off at 5am every weekday morning to be at the gym at 5:30 - and now I couldn't imagine my day without it. Even on the weekends I'm up at 7ish ready to do something.
Think of it this way - you will be up, have worked-out, showered, dressed, eaten a good breakfast, and ready to start a wonderful day before most people have even gotten out of bed yet!!!0 -
Put your alarm on the other side of the room or in another room. That way you HAVE to get up to turn it off. You're already out of bed...might as well go work out!!! I'm one of those lucky morning people that gets up with the sun, and before it, but maybe my suggestion will help. Good luck!0
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PS when i do not workout in the morning, i am sluggish all day! i miss it... so i agree with the person above, it will get easier for sure! and when i workout at night, i never have as good of a workout because i am not "fresh" like i am in the morning.0
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I know EXACTLY what you mean......I loveee to snooze so its very hard for me. My trainer suggested I just do a half workout in the morning (30 mins cardio) and then do a half workout right afterwork (15-20mins left of cardio and 15mins strength training). Im out of the gym in no time after work. If I am really tired in the morning, I will just go on the bike and exercise so that I dont turn myself off from working out first thing in the morning. Good Luck0
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I really like having the "earned" calories there for the whole day, so my motivation is knowing that I won't have to worry about what I eat all day since I have more from the start :-)0
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I talk myself into getting up early to work out every morning by reminding myself how much better I feel about myself after I've finished. I rush to work so I can enter my exercise and calories burned. It's a bright spot in the morning0
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Thank you everyone!!
I do work out in the evenings after work, get my daughter and we go to the gym but I need more and the mornings are my answer to get it in. So starting next week, I am going to start a new habit!!
I like putting the alarm clock across the room, I will try that!0 -
I post on MFP that I'm gonna do a morning workout. I'd feel guilty if I didn't follow through!0
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I've heard people say they sleep in their workout clothes. It might work for you...dunno.
I work out in the mornings every other month. With that said when I first started I had to really pump myself up the night before. I told myself that I would lose more weight this way. My metabolism is going to be off the charts....anything to make sure that it was going to be a positive experience with a positive outcome. Oh the biggest thing I told myself....there would be no interruptions. I could focus on me with out "mom" being called. When that alarm clock went off I would spring out of bed. If I hit snooze or just laid around it would be a wrap. I would fall back to sleep and not get nothing done. Nope didn't want that so I did what I had to do.
You'll get there. Push yourself out your comfort zone and give yourself the reasons to do it.0 -
I LOVE MY SLEEP!!!! But days that I KNOW I won't be able to work out after work, I do get up early.... 5:30 am.. I do it because I WANT to work out and I feel sooooo much better when I do!!!!
Put your clothes out the night before, set your alarm, and think of how much better you will feel when YOU DO IT!
L.0 -
I too am challenged with the same issue at times but it appears that by preparing more the night before and getting to bed eariler will help faciliate you getting up and doing it.
Someone made a very good point about being able to get it done early in the day and not letting your workout time interfer with your family time- perfect for busy moms!
But beyond what everyone has told you (myself included) - the best encouragement is often given by YOU!
so wake up tomorrow and encouraging yourself... Good Luck to you : )0 -
Things that worked for me:
1) Alarm across the room. If I didn't get up, my husband beating me with a pillow to go turn it off usually did the trick.
2)I literally slept in my workout clothes for the first while. All I had to do was put my feet on the floor, find my shoes and go. It really helped, as silly as it sounds.
3) It got MUCH easier as I saw results. I even started looking foward to it, but just a little bit. This includes actually getting to finish a workout without having a toddler tangled up in your legs--the main bonus of the early morning workout for me.
4)It's easier as the days get longer too--if you can leave the top part of your shades open in the room at night to let sunlight in in the mornings, that helped me too.
Good luck.0 -
I always got up early, around 5 or 5:15 to have coffee, watch the news, pet my cats, get in the shower at 6:30, get ready and leave the house at 8.
Now, I still get up early and have my coffee and watch the news, but I work out at about 5:45 so I am done and can cool down before my shower.
Changing your routine takes some getting used to. Years ago, I didn't even roll out of bed before 7:30. But a different job and other responsibilities changed my schedule.0 -
For me there are 3 needs. 1. My wife is my exercize enabler. She's not a cheerleader, but she gives me occasional encouragement/push to get out of bed. So, find an enabler. 2. Every morning I make sure I do at least enough to get the endorphans going. They're addicting and I now rarely need my wife's gentle push. 3. Start slow. I started just brisklly walking for 30mins, which didn't do much initiallly. But, eventually, I noticed I moved around the office at a faster, easier pace. Now, I walk everyother day for 30 minutes and jog every other day for 30 minutes. 15 mins to cool down/make breakfast, 15 mins to shower and dress. I'm done in an hour and ready to go to work by 7:00
However, maybe you need to adjust your expectations a bit. You've got a 3 year old! If you can do it every other day - then consider it a success and recognize that you're bulding into a roll model for that 3 year-old.0 -
You need to find something you love doing so it doesn’t feel like a chore. I love to ride the bike. So I use to wake up every morning at 6am and go for a 4 to 5 mile bike ride. Come home. Have breakfast. Shower. Go to work.
Since it got too cold, I haven’t done it much lately. But once it starts warming back up I will at it again.0 -
I just remind myself that there is more daylight time now, the weather is getting nicer now, and I would really like to be outside with my family after work. In order to do that, I MUST get my work out done first thing in the morning. I have my clothes all set out, make a protein shake the night before, so that when I fall out of bed in the morning, all I have to do is slide into the clothes and drink my shake. By then, I'm awake and ready to go.
Good luck!!
I am the same way! I exercise at 5am, so I can spend more time with my family after work. I used to do evenings, but it just wasn't cutting it! So now I have an hr to myself in the am to exercise and get it out of the way, and I feel more energized throughout the day as well. I also make a protein shake at night, and drink about a quarter of it before working out, then finish it afterwards. Everything is set out the night before, (even my hair tie!) so all I have to do is roll out of bed, change, pull my hair up, brush my teeth and splash some cold water on my face (which really helps!), take a chug of the protein shake, then get going! Hope that helps and good luck!0 -
I find that getting up before my wife and child and getting a workout in is less of a burden on the rest of the family and the chaos that normally takes place in my house. I am a very strong advocate of getting the workout in early and being done with it so you know what you have to work with from a calorie perspective the rest of the day. Not to mention, I am way more awake than anyone in my office when I get in and I am that much more productive.
I am up between 4 and 4:30 every morning and generally in bed by 10. I did not just start at 4:00, I have been slowly setting my clock earlier over the past few months. We have another child on the way and my thinking is that I would like to keep the same exercise schedule while helping out with the early AM feeding.
This schedule works for me. I have also been known to get up in the 3:00 hour to get a workout in on days I have to travel and will not have any other time. To be honest it is just as much about taking the time for myself where there are no other distractions (Family, work, other) because the world is not awake and it is a great opportunity for me to focus on ME.0 -
I was laughing so hard at this post:)) Not laughing at you but because I use to be there and KNOW how it is:)) I can only tell you what I did.
1. I started working out period:)) I did it in the afternoon and at night because I just couldn't get up. Now my body craves exercise and so I look forward to it.
2. If you seriously MUST workout in the AM----After you get use to exercise set your alarm away from your bed....like across the room and force yourself to get up and turn it off...DO NOT LAY BACK DOWN!!!!! Trust me....you won't get back up:)) been there:)) I have gone as far as to put the alarm clock in the other room....just walking to it will wake you up:))
3. Have your workout clothes ready in eye view and DVD ready to push play:)) Motivation girl!!!!
4. Set several alarms (done that too!!!!) I am cracking myself up right now!!!---seriously crying at the computer:))
5. SLEEP in your workout clothes with shoes on and ready to go if you have to (done that too----I am a nut, sorry)
Whatever it takes!!! Get up!! After 21 days straight of doing that you will have formed a habit of getting up early0 -
Keishas, you are crazy girl!!! You did not sleep in your shoes????
I have heard of sleeping in your workout clothes, I might try that too!! I will look like I just rolled out of bed when I get to the gym, but I guess that is what I just did!!
I like to exercise too but can only fit about 1-1.5 hours in after work and then it's family time. I would like to do more!!0 -
I can't wait for me to be "motivated" to work out in the morning--the only thing that works for me is being "prepared." I bribe myself by setting the automatic coffee maker the night before to start brewing at 5:30 so that when the alarm rings, i know there's a nice little something waiting for me once i get going. If coffee doesn't work for you pick something that does--a fancy juice or something to get you ready for the workout. Then i make sure my workout clothes are ready. Nothing will make me sleep in like hitting the snooze button then wondering whether i have clean socks or where my gym bag is. If i know that all i have to do is get up, walk to the prepared pile of gym clothes, get my coffee, then pick up the gym bag by the door, it is a whole lot easier than knowing i have to get up and scramble around.0
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I can't wait for me to be "motivated" to work out in the morning--the only thing that works for me is being "prepared." I bribe myself by setting the automatic coffee maker the night before to start brewing at 5:30 so that when the alarm rings, i know there's a nice little something waiting for me once i get going. If coffee doesn't work for you pick something that does--a fancy juice or something to get you ready for the workout. Then i make sure my workout clothes are ready. Nothing will make me sleep in like hitting the snooze button then wondering whether i have clean socks or where my gym bag is. If i know that all i have to do is get up, walk to the prepared pile of gym clothes, get my coffee, then pick up the gym bag by the door, it is a whole lot easier than knowing i have to get up and scramble around.0
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