What helps you wake up early to get that workout in?
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Think the earliest I've gone to the gym so far has been 9:30 am because of a class I wanted to try that started at 10. I don't get up before 7 am unless I absolutely have to, like if I have a morning shift. For the most part, I work close so I either lift/run a few hours before work (so midday) or I go after work. At 11 pm it's easy enough to get to the squat rack or not have to wait around to deadlift, so it's worth going then for me.0
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Have everything ready to go, so you're not faffing around when you get up. I just roll out of bed, into my contact lenses and gym clothes and off I scamper.
Also helps knowing that the later I leave it, the odds of me actually bothering to exercise at all are drastically reduced. I don't love working out in the evenings because the gym I go to is TOO DAMN BUSY then and I like just going home and being away from people as soon as I finish work.
Also, I find my concentration is better during the day when I work out in the morning. So if I really REALLY can't be bothered to get up at 6am to exercise, I just hold on to the benefits and force myself to do it. Half of it is routine, you'll get used to it.
That said, if I've had a truly horrendous nights sleep (life-long sporadic insomniac over here) then I will stay in bed the extra 2 hours and not beat myself up about it. To be a functioning person, sleep is more crucial to me than exercise and I know I will perform better at work if I trade off the exercise for shut-eye.
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Violeta1969 wrote: »...what's wrong with working out in the afternoon?..or evening for that matter! I am not a big morning person either, and I have to wake up at 4:45am to be at the office @7;00am...so, the idea of waking up even earlier than that, kills all my motivation!..HELP!
Nothing! Many people just find it much easier to stick to a schedule if they do it first thing in the morning.
I know I personally love doing it in the morning so that it's not looming in the back of my head all day.0 -
I tried after-work workouts and there was always something that preempted them. The only way I can be consistent is to get it done before work and be done for the day. After a year and a half I can say it's an ingrained habit and not hard at all...I do go to sleep before 10 most nights though. All the suggestions people have made are good ones: prep the night before, go to bed early, make it a daily routine so your body gets used to it.
However my biggest motivation is seeing how my body has changed during this process. Yes, eating well has gotten rid of the fat, but consistent exercise is what's given me the shape and muscle definition that I love to see in the mirror. If I stay in bed, that goes away and I'm a sad knitter. And that gets me out of bed EVERY. DAY.0 -
Loving this thread and the advice on it, been having the very same issue
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I keep the Victorias Secret catalog on the nightstand. Its the first thing i see when i open my eyes. Reminds me that I don't want to spend another summer overweight. Also, working out in the morning makes my whole day. I eat better, Im energized and I feel good that I accomplished that part of my day.0
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I'm hoping some of these responses will help motivate me to get up in the morning as well! I have a hard time fitting in workouts after work, so I need to get them in before work. But it's so hard to get out of bed any earlier than I have to...especially in the winter. In the spring and summer when it's light out early in the morning and not so cold, I don't have such a hard time getting outside to run. But in the winter, it's so dark and cold (and icy!), so I avoid running outside. And to get up and exercise in my room or the living room where there's a bed or couch....so hard! But I know I need to, so I just have to dig deep for that motivation and determination. And use some of these great tips. 0
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I know I have asked this before, but I am in a bit of a big slump currently. I am aiming to be outta bed by 5am and in the living room and my work out video no later than 5:15am. For those of you who workout early in the morning as well what helped you get in this habit? I know I should just suck it up and get up and go but I am not a big morning person so for me to get in the habit it takes me a bit. So what did you do or what helped you get in the habit? I know once I get a routine going it will be something I just do. I just need to get there! Thanks in advance!
I work out in the morning. It's my jam. I'm at the gym by 6:00am. If you are not a morning person, don't feel like you have to work out in the morning BUT here are the benefits I see (for me):
1. It's the one time of the day that no one every tries to interfere with (no meetings, no friends, etc.).
2. It gives me energy for work.
3. After work, I'm exhausted. I look forward to going to straight home, cooking a nice dinner and relaxing.
4. My friends go at 6 too so it's my social time.
Tricks to get up:
1. Stick with it. It will take a few weeks to get it down.
2. Go to bed early. Seriously, I'm in bed by 9 and lights out at 10.
3. Drink a big glass of water before bed - you will HAVE to get up then. LOL.
4. Avoid alcohol on the nights before you workout - it interrupts sleep.0 -
and i will add that getting 8 hours of straight sleep is crucial for optimal health and wellness. not getting enough sleep leads to weight gain, also. so dont sacrifice precious sleep to exercise. get it in during your regular day
I'm pretty sure the morning is still part of a regular day....
I don't sacrifice sleep at all. Just go to bed earlier.0 -
My husband and I just started back with early morning workout this week (alarm goes off 5:30), and for me when I hit snooze and get back into bed it's not rolling over, closing my eyes and going back to sleep (which when it's 30 below zero is kinda hard!). Now I'll lay in bed for a few minutes, chat with my husband, give my dog some loving before physically getting out of bed.0
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Violeta1969 wrote: »...what's wrong with working out in the afternoon?..or evening for that matter! I am not a big morning person either, and I have to wake up at 4:45am to be at the office @7;00am...so, the idea of waking up even earlier than that, kills all my motivation!..HELP!
Not everyone can though. My previous job I was fortunate to have an on-site fitness center and if I didn't get up early to workout I would get in early so I could knock off early to go get my exercise in.
Now though if my husband and I don't get up early in the morning to go to the gym the chances of it happening in the afternoon or even at night are slim to none. He gets very busy with work and can't always be away from the office for 2-3 hours during the day. Night time is a no-go because unless we get there at or before 4:30 pm there's no chance of getting any equipment because it's packed. I have a hard time right now getting my DDP yoga in in the afternoons because my motivation begins to wain.
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My motivation is not having to wait for equipment. I prep my coffee the night before. I get my clothes ready the night before. I love spending time with my family. If I go after work that time will be used. Most days after work esp in the winter months, I dont want to go back out there.
Getting it done and over is the best part of working out early mornings, there is no late work meeting, after school program, or anything else unexpected to get in the way.
You just gotta do it. I am in no way a morning person but morning training has helped me to get it done daily!0 -
The advice about alarms, having everything ready etc., is gold.
I'm lucky that my gym is inside a hotel which also has a Starbucks in it, so if I'm really struggling to drag my backside out of bed I think of the tasty hazelnut mocha I can have after I'm done. It might help if you can think of a tasty breakfast you can have after, or some other perk you only get if you go to the gym at that time.
I also like it because it keeps my evenings free. My friends and I are big eaters, so I like to 'bank' some calories in the morning so I can eat more chips and pasta. And it's nice if I get a spontaneous text about meeting up for a drink, I don't get the guilt of missing the gym cos I already went!0 -
There's some apps for iphones that make you solve puzzles, etc whenever your alarm goes up. That may help to wake your mind up enough.0
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Thank you all so much for all this advice!! I appreciate it so much! I am deffinatly going to take some of it. I need to get my friend to text me again in the mornings I know that will help. Also if anyone wants to add me to help keep me inline I am open! And about why would I pick the morning to workout? If I had time after work I would. But getting home between 5pm and 5:30pm doesn't leave much time. I need to make dinner, bathe the little one, clean up dinner, then put her down. By then its sometimes 8:30pm. So its really the only time I have. 0
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Thank you all so much for all this advice!! I appreciate it so much! I am deffinatly going to take some of it. I need to get my friend to text me again in the mornings I know that will help. Also if anyone wants to add me to help keep me inline I am open! And about why would I pick the morning to workout? If I had time after work I would. But getting home between 5pm and 5:30pm doesn't leave much time. I need to make dinner, bathe the little one, clean up dinner, then put her down. By then its sometimes 8:30pm. So its really the only time I have.
Also: put your alarm some place where you have to get up to turn it off. I put mine a little ways away from the bed. I am also thinking of setting my phone as a back up alarm and putting it in the bathroom so that when it goes off I am forced to get up and go into the bathroom to turn it off. While I'm there, might as well brush my teeth and get ready to go.
ETA: So far this week though I haven't had any trouble getting up. I think chatting with my husband and petting my dog has helped me to NOT go back to sleep.
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goddessofawesome wrote: »Thank you all so much for all this advice!! I appreciate it so much! I am deffinatly going to take some of it. I need to get my friend to text me again in the mornings I know that will help. Also if anyone wants to add me to help keep me inline I am open! And about why would I pick the morning to workout? If I had time after work I would. But getting home between 5pm and 5:30pm doesn't leave much time. I need to make dinner, bathe the little one, clean up dinner, then put her down. By then its sometimes 8:30pm. So its really the only time I have.
Also: put your alarm some place where you have to get up to turn it off. I put mine a little ways away from the bed. I am also thinking of setting my phone as a back up alarm and putting it in the bathroom so that when it goes off I am forced to get up and go into the bathroom to turn it off. While I'm there, might as well brush my teeth and get ready to go.
ETA: So far this week though I haven't had any trouble getting up. I think chatting with my husband and petting my dog has helped me to NOT go back to sleep.
I like that idea!
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You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Seriously, if you offered me a million dollars and my job was get up at 5 AM and go the gym every day ... no.
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it - it's a beautiful thing.
For me, I love coffee. Like, LOOOOOVE coffee. So the coffeemaker goes off at 4:20 and the smell lures me out of bed. Lately I let the coffee wait until after I workout and shower which makes me feel like a badass, but I still love that smell when I wake up.
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You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Seriously, if you offered me a million dollars and my job was get up at 5 AM and go the gym every day ... no.
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it - it's a beautiful thing.
For me, I love coffee. Like, LOOOOOVE coffee. So the coffeemaker goes off at 4:20 and the smell lures me out of bed. Lately I let the coffee wait until after I workout and shower which makes me feel like a badass, but I still love that smell when I wake up.
We hit McDonalds for coffee because it's right near our gym. The thought of that deliciousness is enough to get me up most days.
ETA: And I do like getting up early to workout because it is nice to have the gym done and over with and be back at the house working by 8 a.m.
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JeffseekingV wrote: »
I would be there at 4 waiting to get in if that was the case..0 -
Going to bed at a reasonable time helps me. It's not just the extra sleep...it's the idea that I'm preparing to wake up early. Does that make sense? In other words, if I wait 'till 5am to have the battle with my brain "Getthefuckupdude!", then I'm gonna win sometimes and lose other times. On the other hand, if at 10pm I think "Okay, I'm gonna go to bed now so I can sleep seven hours and then get up all rested"...then my mind is already set to accept the idea of the early wake-up and when 5am rolls around, I've already won that battle. Does that kinda make sense?
(Extra: For various reasons, and if left to my own devices, I'd go to bed around 1 or 2am. I wake up at 5am so I can run my six miles before taking my kid to school...so getting up at that time is crucial for the rest of the morning schedule to go off without a hitch.)
Good luck to you!
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I love being up early... I'm in my home gym by 4:30am 6 days a week... But, I've never been accused of being sane. I do it because I know I won't work out after work (I work 10 hour days) and I need to move every day. I do it because I value the lives of the people around me and I know I'll rip their heads off if I don't get my exercise. I do it because I deserve it. I do it because it is the best way for me to start me day off right. I do it because I enjoy having fewer restrictions on what I can eat (I've got enough restrictions to sink a battle ship already without having to be super mindful of calories)...
I do lay out my clothes and sneakers each night (but that's because my wife is still sleeping when I get up and I don't want to wake her with the light - so I put my clothes in the bathroom)... I only allow myself one alarm (that way I won't wake her up too). Just getting up, getting out of bed, and shaking the cobwebs out is key. Don't overthink it - just do it.
And remember - an hour's workout is less than 4% of your day - there really is no good excuse not to do it.
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I put my alarm clock across the room and I also go to bed early and I mean I am in the bed no later than 930pm. If I go to bed later I can always talk myself out of it even having to get out of bed and turn the alarm off. If I do not work out in the morning before kids get up I have no time later to do it with work and the kids activities. Plus working out at 9pm or later just doesn't appeal to me and I wouldn' t do it.0
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You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Seriously, if you offered me a million dollars and my job was get up at 5 AM and go the gym every day ... no.
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it - it's a beautiful thing.
For me, I love coffee. Like, LOOOOOVE coffee. So the coffeemaker goes off at 4:20 and the smell lures me out of bed. Lately I let the coffee wait until after I workout and shower which makes me feel like a badass, but I still love that smell when I wake up.
Haha. I would certainly take $1,000,000 to wake up early and work out. Shoot, I would take $100,000
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You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Seriously, if you offered me a million dollars and my job was get up at 5 AM and go the gym every day ... no.
Don't knock it if you haven't tried it - it's a beautiful thing.
For me, I love coffee. Like, LOOOOOVE coffee. So the coffeemaker goes off at 4:20 and the smell lures me out of bed. Lately I let the coffee wait until after I workout and shower which makes me feel like a badass, but I still love that smell when I wake up.
Haha. I would certainly take $1,000,000 to wake up early and work out. Shoot, I would take $100,000
Heck, since I'm doing it for free anyway, I'd take a dollar
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You couldn't pay me enough to do that. Seriously, if you offered me a million dollars and my job was get up at 5 AM and go the gym every day ... no.
I could learn to love weight lifting for that kind of money. If my job was just to get up at 5 AM and go to the gym every day (5 days a week, right? In a row - that's kind of a deal-breaker for me. I like a full 2 days in a row for a weekend.) I'd do that for $15k and smile about it.
My gym isn't open before I go to work. I consider 5 AM a late morning. On weekends, I sometimes "sleep in" as late as 4 AM. $15k would be a raise - but I do have health insurance through that part-time job, and I don't have to pay any premiums.
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There is a Yoga class at 6am so all the "Hot Moms" are there and we can talk about how our significant others are lazy and dont want to do anything.. 0
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Have a post-workout snack that you are looking forward to...that you won't eat unless you get up and complete your workout. I also have a 30min drive to work after my workout so I'll download a song that I'm looking forward to hearing on the way to work. I don't get to hear it unless I get my morning workout in! Give yourself some small rewards for after that morning workout.0
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im up extra early because Im scared to lose that precious peaceful glorious time in the morning to have me time, gym time, quiet time - I'll wake up as early as I have to to get it. I need it and I make it happen.
I dont stay up late watching brain numbing television (because I did so much earlier in the day that Im exhausted anyway - not restless because Im starving for activity) and I lower the lights in the whole house around 9 pm.
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I used to hate morning workouts. I love them now!! The things I started doing to get me out of the sleeping in funk were:
1) Get to sleep at a normal time... drinking beadtime tea really helps unwind
2) Have my clothes for my workout/outfit ready to go the night before
3) Loud crazy wake up music. Right now it's Beyonce yelling "WAKE UP FLAWLESS". When she screams that I'm like "okay beyonce! I'll get up!" Plus having my husband helps, because I know he'll get really grumpy if he has to hear that go off a few times if I snooze.
4) Water! Cold cold water first thing
5) Treats - I bought myself really yummy shower wash and lotion to use after the gym.. I only use it after I work out. It's small, but it really seems to make a difference to have a little reward.
Overall I think it's all about your state of mind. When I started waking up early I would think so many negative thoughts.. when I started to force myself to think positive things I started feeling that way too. Now I love my morning workouts.0
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