Waking Up Earlier

ilikebooksnotrunning
ilikebooksnotrunning Posts: 11 Member
edited September 2015 in Motivation and Support
Hi Everyone!

I'm not new to MFP, but I need some advice on changing my routine. I usually go to the gym around 7 o'clock at night for various amounts of time. However, I am a cheerleading coach, and now cheerleading practices go into my usual gym time. I have tried going after practice, but usually by that time after working, I am exhausted, hungry, and have already left my pets alone for 14 hours (which is lame but makes me feel guilty).

I am resigning myself to waking up earlier in the day to work get my work out in. I genuinely think it will work out better for me, but I am not a morning person. I snooze my way through most of my alarms in the morning. I'll really only need to wake myself up about an hour and a half earlier than I already am waking up.

What tips do you guys have to get yourself out of bed and to the gym in the morning? Thanks!

Replies

  • susanmc31
    susanmc31 Posts: 287 Member
    I find having everything prepared the night before really helps me. I have my lunch made, gym bag packed and gym clothes set out the night before. So when I get up I just have to put my clothes on and go.
  • oldsoul918
    oldsoul918 Posts: 110 Member
    susanmc31 wrote: »
    I find having everything prepared the night before really helps me. I have my lunch made, gym bag packed and gym clothes set out the night before. So when I get up I just have to put my clothes on and go.

    Yes, all this ^^^. Plus I set one alarm. That's it. When it goes off, I hit OK and get up. I never hit snooze. Ever. I know that I have to get up! If I were to fall back asleep, who knows when I might wake up again and being late for work is definitely not an option.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    sometimes i wear my running clothes to bed. you could do that as well
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  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    I hate getting up early. I would find a way to make it work at the end of the day, even if you go home, eat and play with pets, then go the gym. If your gym isn't open late, find one that is. I personally don't like walking outside after dark, but I would much rather do that then get up earlier than I need to!
  • lborsato1
    lborsato1 Posts: 1,011 Member
    I love my morning workouts because it is quiet when I go out running, and my gym for my cross training is in my basement.... I might be a little spoiled that way...but I always feel energized after working out early in the morning...
  • Jessyd76
    Jessyd76 Posts: 539 Member
    I'm working on that whole getting up earlier thing as well. It's tough!

    I definitely agree with the folks saying to keep everything prepared the night before. That has helped me.
    One of my problems is that I go to bed too late. I set a 'go to bed' alarm to remind myself about 20 min or so before.

    I almost talked myself out of going this morning. But then I remembered that I was meeting a friend there. She bailed on me - no biggie. But the pressure of meeting someone there helped get me out of bed. Is there someone you could do that with? Don't necessarily need to workout together... just need to be on a similar schedule and call eachother out when one doesn't show.

    I know that once I get transitioned it will totally be worth it! But like anything, it takes 21 days to make a habit. :) (I restarted b/c I completely fell off the wagon for 2 weeks. So I'm on day 2!) You can totally do this! :)
  • suavelogic
    suavelogic Posts: 3 Member
    Love all the above suggestions, especially prepare before hand. I would add, to gradually wake up earlier and earlier mabe wake up 2 minutes early and progress that every few days until you wake up at desired time. If you have weeks you wont even notice, your body will adjust.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    oldsoul918 wrote: »
    susanmc31 wrote: »
    I find having everything prepared the night before really helps me. I have my lunch made, gym bag packed and gym clothes set out the night before. So when I get up I just have to put my clothes on and go.

    Yes, all this ^^^. Plus I set one alarm. That's it. When it goes off, I hit OK and get up. I never hit snooze. Ever. I know that I have to get up! If I were to fall back asleep, who knows when I might wake up again and being late for work is definitely not an option.

    Yes and yes. I loathe mornings with a passion. However, it's 5a or nothing, because evenings are made of humidity soup in Florida. So, we set 1 alarm and my clothes are literally next to the bed, so I don't even need to move off the bed to dress. From the time I get up to walking out, it's usually less than 5 minutes. I just shove myself out the door.
  • lizziegs
    lizziegs Posts: 71 Member
    I sleep in my clothes and workout in my basement. Definitely helps that I don't have to drive anywhere.
  • ColinsMommaOC
    ColinsMommaOC Posts: 296 Member
    I have been waking up 2 hours earlier for my workouts the past 3 weeks (the first week was a lot of failure with a bit of success). After that really awful first week, it was a lot easier to do. I find that I have a lot more energy for the day by getting my workouts in before work.
    My tips:
    -make sure that you go to bed at a reasonable time. It will not work if you are always up late then trying to get up early.
    -Set your alarm far enough away from the bed that you have to physically get up to turn it off.
    -Set your workout clothes next to the alarm so they are the first thing you see when you get up to turn it off.

    Waking up early has really been good for me, so I wish you the best of luck!
  • marsinah1
    marsinah1 Posts: 106 Member
    No one will ever think of me as a morning person, but I use to get up at 4:30 AM M-F. After a week or two of forcing yourself to do it combined with an earlier bedtime it gets easier.
  • Anderson519
    Anderson519 Posts: 6 Member
    I had to do this too, I found after work I just didn't always have the energy to work out. I now get up at 5:00 AM to pack lunches and get my workout in, try sleeping in your workout clothes. That might help with the motivation, and out your alarm clock across the room. Also, making sure you go to bed early enough the night before is super important. Enough sleep is so important, especially if you are looking to lose weight. I am usually in bed by 9:30 PM now. Anyone in here, feel free to add me!! I am always looking for more motivation/support friends :smile:
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,200 Member
    smiley-sleep012.gif It's easier to wake up early if you have gotten enough sleep. I started going to bed 5 minutes earlier each night and getting up 5 minutes earlier the next morning. It takes time and consistency to make this work. Now I get in bed by 7:30 PM to have time to read before going to sleep and get up at 3:30. I have my exercise clothes in a special place so I can just gather them up and take them to the bathroom with me. I eat exactly the same breakfast every morning so I don't have to waste time and energy deciding what to eat. I shut my cell phone off at 7:15 so I'm not disturbed.
  • kathy0224
    kathy0224 Posts: 43 Member
    Job, coaching, kids, husband, pets, hour commute each way. the only "me" time I have is from 4:30-5:30a when I'm at the gym & that is enough motivation for me to wake up early. I'm not doing it for anyone but me & it is my time to be selfish & think of only myself. Plus after 3 days it is so addicting you don't want to give it uo!
  • gbweber
    gbweber Posts: 4 Member
    I'm having that same struggle. Thank you to everyone's great advice! Very helpful :)
  • _cdaley
    _cdaley Posts: 79 Member
    No advice because I loathe waking up before 8am BUT I just wanted to say that caring about not leaving your pets for extended periods of time is not lame at all- it's always nice to see a pet owner who takes caring for their animals seriously. Good luck!
  • LifeasCham
    LifeasCham Posts: 9 Member
    I've definitely slept in my workout clothes, especially if I'm feeling really unmotivated and out of the habit of exercising.
  • carrjohn23
    carrjohn23 Posts: 7 Member
    Setting my running gear out the night before, placing my phone across the bedroom, setting 2 alarms 1-2 min apart to avoid the snooze temptation.
  • carrjohn23
    carrjohn23 Posts: 7 Member
    kozwbp8vi2sn.jpg
  • Jessyd76
    Jessyd76 Posts: 539 Member
    carrjohn23 wrote: »
    kozwbp8vi2sn.jpg

    Where's the 'like' button?? :smile:
  • carrjohn23
    carrjohn23 Posts: 7 Member
    You are setting a positive example for your cheerleading squad girls by getting up early to commit to exercise, leading by example, which is awesome!!! Stick with it and you'll enjoy the morning exercise routine!
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    Good motivation on this thread. Thanks all! I'll be on a longer workout schedule when I finish T25 (25 min plus stretch) and have been dreading getting up 30 min earlier. I'll just start going to bed earlier. Duh! But I'm a late night person so easier said than done.
  • pandapotlovebug
    pandapotlovebug Posts: 59 Member
    I downloaded this app called alarmy. you have to take a picture of something in order to turn the alarm off. 5 a.m. I take a picture of my bathroom sink and 5:08 I have to take a picture of my treadmill which is outside so I have to get completely ready before I get there in 8 minutes. I've done it for a couple days now successfully. before I could not get myself to wake up an hour earlier either. If you go to the gym, may you could set it up to take a picture of your steering wheel.
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  • kallemann67
    kallemann67 Posts: 92 Member
    barbiecat wrote: »
    smiley-sleep012.gif It's easier to wake up early if you have gotten enough sleep. I started going to bed 5 minutes earlier each night and getting up 5 minutes earlier the next morning. It takes time and consistency to make this work. Now I get in bed by 7:30 PM to have time to read before going to sleep and get up at 3:30. I have my exercise clothes in a special place so I can just gather them up and take them to the bathroom with me. I eat exactly the same breakfast every morning so I don't have to waste time and energy deciding what to eat. I shut my cell phone off at 7:15 so I'm not disturbed.

    I found a new hero.

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