How to motivate yourself for early morning workouts

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Ryan70286
Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
in Motivation and Support
I work 8-5pm M-F, I have an issue of not being able to wake up early enough to go to the gym and workout. Any tips or tricks to motivate yourself. I usually workout around 9pm after dinner.
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Replies

  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Go to bed earlier, sorry that's all I got. The last time change helped me to go to the gym at 6 am.
  • glimmersilver
    glimmersilver Posts: 50 Member
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    I often work out first thing in the morning - basically because then I just won't think about it. So I get out of bed and go to the gym before I even let myself get into a discussion (in my head) about why maybe I won't go right now or I'll put it off till later or maybe not go at all! Also I'm not hungry when I first wake up, so I'm not interested in breakfast first thing. It really helps, though, that I don't have a normal job, I work out of home on my own schedule, so it's okay to wake up at 7:00 or 7:30, go to the gym, come home, shower, and not be making my morning coffee and breakfast till 9:30 or 10:00.

    Why do you want to work out before your job instead of after dinner? Too easy to not do it at all if you work out at night? Prefer to spend your evening at home with family? You feel better during the day if you've worked out first? Some other reason? That might affect how you could motivate yourself.

    Does anyone else in your household work out? Maybe if you made plans to go together before work it would help. Do you have any friends who go to your gym, or whom you could do other workouts with, who might want to join you at that hour? Perhaps some kind of social commitment like that would help.

    What about a workout that doesn't require actually going to the gym - i.e. could you save a bit of time in the morning if you went for a run from home, or did an aerobics tape in your living room? That could make it easier to find time in the morning for working out.

    Or is there anything else you could do to save time on other things in the morning so you wouldn't have to get up THAT much earlier to work out? I don't know your eating patterns at all of course, nor your workplace - but since I don't like to eat early, when I do have to go to an office I sometimes bring breakfast with me and get coffee in the office. So packing it up the night before, and heading to the office before eating, could save time in the morning.

    Just a few thoughts. I hope you find something that helps!
  • TxLisa251
    TxLisa251 Posts: 152 Member
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    Sorry, but I can't get up early enough to work out before work either and I've come to terms with it. I like to sleep as late as possible.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited December 2015
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    janjunie wrote: »
    Go to bed earlier, sorry that's all I got. The last time change helped me to go to the gym at 6 am.

    This. I also sleep in my workout gear. And if I take a shot of preworkout, then hit Snooze once, by the time the alarm goes off again I'm wired and ready to go!
  • eacolatse238
    eacolatse238 Posts: 1 Member
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    I understand why you want to workout first thing in the morning. I find I'm way more successful if I start the day off with exercise, rather than hoping there's enough gas in the tank at the end. What I find effective is a combo: radio alarm or some sort of music alarm to get your mind going paired with a sunlight alarm clock. It mimics the sun so the lamp gradually gets brighter, which tricks my body into thinking it's naturally time to get up. So part of my brain is already awake before music hits. Plus you wake up to a bright room. Less likely to hit snooze.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    glimmersilver wrote: »
    I often work out first thing in the morning - basically because then I just won't think about it. So I get out of bed and go to the gym before I even let myself get into a discussion (in my head) about why maybe I won't go right now or I'll put it off till later or maybe not go at all! Also I'm not hungry when I first wake up, so I'm not interested in breakfast first thing. It really helps, though, that I don't have a normal job, I work out of home on my own schedule, so it's okay to wake up at 7:00 or 7:30, go to the gym, come home, shower, and not be making my morning coffee and breakfast till 9:30 or 10:00.

    Why do you want to work out before your job instead of after dinner? Too easy to not do it at all if you work out at night? Prefer to spend your evening at home with family? You feel better during the day if you've worked out first? Some other reason? That might affect how you could motivate yourself.

    Does anyone else in your household work out? Maybe if you made plans to go together before work it would help. Do you have any friends who go to your gym, or whom you could do other workouts with, who might want to join you at that hour? Perhaps some kind of social commitment like that would help.

    What about a workout that doesn't require actually going to the gym - i.e. could you save a bit of time in the morning if you went for a run from home, or did an aerobics tape in your living room? That could make it easier to find time in the morning for working out.

    Or is there anything else you could do to save time on other things in the morning so you wouldn't have to get up THAT much earlier to work out? I don't know your eating patterns at all of course, nor your workplace - but since I don't like to eat early, when I do have to go to an office I sometimes bring breakfast with me and get coffee in the office. So packing it up the night before, and heading to the office before eating, could save time in the morning.

    Just a few thoughts. I hope you find something that helps!

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My friend works out in the morning, but we don't go in the same gym. You're right I could workout at home that would save me 30 mins in driving to the gym. I read that working out in the mornings is better for fat loss.
  • Paulina1230
    Paulina1230 Posts: 215 Member
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    I am not a morning person at all. I wake up with enough time to shower and head to work. I excersise in the evening when I get home. The first thing I do when I get home is slip into my workout clothes and jump on my treadmill and then my bike for about an hour total. I dont think about it... I just do it. Then time to cook dinner for the family, hang out for a while and off to bed. I have found that since I excersise in the evening I sleep much better and feel more rested in the morning. If youre not a morning person theres no reason to feel bad about it. Do what your body feels more comfortable doing and you'll be more likely to actually do it.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    Thanks for sharing Paulina :)
  • tmn2016
    tmn2016 Posts: 159 Member
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    I have a dog and a wonderful neighbor who has a dog. We get up every morning at 5 and walk for 30 min. Then I get home and that's when I workout. I have so much more energy afterwards
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    I have a dog that wakes me up. And I usually sleep in workout clothes
  • gardnercranston
    gardnercranston Posts: 12 Member
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    You just need to start doing it. The first few days are rough, but you get used to it. I too, just sleep in my workout clothes to make it that much easier. My alarm goes off at 4:35, hit snooze once, then get up and I am at the gym when it opens at 5. I am not a morning person, but I actually really enjoy working out first thing- I get it out of the way before I can come up with excuses not to go. With working full time and three small kids, 5am gym trips are my only option!
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
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    I get up at 3:45 on work days, to be at the gym by 5. I get everything ready the night before, try to be in the bed by 9:30. It makes for a better day. Also since my daily activity varies, I can't use the excuse "I'm to tired to go today"
  • Shull_rachael
    Shull_rachael Posts: 430 Member
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    Try setting the alarm clock across the room that way you have to get up to hit snooze! And by that point your up so just go work out!
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »
    I get up at 3:45 on work days, to be at the gym by 5. I get everything ready the night before, try to be in the bed by 9:30. It makes for a better day. Also since my daily activity varies, I can't use the excuse "I'm to tired to go today"

    Wow 3:45 am that's dedication right there
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Consider going to the gym twice on weekends and once during the week right after work.
    Or workout at home after work.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    That's what I do now RodaRose
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I get up at 6 and immediately have a cup of coffee and brush my teeth. Then I feel human and work out at home for 40-60 min. depending on the day, then go to work. I'd hate to have to go to the gym. I'm going to start getting up 15 min earlier when I start my longer workout. It's the only time of the day that I am absolutely free. I feel great all day too. I go to bed earlier too.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
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    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    glimmersilver wrote: »

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My friend works out in the morning, but we don't go in the same gym. You're right I could workout at home that would save me 30 mins in driving to the gym. I read that working out in the mornings is better for fat loss.

    What time of day you workout doesn't do anything different for fat loss. The benefit to morning workouts is that you are more likely to stick with them because of scheduling conflicts. I love working out at 6am because it is my time. No one bugs me, I can get in the zone, the gym isn't busy, and I don't have to worry about trying to fit it in after work when I'm crabby/tired/stressed and just want to go home and cuddle with my puppy.

    My significant other loves evening workouts though. He thinks I'm insane for waking up early and enjoys blowing off steam at the gym after work. To each his own.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    i only workout in the mornings during the summer as i enjoy a good early morning summer ride and i can beat the heat. i'll do that a few days out of the week and ride during my lunch on other days. i prefer to lift in the evenings after work though as it is a good way to get out the stress of the day.

    there are obviously days when i don't feel like crawling out of bed and getting on my bike...but more i less, i just enjoy it and there's nothing like watching the sunrise while i'm cranking away on the pedals...so i guess that would be my motivation...but only in summer because it's too effing cold in the winter at 5 AM.
  • AbbottJames
    AbbottJames Posts: 25 Member
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    I have tried this before. I always "wanted" to be an AM workout person but never could establish a routine. I eventually realized that I'm not an AM person and I workout as soon as I get home from work while I am in "work mode" still.

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