Form a habit

Options
2»

Replies

  • JemPuddleduck
    JemPuddleduck Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    Any advice on how to start early morning workouts? At the moment I can barely wake up by 7, let alone earlier and go to the gym.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    Options
    JemPuddleduck wrote: »
    Any advice on how to start early morning workouts? At the moment I can barely wake up by 7, let alone earlier and go to the gym.

    I don't know how others do early morning but a lot of people do. Fortunately I work from home so I do my working out in the mid to late afternoon.
  • Steph1079
    Steph1079 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    JemPuddleduck wrote: »
    Any advice on how to start early morning workouts? At the moment I can barely wake up by 7, let alone earlier and go to the gym.

    I have to do early morning as its the only available time for me. I'm notoriously not a morning person which is why I'm hoping if I push myself to get up at 5:30 for 21 days I'll have formed the habit (or at least adjusted my body clock somewhat). One weird little tip I've aquired is putting my alarm on the other side of my room so I physically have to get out of bed to turn it off. Good luck! Let me know how you're doing!
  • Steph1079
    Steph1079 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    Day 7 done! 5:30am workout date with Leslie Sansone's DVD in my living room!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    Well, it worked for me. Joined my gym 1/25/15. I go very early in the morning before work. I have only missed one day(2/1/15 snow storm) since then. I am now on a 14 month roll. Love having it done for the day and out of the way.
  • 88meli88
    88meli88 Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Just finished reading THE POWER OF HABIT by Charles Duhigg. Habit formation has 3 components: cue, behavior, and reward. So make sure you reward yourself, but also try to create a cue that will trigger your craving for the reward. Eg. always put on your exercise clothes and shows before your morning drink. This will make you crave the good feeling and the calrie cushion you have after your workout and will make it more likely that you will do it. Also, make IF...THEN plans for anticipated roadblocks....IF my alarm goes off and I am very sleepy, THEN, I will just roll out f bed half asleep and not snooze my phone.
  • 88meli88
    88meli88 Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Ah you can also create material rewards, especially in the early stage of habit formation like a nice fruit smoothy after your workout, or a small present to yourself. Once, it is a habit, you can let these go. I have been testing these theories for the past month and it is amazing how well they work once you understand the psychology. I think for me, I need a tangible reward for a big behaviour change for the first 10 or so days, and then as it starts becoming automatic, I no longer need the reward to do the behavior. So yes, i am all about forming healthy habits. I recommend the book very much. It is accessible.
  • Vanessalookingood
    Vanessalookingood Posts: 135 Member
    Options
    Good luck! Keep at it and you will succeed!
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    Options
    I think working out can be a habit. I don't know how long it took to become a habit for me. I used to hate it. I do not love it now, but I feel guilty if i do not exercise when I first get up every morning and then on my off days, I keep going until I reach my step goal for the day. I actually do not sync my workout until the end of the day, but I have such satisfaction knowing that i have done something positive for myself.
  • lgoldfarb
    lgoldfarb Posts: 76 Member
    Options
    JemPuddleduck wrote: »
    Any advice on how to start early morning workouts? At the moment I can barely wake up by 7, let alone earlier and go to the gym.

    Same here, 7 seems so early for me, but they like me to come to work, so I kinda have to. I've been doing 2 early morning (6 am -7 am, home by 7:15 to get ready for work) with a personal trainer for 4 weeks now. The only thing that gets me out of bed at 5:30 is know that I'm paying a lot of money to have someone work with me. If I just try to get up to go to the gym and work out on my own it doesn't happen.
  • Steph1079
    Steph1079 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    Well, it worked for me. Joined my gym 1/25/15. I go very early in the morning before work. I have only missed one day(2/1/15 snow storm) since then. I am now on a 14 month roll. Love having it done for the day and out of the way.

    Awesome! That's my goal!
  • Steph1079
    Steph1079 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    88meli88 wrote: »
    Just finished reading THE POWER OF HABIT by Charles Duhigg. Habit formation has 3 components: cue, behavior, and reward. So make sure you reward yourself, but also try to create a cue that will trigger your craving for the reward. Eg. always put on your exercise clothes and shows before your morning drink. This will make you crave the good feeling and the calrie cushion you have after your workout and will make it more likely that you will do it. Also, make IF...THEN plans for anticipated roadblocks....IF my alarm goes off and I am very sleepy, THEN, I will just roll out f bed half asleep and not snooze my phone.

    Sounds like a great book. I might pick it up! I certainly plan to include rewards in my plan too!
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Options
    JemPuddleduck wrote: »
    Any advice on how to start early morning workouts? At the moment I can barely wake up by 7, let alone earlier and go to the gym.

    First, you have to go to bed early.
    I have been going to the gym at 5 am for 4 years now. I go to bed at 8 pm. I know my social life is curtailed. My friends and family know that they can count with me for lunch but not for dinner.
    My dinner time is 6:30 pm.
    Good luck in your healthy journey

Categories