Early Morning Workouts....

DebbieLaviolette
DebbieLaviolette Posts: 89 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
Every part of me wants to workout before I come to work....every part except the part where I have to wake up at 0400!!!! How do you early risers do it????
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Replies

  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
    Set the alarm, get up, do it ~ same way that you wouldn't skip work:wink:
  • DancinSMartiPants
    DancinSMartiPants Posts: 363
    Go to bed on time the night before and, if you use your phone as an alarm clock, make it say something like "You'll be happy you did this, so get up!" instead of "Morning Alarm."
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
    I pay a trainer to wait for me. If I don't show up, he'll still charge me for the time. That's incentive!
  • SexyCook
    SexyCook Posts: 2,249 Member
    It so funny because I have ALWAYS been an early riser when it came to working out.. Its just something that jumps start your day.. I must admit I am one of those people when I wake up..I am instantly purky or just up...LOL...I know I am the type if I wait around til the evening it would be a no go for working out...I find the energy it give is so essential to my day...
  • dreamangel18105
    dreamangel18105 Posts: 115 Member
    While I'm not a 4am workout person, I try to get mine done before work as often as possible. I just think to myself "how am I going to feel when I get home from work if I DON'T get up and do this?" I know that if I don't do it in the morning, when I get home from work, i'm not going to want to do anything but sit on my couch and hang out with my bf. If I do it in the morning (5:30am), it's done, it's out of the way, and I'm more awake and alert at work (until about 3pm when I need a cup of coffee, but that's a minor inconvenience) :)
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
    I keep all my workout gear right next to my bed... roll over and put it on, then go. After about 10 minutes (once you're awake), it's not as bad as it seemed.
  • Brownski860
    Brownski860 Posts: 361 Member
    I was thinking the same thing... I normally get up at 430 to go to work. At night, I'm in bed by 10. I dont see how getting up at 3-330 will help. I'd have to do ALOT of stretching tio wake up THOSE muscles! LOL
  • katesbeach
    katesbeach Posts: 38 Member
    I try remind myself how glad I'll be to get the workout over with and have the whole day ahead of me! And I don't know about your gym, but mine gets lousy with people pretty much anytime between 8AM and 6PM, so I know I'll like working out at 6 or 7AM better. Plus, you'll be awake and energized for work!
  • cdpm
    cdpm Posts: 297 Member
    I like to think how relaxed (and a little smug) I'll feel afterwards. It's a great feeling to start the day with and puts me in a great mood!
  • socialite1
    socialite1 Posts: 109
    I recently started my early morning routine. I can assure you I'm not one of those perky, annoying morning people. I've found the easiest way for me to get up is to do two things: (1) Go to bed earlier and (2) Put my alarm clock on the opposite side of the room on the loudest setting. When it goes off, I have to get up. Once I'm up, I don't get back in bed! I get dressed and go!!
  • daniface
    daniface Posts: 338 Member
    i can't do it, i've tried and i just can't. i'm a night owl. Kudos to you guys.
  • monicaP413
    monicaP413 Posts: 165
    Haha! You get up early one morning and then the next and so on. You just gotta do it. Once you get in a routine of it, you want to get up cause you know how good it makes you feel! It's just getting started that's hard. I have recently fallen off the exercise wagon and trying to get back on!! I know I just have to make it the first few times and then I'm fine!! No matter what time I go to bed at night, if I wake up 1/2 hour earlier to do a workout, I don't feel as terrible throughout the day as if I don't do my workouts! I like doing the morning workouts cause it's so early, I'm still not all the way awake and by the time I am fully awake, I am done with the workout!:happy:
  • lazirlott
    lazirlott Posts: 42 Member
    I am a morning person, so it may be easier for me than some. I think once you see how much better it makes you feel, it will be easier to get up the next day. It is SO much cooler before daylight that I am considering getting up early even on my off days. I can run much better with less fatigue early in the morning and then you also get to have that feeling of accomplishment all day! I think it even gives you more incentive to eat correctly when you know what you have ALREADY invested that day. Give it a try! :happy:
  • mum2littledove
    mum2littledove Posts: 53 Member
    I'm not a natural early riser, but this is definitely working for me (I'm getting up before 6 for a run every day now).

    1) Absolutely definitely positively GO TO BED EARLY. Ideally every night, so your body clock starts to shift.

    and

    2) If I'm getting up early for a run, I always have a piece of wholemeal toast first with some freshly brewed coffee. These are the kind of foods I absolutely adore, and are very fragrant, so I find the allure of the piece of toast makes me jump out of bed. Then once you're up, you're up and it's easy thereafter.

    No workout, no toast. It works for me anyway!
  • sabulla
    sabulla Posts: 58
    That's an awesome idea!!!
  • DontThinkJustRun
    DontThinkJustRun Posts: 248 Member
    I just do it! I know that's completely unhelpful, but it's true. I just suck it up and go and am always glad I do. The alarm goes off at 4AM and I'm usually on the pavement by 4:45 (a few snoozes and a few unladylike words:)) It does get easier and become habit.
  • TTHdred
    TTHdred Posts: 380 Member
    What works for me (not a morning person):

    Have a dinner that won’t interfere with sleep. For me dinner is the lightest meal. Go to bed at a decent hour, set your alarm. Try to ensure you have a full nights rest. Plan your morning the night before- this includes getting your outfit, running shoes any workout gear etc ready. Also plan the actual workout before. I noticed on the days when I am figuring out what workout to do the morning of, I never get up. I cannot snooze. If I don’t just jump up right when I wake up I will talk myself out of working out and snooze until it is too late.

    And as you can probably tell, once you are actually up, you will have no problem pushing yourself.
  • sabulla
    sabulla Posts: 58
    Thats an awesome idea!!
  • Starkle09
    Starkle09 Posts: 238 Member
    i do a group workout so they help to keep me accountable but on the days that i work out on my own i get everything ready the night before so even when im half asleep i know where everything is and i can get ready with my eyes closed.
  • mcgwnkrista
    mcgwnkrista Posts: 53
    I'm definitely not a morning person but I try to get up at 5:30AM, get a full hour workout and then have breakfast and go to work. I'm slowly getting into the groove but I like it because it's easier for me to input my exercise on MFP in the morning so I can see how much exactly I can eat without going over. Plus I like leaving work knowing that I've done my exercise for the day and can go home to relax if I want :) I'm less likely to skip working out if I do it in the morning and get it over with.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    This week has not been good for me... I am coming off oral surgery and I think that is why I have had problems getting up.

    I pack EVERYTHING the night before. All my food, breakfast, snack, lunch, snack. protin and my second set of clothes for after work , work out and my work clothes shoes and jewlery EVERYTHING . I also write down my morning workout like a checklist. I have a locker at the gym and I keep a whole set of morning get ready for work stuff so I don't have to pack that. I have found that packing everything means I don't have to think when I get up to leave the gym. I get out of bed pull off my pajamas and get into gear pick up my bag for the day and go on out the door... simple and painless. On the way I do stop and get a small coffee black with 4 splends and ice and turn up some energizing music to get ready for my workout... :-)

    Hope it helps...
  • slimmerin2006
    slimmerin2006 Posts: 3
    Make it a part of your everyday schedule, and just do it!
  • doobabe
    doobabe Posts: 436 Member
    I HAVE to. I get up at 5am every single morning and work out. If I didnt, I wouldnt work out because I would talk myself into something else or end up being too busy by the end of the day. I actually feel better starting the day after a good work out- plus then it is done and not on my mind for the entire day.
    Oh and I dont consume caffiene (mostly becasue I hate coffee and soda....)
  • kimdoes
    kimdoes Posts: 90
    Ewww! I am so guilty of hitting snooze a million times! But to be honest with you, if you start your day with a workout, you are truly energized throughout the day. It also helps you to rest at night and wake the next day to do it all over again. There is no way on Earth I would wake up at 4:00am though. (Hell, I'm hardly in the bed by that hour anyway... hahaha) I just wake up about 45 minutes earlier than I normally would, use the bathroom, splash my face with cold water, start cooking my lunch, grab a bottle of water, and start my morning exercise routine. Normally I wake up about 5 minutes into it. :) I also I love that even after breakfast (and sometimes lunch) I'm still working on nearly -0- caloric intake for the day! HAHA
  • jenseye
    jenseye Posts: 166 Member
    Just think after you work out you can log your exercise in and you have all those extra calories for the rest of day.
    Makes me feel better, than trying to work around the calories all day hoping to get some exercise time in after work to give me a little cushion and then something comes up and I don't get to exercise, now I only have so many calories left for dinner : (
    An odd rational but most days it works for me...
  • MrBrown72
    MrBrown72 Posts: 407 Member
    Set alarm for 4am, get up, allotted 30 minutes of blank stare time, work out.

    i have found that massive doses of b12 help, but that's not safe.
  • Blueberry09
    Blueberry09 Posts: 821 Member
    When I was commuting I had to get up early to catch a bus - now that I'm no longer commuting I get up at the same time and work out instead. I know that doesn't apply to everyone but once you're used to getting up early it really does get easier.

    My only advice to you if you're looking to start getting up early is to do it now while the sun is up early. If you try to get up before the sun (like in the fall!) it's never going to happen. I'm a firm believer that no-one should have to get up before the sun :)
  • DebbieLaviolette
    DebbieLaviolette Posts: 89 Member
    WOW!!!! Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. I think the biggest thing for me is knowing that once I get my "main" workout in then anyhthing I do in the evening is lagniappe (a little something extra). I LOVE that idea because I am on the go alot in the afternoon.

    The first thing I'm doing when I get home is moving the alarm clock to the other side of the room. !!!! Tomorrow morning I
  • RTricia
    RTricia Posts: 720
    I work full-time and am a single mom.

    I have to get a workout in in the morning otherwise it won't get done at all.

    1. Set everything out the night before; shoes, socks, sports bra, shorts.
    2. Set alarms (I have two set) for 4:15am - if I hit snooze, it just makes it all the more difficult to get up. Alarm - feet hit the floor. (takes practice)
    3. Rice cake, sunflower seed butter, coffee. I have to eat something before my work out.
    4. Push play!! My workouts are on the dvd so I can workout while my baby is sleeping.

    It takes practice, it won't be easy at first, but you can do it!! Then you have the rest of the day to eat your calories back and not think about exercise until the next day!

    Best of luck to you!! :flowerforyou:
  • DebbieLaviolette
    DebbieLaviolette Posts: 89 Member
    My only advice to you if you're looking to start getting up early is to do it now while the sun is up early. If you try to get up before the sun (like in the fall!) it's never going to happen. I'm a firm believer that no-one should have to get up before the sun :)

    I like this idea....it is so true..better to start the habit now than when the darkness lasts all morning :-)
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