Do you get up early to exercise? Or after work etc?

During the week, I normally work out in the evening but in the weekends I am normally out by 0500 for a 10-15 mile walk

Swim 4 miles at 5AM.
A few days a week I also hit the weight room after work. Sometimes a spinning class too.
Love it when they have the later spin class occasionally on Saturday Morning then I can swim 4 miles and hit the spin class after.

Was a morning person until I had to compete for the weights at the gym with another couple of women. I got permission from my boss to start work at 6:30 and leave at 3pm 2 days a week so I can go lift weights when the gym seems quieter. So I go after work at 4p, 3 days a week and at 3p, 2 days a week. Works out well. My kids are self-sufficient so I can do what I want now

Always evenings - late morning on the weekends. I have a 30-40min bus ride to work, plus a half mile walk from the bus stop to the office, and try to be in no later than 8:30a, so if I were to go in the mornings I would be asleep at my desk by 11a.

I also only do OrangeTheory classes which I book a month out at a time, so I usually always schedule class for 5:45 or 6p (depending on the day). Another 30-40min bus ride home, and I have enough time for a quick snack and time to walk over to the studio (thankfully it's only two blocks away). An hour in class and I'm home within 10 minutes to start making dinner. And then I'm usually falling asleep on the couch by 11pm.

Up early to exercise or it NEVER gets done. Period.

I wake up at 4:45am Tuesday-Friday, drink a pre-workout, and start working out by 5:30 at the latest. I then work out until 7am, jump in the shower and get ready for work so I can be there by 8. I used to try and work out after work, but by the time I got home there were a thousand different things stopping me from getting my workout done. This way it's so early nobody bothers me, and I get it done without fail (assuming I can drag myself out of bed lol). My workouts were never consistent until I started doing the early morning thing. On weekends I also work out, I simply allow myself to sleep in a bit longer first unless something is planned.

I am not a morning person but I've adapted to getting up 6 am and get to the gym before i start work at 9. It is so nice not having to deal with the crowds in the evening and also by the end of the day i am more likely not to workout after work. It took me some time to get used to getting up early but I jump in the shower and that wakes me up.

I'm a SAHM, sometimes I will workout before the kids get up at 5:45 other times I will work out once they are up and fed around 9am. When I worked full time I would get up at 4:30 to get my workout done. I just find if I don't get it done first thing in the morning other things pop up.

I approached my weightloss as one would your job and NOT an OPT IN event. Both@AM and PM.

Brocksterdanza wrote: »

All great info here folks! You early risers, what time do you get in bed the nights before those 5am (or earlier) wake up calls? Do you ever feel absolutely drained right after lunch when doing this?

Up at 4:10 to be at the gym at 5:00AM. Lights out by 10:00 PM and it takes me maybe 30 seconds to fall asleep.

Brocksterdanza wrote: »

I'm thinking I'm going to go with the morning workout... i could easily get up at 5:40... work out an hour... get home and shower. My gym is only 5 mins from house. One question. How do you keep from waking your spouse?

After 20 yrs of my getting up at 5:55 (alarm rings) and my going in the bathroom after closing the bedroom door--softly, he's used to it and sleeps right through. I dress in the bathroom in my minimal, stretchy exercise outfit, brush my teeth and head into the livingroom (with a small flashlight in the winter). We have a nice big Chinese area rug and I put an old blanket down over it. I close the livingroom door and turn on the TV. Then I start my stretching routine, mixed with yoga for 45 min. At 7:00 I'm done and back to the bathroom, put on a robe and go make breakfast for husband and me. At 8:15 we both leave for the pool and fitness center--a 10 min walk. At 10:30 we meet at the desk in the fitness center and go for a cappucino and roll together at our favorite neighborhood bar. We do this 3-4 times a week.

Most gyms have 2 hours child care on the premises. And IMO it's great for the kids so they learn social skills and interaction early. It sucks when as a parent you're excited for you kid to start school, and they call you up because your kid can't stop crying because they've never been away from you.
I started taking my DD at 3 months old. She's a gym girl for life now.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

After working for 30 years and having to commute, plus raising family I always found it easier to work out a few days at a gym either before or after but usually before. If it was before I had to go directly there, once I got home it was all over.

I'm a morning person so I preferred getting it done at the beginning of my day. I walked everywhere possible including getting off the train a few stops before, parking my car at the furthest spot, taking the stairs etc. It also helped that the place I worked had a gym so that was convenient.

I've since retired from that job and now work full time from home. That was actually a challenge at the beginning however I'm in a routine now where I work out most mornings before I begin work. Before I started work at 7 a.m. because it was the best time to get into the city with traffic so I was out of the house before 6. Now I start work around 9 and usually will have my workout in before 8.

I also found it best to stick with something you like but also change it up. The key to success is to find what's good for you, what you like to do and go with it. And no matter how you're moving during your day make it work for you.

When my kids were small I'd get my leg workout by doing airplanes with them. I'd lay on my back put them on my feet and they'd fly, good for my legs and abs and heart (their laughter was all I needed).

Good luck!

I'm fortunate to have a fitness center in my office building I utilize at lunch for cardio and a home gym I use in the evenings/weekends for lifting. I won't get up early to work out unless I find my evenings/weekends are becoming too busy with homework, dinner, sports, etc. I lift at home 4 days/week, work full time, have three kids (16, 12, 9) and a husband who works out with me in the evenings.

If I didn't have all this at my disposal, I'd probably have a hard time getting to the gym and make excuses to not go.

I'm trying to find a right fit for me for work outs....I like the idea of getting up early and going for a walk, or hitting the gym on the way to work (it's actually on the way) but I live with my sister and my mom right now and they usually go to bed around 12am and 2 am, respectively, and I am oftentimes staying up too late with them, and then rushing out of bed at 7am, exhausted, trying to keep quiet while I shower, make breakfast, and take care of pets, all with the lights off and no music or anything. My sister says shes willing to get up early and take walks with me, but we tried that and it was always up to me to wake her up, she refuses to set an alarm, and I know she won't go to the gym if I decide to do that. I'm thinking I could go to the gym after I get out of work at 5:30, and get home around 7pm, but I've always wanted a morning routine. Not sure what to do other than move out -_-