Morning Gym Tips for a Total Sleepyhead
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@Carlos_421 yeah agreed, i don't need to do it every day. but i would like to be able to motivate myself to morning gym when I know I have an evening activity and I really struggle with that. which was the whole point of this thread, not 12 people telling me to not bother.
sorry, this isn't to hate on you as I appreciate your suggestions. it's just frustrating when you post on MFP and a bunch of people jump down your throat about your idea being stupid.
I think you're taking things way out of context...it's not that your idea is stupid and nobody is jumping down your throat...some people are looking at this pragmatically...I'm most certainly not a morning person and while I've tried to exercise in the early AM, it just doesn't work..because I'm not a morning person and thus my workouts totally suck or I just skip them altogether...@Carlos_421 thanks for the idea. I do actually bring a gym bag to work and am pretty good about going on my way home (gym is between my metro stop and home). However, things will come up like dinner with a family member or a work event. I want to find a balance in having a life and being healthy. Even if I could just gym in the morning once or twice a week, I think it would help.
I think what you're describing is balance...I schedule most of my workouts in the evening or at lunch...sometimes things come up and I miss workouts...I'm still pretty healthy and fit.4 -
@Carlos_421 yeah agreed, i don't need to do it every day. but i would like to be able to motivate myself to morning gym when I know I have an evening activity and I really struggle with that. which was the whole point of this thread, not 12 people telling me to not bother.
sorry, this isn't to hate on you as I appreciate your suggestions. it's just frustrating when you post on MFP and a bunch of people jump down your throat about your idea being stupid.
I don't think anyone jumped down your throat so much as they (we) tried to redirect your aim towards solutions that would likely be more effective.
I also don't think you'd have gotten the same responses if your initial post had explained that you want tips on how to get up for the gym on an infrequent basis. The reason people replied with "uh, that's probably not going to be successful" is because your initial post was that you wanted to "become a morning workout person" which sounds like it being your new normal.
Whether or not you're a morning person is very much an individual thing and pretty well ingrained in our nature if not our biology so when it looked like you wanted tips on how to overcome that nature people wanted to let you know that there is likely a better approach because we don't want to see you crash and burn (like I've done every time I've tried to become a morning person).5 -
@janejellyroll wow I love this idea and it's one I haven't heard before! I think I'll try this for the remaining 11 days of the month and then try to kick off 2017 by trying to hit the AM gym. Thanks!1
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trigden1991 wrote: »If you have missed flights because you "can't" get up, trying to persuade yourself to go to the gym is not going to happen.
That part..4 -
I am a morning exerciser myself, and I do find that very few things interfere with my early morning schedule. Habit is key I think. Going to the gym in the morning is hard for the first few weeks, but after that you just rollout of bed and don't think about it. I used to go to the gym/ride my exercise bike at 5 am, but now I've got a dog and walk her for an hour instead. Sure it's cold out, and sure my bed is warm. But getting out of bed is so much of a habit at this point that I don't even think about it till I'm out walking.0
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Don't workout in the mornings. I might seem like a morning person - up at 5.30, functioning at work an hour later - but I'm not getting up to workout at 5.30. Only reason I do workout "early" in the day is because that's when people are not roaming about the house wondering what I'm doing.0
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Arapacana1 wrote: »I am a morning exerciser myself, and I do find that very few things interfere with my early morning schedule. Habit is key I think. Going to the gym in the morning is hard for the first few weeks, but after that you just rollout of bed and don't think about it. I used to go to the gym/ride my exercise bike at 5 am, but now I've got a dog and walk her for an hour instead. Sure it's cold out, and sure my bed is warm. But getting out of bed is so much of a habit at this point that I don't even think about it till I'm out walking.
I also think you need to make this a habit. I don't think it will work going in the morning some days but not others. I'm up at 5:15 for ~30 mins on the treadmill in front of the tv. I do that every weekday and change it up on weekends, but it has become my habit. It is also a short trip to the basement for me, so a lot easier than going to the gym.
Even if you don't go every morning, I'd try to go the same days every week.0 -
@Tacklewasher same days every week might help. Like maybe I should be realistic and say Fridays / Mondays won't happen as often so I start with Tuesday and Thursday or something. My gym isn't FAR, but I certainly wish it were in the basement0
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janejellyroll wrote: »
My suggestion: begin waking up earlier to do something that you enjoy without reservation (favorite website, read a novel, make an incredible breakfast, watch a TV show, whatever). It may feel weird to do something fun right after waking up, but go with it. Get into the habit of waking up earlier without tying it to something that you might need to motivate yourself to do even if you were awake. Once you have the habit of waking up earlier, it will be much easier to get right to the workout. This is what I did to become an early riser -- I wake up with something fun and then I exercise. Once I got in the habit of exercising, I was able to just do the fun thing for a few minutes.
^^^ this is a great way to start. I realised I was waking and hitting snooze, or looking at social media or MFP in the mornings, when instead I could be getting up and DOING something. So I gradually started getting up earlier to go for a walk or now run. Tips include:
Having everything ready the night before. For me this includes my lunch for work, my workout gear and a smoothie or similar to grab before I run.
DO NOT HIT SNOOZE. Alarm goes off and you need to be in your gym clothes and OUT OF THAT DOOR before your brain has figured out what’s happening. The minute you start debating should I?/shan’t I/ you are doomed. A quick glass of water and get going.
Have a plan. Have a running target, have a gym routine, have a class. I don’t want to have to negotiate people first thing, so a gym class isn’t an option. By the time my brain has figured it out I’m twenty minutes down the street and the only way back is to run back. Then the sound of nature distracts me and all is well.
Keep a daily routine. I wake up early most weekdays, except for one day where I have a ‘lie-in’, and earlier at weekends. Over time you will start getting tired and start going to bed earlier. It won’t be easy but it will happen if you make it happen. Doing one or two mornings a week won’t be enough to stop the excuses such as ‘there’s always tomorrow’, so make a morning workout the normal thing.
However, as other’s have said, if you have missed flights and been late to work then chances of you getting into a morning routine through choice rather than as something you HAVE to do is unlikely to happen.
Alternatively, go easy on yourself. Say no to family dinners. Adjust your life to take into account your working out. Be flexible with social events but still aim for regular workouts. There may be times you can fit a short workout in and still do the social stuff.
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trigden1991 wrote: »If you have missed flights because you "can't" get up, trying to persuade yourself to go to the gym is not going to happen.
I agree. If mornings are that bad for you I would work harder to get my gym time in during the evenings or maybe at lunch time. I am not a morning person. And there is no way I would get up at 4 am (which I have seen people on here say they do) ore even 5 to go to the gym. I do get up early to do 30 minutes of yoga. But by early I mean I set my alarm for 6:10 and do my yoga at 7 am because it takes me that long to drag myself out of bed. lol3 -
@girlinahat I've really gotta conquer the 'snooze' thing. I am a horrible snoozer. I think I'm going to have to try the alarm clock across the room thing (which will also prevent me looking at my phone before bed). I'm with you on not wanting a class, but maybe if I schedule out my workouts rather than just showing up to the gym, it will help. Thanks!1
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Can you go to bed earlier? Get a few alarms to make you get out of bed?
If you relegate gym time solely to the morning and refuse to let yourself go at night, you might be more motivated to get out of bed on time. Try building your day around your gym time.0 -
You know, for me - it's just a habit that has developed, it's a total routine. When I get home from work, I unpack my gym bag, then pack it again with everything I need for the next day and then - PUT IT IN MY CAR. That way when I wake up - everything is already out there and it gives me one less excuse not to go
I also make it a habit (now) of getting into bed between 830-9. When my alarm goes off at 5, it's not quite as rough You can do it! It will just take some time for it to become a habit.3 -
trigden1991 wrote: »If you have missed flights because you "can't" get up, trying to persuade yourself to go to the gym is not going to happen.
This x1000. It will be easier to force yourself to make time in the evening than it will to force yourself to go to the gym in the morning.7 -
I wouldn't.
Look, I'm pragmatic. I am not a morning person and I'm old enough now to know that will never change. So there's no point in me making some lofty resolution that I know I won't maintain.
If you want change to stick you need to be realistic with yourself. And if that means admitting that you really just aren't into the morning thing, that's perfectly okay. Just make a commitment to something you have a better chance of actually doing.
I agree with this. There is nothing wrong with not being a morning person, just as there is nothing wrong with being a night owl. You have to find something that works for you. If you have missed flights because you can't wake up then I think you are going to set yourself up for failure by trying to force something that is outside your natural rhythm.
I think it is possible to transform from a night owl to a morning person but it takes a lot of work. Meaning there is no "magic wake up early fairy dust".
Start small.
Start with getting up at the exact same time every day, even weekends. Once you can do that consistently for a couple of weeks, then move your alarm 30 minutes earlier. Rinse and repeat until you can consistently get yourself up THEN start working out.
Or you can do what my night owl friend did and ask her boss for later work hours and get her workout in at 8am. She covers a shift that her boss needed covering and hasn't been late for work anymore.2 -
I'm NOT a morning person, but have started getting up at 5:30 am to workout. If I don't, it doesn't get done.
Here are my best tips:
Do NOT hit snooze. Just don't. As hard as it is, just. get. up. It will get better once you get moving.
I wear to bed what I work out in, minus shoes and socks. If you can't do that, have everything laid out and ready. Don't forget your earbuds, towel, hair tie, etc. It makes it SO much easier, especially when you're tired and still zombie-like.
I have the coffee pot all ready to go, so when I get up I just hit the button. I have to have a half cup and a few "wake up" minutes beforehand.
You will be SO happy afterward that you've done your workout for the day and you're evening is free for whatever else.
Edited to add a couple more obvious things; don't go to bed too late, don't overdrink the night before.2 -
I was never really a morning person but have gradually turned into one. I haven't used an alarm clock in many years. What really set it in stone was getting up at 4:30 AM to walk. My walks then turned into runs and after two weeks it started feeling good. It also helps to get to bed early so you don't get sleep deprived. Me, I like being in bed at 9:30 PM and often get some lazy boy sleep prior to that. Before my morning runs I suffered terrible bouts of insomnia but now I sleep like a baby....until 3:30 that is. It won't take hold until you get that workout high going.0
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If you've been late to work and missed flights you need to revamp your morning routine anyways.
What has helped me a great deal is getting to bed at a reasonable hour. I go to sleep at night so that I can always get at least eight hours of sleep, but no more than nine. More sleep makes me tired and less sleep makes me tired and not want to get up.
I set one alarm. Not two, not three, not four. This is so I know in the back of my mind if I don't get up I will be late. I set it about 10 minutes earlier than I actually need to get up so I can hit the snooze button once and still get up in time. This works for me because I will use that ten minutes to come to terms with the fact I am actually awake, it is morning, and life must now go on. When I first started though I would plug my phone in across the room so I had to actually get up to turn off my alarm. Worked wonders.
Once I get up, I do not lay back down. I immediately turn on my bedroom light and go about getting ready for the day. Sometimes I pack my gym bag at night, sometimes in the morning. It really doesn't affect me either way because I give myself thirty minutes in the morning to get ready which is more than enough time for me.
It was difficult maybe the first week. It's routine now.
ETA: In the winter, I keep it warm in my house so I don't have to combat the feeling of leaving my warm bed. It's warm in my house so I don't really feel a difference in temperature until I hit the door.1 -
Bottom line, you just need to hold yourself accountable. Either you get up or don't. I learned this the hard way and I know how guilty I feel when I don't. Having a buddy helps, but in the end, it's how bad do you want it.1
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Tacklewasher wrote: »Get dogs. Damn things won't let you sleep in. Mine were whining before 5 this morning.
Haha! So true!!!0
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