Morning Gym Tips for a Total Sleepyhead

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  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Don't try to wake up extra early, just wake up and do ten push-up right then, or a 30second plank... most likely by the time you get done with that you'll be willing to throw in an extra move etc without changing your routine at all. If you do that every morning you will begin to enjoy and expect it and that's when you will be able to convince yourself to start a tad bit earlier.

    If you only change your wake up by 5 minutes every so often your body will not notice as much and you are far more likely to be successful over all. A thirty second plank in the morning is better than a missed afternoon workout due to unexpected issues, mental exhaustion or just being plain lazy right?! In any case you can always do more later if you didn't feel it was enough!

    Good luck, it's definitely doable! Just little tiny steps :)
  • AgentFlex
    AgentFlex Posts: 211 Member
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    I am most definitely not a morning person, but I was in the same situation as you about 2-3 years ago where I wasn't getting workouts in later in the day. I had a dear friend who was already a morning gym person text me to ensure I was awake each day for a few weeks until it was a habit. I don't like to disappoint people, so I was always already up by the time she texted. 2-3 years later, still lifting in the morning, created a new habit. Still not a morning person.
  • cvstokke
    cvstokke Posts: 249 Member
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    @butterfli7o I've seen the 'sleep in your workout clothes' thing before. Do you wear restrictive clothes to work out? I have to wear like a heavy duty sports bra and also wear leggings to avoid chaffing. I've always worried about this being super uncomfortable or (sorry gross tmi) causing infections. Have you found good workarounds or options? Thanks for the idea!
  • cvstokke
    cvstokke Posts: 249 Member
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    I really should have not exaggerated my whole flight missing thing (it was one flight after a wild night out) - it really set people off. I was just trying to stress my not being a morning person.
  • cvstokke
    cvstokke Posts: 249 Member
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    @WickAndArtoo I like this suggestion - similar to the person who suggested doing something enjoyable when waking up a little early. I think I'll try these two over the next couple weeks to ease into 2017. Thank you!
  • cvstokke
    cvstokke Posts: 249 Member
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    @AgentFlex you're the second person to suggest this - I definitely think I'm going to ask my work friend to at least shoot me a text. If nothing else, it's accountability. Thanks!
  • AgentFlex
    AgentFlex Posts: 211 Member
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    cvstokke wrote: »
    @AgentFlex you're the second person to suggest this - I definitely think I'm going to ask my work friend to at least shoot me a text. If nothing else, it's accountability. Thanks!

    It really works. I am so thankful for her and still bring it up!
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
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    I am a morning person and had to switch for years to evening workouts due to kids schedules so went back to mornings about 18 months ago. And I mean morning...i am usually at the gym between 4:30 and 4:45am. For me, I set my alarm and allow myself one snooze. I need an hour before I leave to have some coffee, do some chores, feed the dog etc, and I do lay my clothes out the night before. I also shower at the gym for work so I pack a bag with toiletries and work clothes. And i look at it like its my job...I just have to go...no excuses. I have goals and without going to the gym and running my plan, I will not be able to perform at my next race. For me its a mindset of I'm an athlete in training versus I go to the gym to get fit or lose weight. I mean thats part of it too but the accountability I have to the events I've registered for and my training partner make me get up and go. I hope some of these tips may help you.
  • dydn11402
    dydn11402 Posts: 95 Member
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    for me personally, being a horrible morning person means that not only can i not get out of bed easily but also that i have no energy in the morning hours at all. even if i manage to haul myself out of bed (which i have to do to get the kids off to school and take care of a toddler), my body is sluggish (until i have a couple coffees under my belt) around 10:30ish, so a workout would be that much more difficult. that being said, if i decided to do it, i would. if you are truly motivated and want something badly enough then you just do it. (when i was a teenager, getting me up for school was ww3 but tell me we're going skiing and we're leaving at 6, you better believe my butt was in that car.)
    all these tips, especially the one where you go to sleep early are useful but at the end of the day, if you want it badly enough, you will make it happen.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    *kitten* the snooze button, it's the devil on earth. Nothing good happens when you hit that thing.
  • cvstokke
    cvstokke Posts: 249 Member
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    @Packerjohn you're so right - i've gotta figure out a good way to ditch it
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    cvstokke wrote: »
    I really should have not exaggerated my whole flight missing thing (it was one flight after a wild night out) - it really set people off. I was just trying to stress my not being a morning person.

    It didn't "set people off"...the way you said it basically made it sound like you couldn't even get up for a flight and people are taking that at face value...obviously, if one can't even get up for a flight to somewhere awesome, forcing exercise in the AM would be an issue.

    There are a lot of people who've been there and done that and have the t-shirt and they were just commenting that given the information you provided, it might not be the best thing...all of this is about consistency and sustainability and people are just wanting to help you avoid pitfalls is all...

    Since your comments were exaggerated I'll just say as others have said...start getting up a little earlier and a little earlier...set the alarm clock somewhere that you can't just hit snooze so that you have to get up. See how it goes and how you feel and if your training suffers or not and adjust as necessary.
  • Meghanebk
    Meghanebk Posts: 321 Member
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    Go to bed much earlier. Accept that if you get up at 5 to work out, you should be in bed/asleep by 9 PMish. And speaking as someone who had a downstairs neighbor that got up unwillingly at 4:30 AM every day, if you have to set a loud alarm to exercise, DO NOT do that. I had to break my lease because it was that or homicide. Damn woman had a siren loud alarm, would hit the snooze, repeat 2 or 3 times per morning.

    Alternately, accept that morning exercise is not likely and change your habits to exercise right after work. Say no to invitations and family dinners if they're commonly interfering in working out. Or exercise on weekends. You don't mention multiple jobs/kids so presumably you have 2 entire days that are mostly free of major time commitments. Put in longer workouts on those 2 days.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    I actually DID become a morning workout person!! Mostly because I run and lift outside and it became unbearably hot last summer. Biggest change -- I started eating dinner earlier (by 7) and I'm in bed by 9:30 asleep by 10!! Now I wake up naturally at 5:45 and I'm running or lifting by 6.

    That being said, if I had to get properly dressed and drive to the gym, there's no way I'd do it. Having a home gym has been key for me. Even if I just use my yoga mat and bodyweight exercises.
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
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    Good morning routines begin with good evening routines. Begin the night before. Lay everything out - food, coffee, clothes, music, shoes, etc, and get to bed on time. Committing to meeting someone or signing up for an early class helps. And remind yourself that it's not a question, it's not optional - just get up and go. After a few weeks, if you've been faithful (and getting enough sleep), it will begin to feel a little better - not good, but better.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I totally don't see this working. You can't even get up for something as important as a flight there's no way in h*ll you're getting up for the gym. No shame in that - I'm not getting up for it either. Find a way to work it into your evening routine. I have mine scheduled in the evenings on my calendar on my phone with reminders set to remind me to go. Occasionally I can talk myself out of going in the evening, but in the morning it would probably be 90% of the time!
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    May I also suggest a pre workout drink? I was like you and would use any excuse to not get up in the morning. I would go back to sleep if it was raining. Raining!! I've been getting up at 4:30am to get to the gym by 5 for two years now. One of the things that helped me was knowing that once I got the pre workout in me I really wasn't going to be tired any more and I was going to have a great workout and be D.O.N.E. for the day. They're not for everybody, though. Oh, also, I started a workout routine that I loved! I didn't want to miss it and that was huge. Do you like working out or do you just do it because you feel you have to? It took me a whole year before I was able to just get up and go without trying to make any excuses or using any self-talk to get up and go. Really, it comes down to self-motivation.
  • divcara
    divcara Posts: 357 Member
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    I was also that person who could never make it work on time. These days, I actually prefer my training sessions at 5:30 a.m. and even take Saturday morning 6:30 a.m. classes! My old bosses would be like who are you??

    I basically don't give myself the option whether to go or not. I take group fitness classes so I sign up for classes that will charge a fee if I don't show. I schedule with my trainer early too. I have never once been late or missed a session. I lay out all the clothes the night before. And things I like, that make me feel good to put on. And car keys, water bottle, sneakers, everything.

    When my alarm goes off, I just jump up. "Feet to the floor, just gotta do it" is what goes through my head. Get up before I have time to think about it and change my mind. And it takes the willpower out of it. It's just a given. Required. Like making my bed or taking a shower. Not negotiable.

    And over time, I have come to LOVE these early morning, quiet moments while most of the world is still asleep. No traffic, sometimes even seeing the moon when I leave, the sun rising over the bridge on my way home. Workout done and over before 7am or 8am or whatever the time is. It feels so good and I feel so alive. I feel energized and accomplished and in a good mindset to take one whatever the day brings. And it allows me to always get my workout in before the craziness of the day starts taking over.

    I go to bed early, sleep better. I never thought I would become a morning person, but it has helped my life in a lot of ways.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I find it much easier to make it part of your morning routine, and I prefer doing it at home. I workout in my underwear. I have collected many dvds over the years, plus there are countless videos on youtube. Get up, workout, then do everything else. No matter what, at least you've gotten your workout done! I admit that at the beginning it was tough. I was probably half asleep for the beginning, but awake and energized by the end. It helps get you moving for the rest of your day with a sense of accomplishment.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Have goals big enough that missing workouts isn't an option. Sure, if I'm sick or whatever I take time off. But week in week out, I manage to make it happen.

    My preferred schedule would be wake up at 11, go to bed somewhere around 3. But I wake up at 5:30 most days to make everything happen.

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