Tips for waking up early to exercise?

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  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
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    I drink a lot of water before bed. Took a while to suss out the volume/ timing, but now I tend to have to answer the call at about 6, 6:30. It's what the Native Americans used to do on the eve of battle, I'm told.

    Did you learn this from Bart Simpson? I sure did.
  • jamesdelong
    jamesdelong Posts: 177 Member
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    Keep your room dark, cool, and throw a shirt or something over the clock so it's dim and when the alarm goes off just get up. Never snooze! that 5-10 minutes isn't REM sleep so don't even bother.
  • Angelamu77
    Angelamu77 Posts: 39
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    Just do it...it is not always the easiest thing to do but worth it in the end. Good Luck
  • RoniDoll
    RoniDoll Posts: 262
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    Put your alarm clock somewhere out of reach so you have to get out of bed to shut it off. Have a good breakfast planned to eat after working out.

    Make your bed before you switch the alarm off too, this will stop you getting back in

    Thats a wonderful idea!!!
  • ambermichon
    ambermichon Posts: 404 Member
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    I am not a morning person either. I pack my bag and stuff for the next day the night before so all I have to do is get dressed. I have to say though adding 2 mornings a week has helped my weight loss
  • TenLaws
    TenLaws Posts: 273
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    I'm pretty much in the same boat. I've been waking up at 5 am all summer to exercise; not so much since classes started. I get home around 10 pm and get to bed around 12 or 1 am. Waking up at 5 am can be done, but how healthy would it be for us to deprive our bodies of the rest we need? I'm still figuring out a schedule that works. Getting up early isn't the problem for me - getting up too soon knowing that my body is lacking proper rest is the issue.
  • duncanryan
    duncanryan Posts: 122 Member
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    Appreciate the help everyone!! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

    I like the one quote about saying you'll never regret finishing your workout, but you will regret not starting it.
  • mydeloo78
    mydeloo78 Posts: 328 Member
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    I always argue with myself in the morning about getting up.... I never want to but if I can get up (putting alarm across the room helped) and stay up for a couple of minutes then i can go. Never even entertain the idea that you're not going to go because if you do, you'll lose. I have also told myself if I get up and go exercise I can treat myself so I'll stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee or something, nothing very high calorie but gives me that extra motivation!
  • _Splenda_
    _Splenda_ Posts: 22 Member
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    Dont think about it, just do it.

    Best Advice!! ^^^
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
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    I set my alarm for 4:45am, and I put it on a station whose music I can't stand. That gets me up pretty quick! I have to get up that early in order to exercise (I do workout DVDs at home), get myself ready for work, and get my daughter ready to go to her aunt's house. There are days where I reset the alarm if I'm too tired, but most of the time I just do it. It's hard, but it's worth it.
  • olivia3263
    olivia3263 Posts: 263 Member
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    I just recently got an iphone and it has an alarm feature, which is good because I've always used my phone for an alarm. You can name each alarm you set and, just for labeling purposes, I named one "Get up and go running". When I got up, I had to look at my phone to slide the little switch thingy to turn it off and I saw the words, "Get up and go running." It was as if the phone was telling me, "Get up and go running." So I added a couple !!!! to it and then set one for 1 minute later and labeled it, "Don't be lazy. GET UP!!!" Not only did it work, it made me laugh and more energized for my workout. I'm sure it'll lose it's novelty, but I like the idea of someone or something - even if it's my phone - giving me that little extra push I need to not hit the snooze button. I'm thinking of changing it up every once in a while to keep things interesting. Maybe "Is the extra 45 minutes really worth the blubber?" or "Don't disappoint yourself - you'll be sorry!"

    It only works if you have that type of phone or one with that option, but if you can name your alarms I highly recommend sending yourself some messages :)
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
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    I've been getting up @ 430 every weekday to exercise for a very long time now, and I still have to force myself sometimes. I don't enjoy it, but I feel so much better afterwards. Well worth it. :)
  • Kalrez
    Kalrez Posts: 655 Member
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    I set multiple alarms and put them not only around the room, but also right outside the bed room. They're set like 5 mins apart. Overkill, maybe, but it's effective. I'm a night owl, so mornings aren't really my thing. However, I've noticed that it's getting easier and easier to get up in the morning.

    It also helps that my 15# cat jumps on my chest as soon as the first alarm goes off. He's an attention hog. If he knows that I'm awake, he's ALL about getting petted, and he's very insistent about it lol
  • epoint
    epoint Posts: 88
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    Well, since I retired I don't even HAVE an alarm clock in my bedroom anymore, lol! But...I just wake up. I know if I were having to go to work I'd be hitting the snooze button, but since I don't have to go anywhere I can't seem to stay in the bed. So I get up about 5, drink a cup of coffee, and head out for my walk.

    I will say that for about the last 10 years that I worked, I used a sunrise type alarm clock. No sound, just gradually increasing light. I loved it, and highly recommend it.
  • fbuschur
    fbuschur Posts: 57
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    I sometimes sleep in my jogging clothes, with my shoes next to the bed. Don't hit snooze, you just have to get right up and out the door immediately.
  • Bluestar083
    Bluestar083 Posts: 146
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    Dont think about it. Wake up, jump out of bed, put the gym clothes on and GO. By the time your fully awake your at the gym. I eat half a protein bar or banana on the way to the gym.
    I also have my work bag packed from the night before so go straight from gym to work.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    It depends how important it is to you.

    I find that when i wake up, i weigh up the pros and cons of getting up! If there are enough pros, like being on holiday, or something really good happening that day, its easy. If its just another day, just doesnt seem worth it! Ive always been a night person anyway though. I hate going to bed, as its like admitting the day is over, but i hate getting up, as it means another dull day is starting...

    And lets face it..."Beds are always at their most comfortable when you have to get out of them"

    Hmmm....
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
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    i struggle with this too. my mind wants to get out of bed and get the day going...but my body wants sleep...and my hand keeps pressing the snooze button. INVOLUNTARILY!!!!!!!
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
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    What's your motivation? Mine is either my "fat" picture or my "skinny" picture. I put the fat one by my alarm clock and the skinny one on the treadmill.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,064 Member
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    - go to bed as early as you can, i like 8 hours of sleep
    - wear your workout clothes to bed
    - eat something before you work out

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