Tips for waking up early to exercise?

duncanryan
duncanryan Posts: 122 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I'll be starting night classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and will only have time to eat dinner between work and class. I won't be getting home until 10 or 10:30 PM. Any tips to help with getting up early to exercise? Usually not a morning person, but going to have to become one with this schedule.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Dont think about it, just do it.
  • Kassie37
    Kassie37 Posts: 16 Member
    Yes, I'd be interesting in hearing some tips on this topic as well. I just can't seem to get out of bed before 7!!
  • lmbame905
    lmbame905 Posts: 83 Member
    Just do it! It seems so hard at first, but if you stick with it for about 2 weeks, or a month (even on weekends) it'll become second nature!
  • cpegasus01
    cpegasus01 Posts: 400 Member
    Like he said, just get up and do it!
  • grouch201
    grouch201 Posts: 404 Member
    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.
  • bjbixler
    bjbixler Posts: 253 Member
    1) you just have to stick with it. the more you do it, the easier it becomes

    2) I pack my gym bag and set out my workout clothes the night before, it makes you feel really guilty to see all that preparation go to waste if you hit snooze one too many times.
  • lambeas
    lambeas Posts: 229 Member
    Just like the others have said...just get up when you hear you alarm, set your coffee pot so you just have to press on and let that be your reward for finishing.....the best quote I have heard that makes me get up at 5:30am to excercise.. is " You will never regret finishing your workout, but you will regret not starting"..
  • curvykatie
    curvykatie Posts: 870 Member
    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
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    I was gonna say go to bed early.....but since you have class till after 10pm forget that idea. I can get up at 5am no problem but I have to still get in my sleep so I am often asleep well before 10pm. Set the alarm clock across the room and set more than one so you have to get up to get them.
  • sadlazarus
    sadlazarus Posts: 76
    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.
  • dobrien1969
    dobrien1969 Posts: 2
    I started going to the gym in May...set my alarm for 445a and at the gym by 500a. There really is no trick...it takes about 30 days to create the habit and it does get easier. Take a day off during the week...go later on the weekends. So for instance, my schedule: 5a M-Th...no workout on F...and finally 7a or 8a on S and Sun. Get a routine going and you will be fine. Good luck.
  • KimertRuns13_1
    KimertRuns13_1 Posts: 702 Member
    Sleep in your workout clothes. Set the alarm. Get up. Just do it.

    Or lay out your clothes, set the alarm, get up and just do it. :)

    No excuses!
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Yup just have to stick with it. If you want it bad enough you will do it :flowerforyou:
  • JDRBT
    JDRBT Posts: 264 Member
    I gotta agree with everyone else. Your brain will try to talk you out of it, but just do it. Sometimes it helps me to drink a tall glass of water first thing in the AM. It helps me clear my head and start the day off making a smart choice. I don't suggest coffee before a work out, but I have some crystal light that has a touch of caffine in it and that helps me clear the blues too.

    Another tip -
    Put your work out gear within easy reach of the bed. If you don't have to think about finding it, you'll be better off. :) Once you get moving, you'll be hooked on it! I usually go to bed around 10:30am, but am up before 6 every morning.

    Oh yeah - find ways to take a power nap during the days. Once you're working out regularly., you'll probably find sleep to be more restful.
  • lauren0804
    lauren0804 Posts: 48
    I am not much of a morning person either but I work out in the morning because A) I get it out of the way and B) usually busy at night.

    I would also suggest pack your bag the night before, even put it in your car! Also pack your lunch (if you bring lunch to work). I

    It's hard at first but once you get on a schedule you won't have a problem. Oh and make sure you go to bed a a reasonable hour because if you have to get up early for the gym and you stay up late you will probably not be going to the gym or might not work out to your full potential.

    Good Luck!
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
    Get out of bed when the alarm goes off, go to the kitchen and drink a tall glass of cold water. This will not only help hydrate you before your workout, but it will also help wake you up. It's hard at first, but it gets easier. It also helps to have a workout routine you enjoy doing. It makes it that much easier to get out of bed early.

    And for what it's worth, for the past 4 months I've been waking up at 3am three times a week to get my workouts in. I always feel refreshed afterward, rather than tired or exhausted. Coffee helps too.
  • crozierb
    crozierb Posts: 61 Member
    When you get home, don't take much time to "unwind", just go to bed instead so you'll get enough sleep.... easier said than done I know!
    When I was in the habit of morning runs, I always reminded myself that you will NEVER regret getting up to work out, but you will regret sleeping instead.
  • hcn74
    hcn74 Posts: 214
    I do it a couple times a week. I am never one to jump out of bed, so I always have to ask myself, which will I regret more, getting out of bed or missing my spin class? Never fails.
  • wjkirby
    wjkirby Posts: 120
    I get up at 5:30am M-F and a lot of times on Saturday too. When the alarm goes off I sit up, turn the alarm off, put on my glasses and stand-up. I have 2 boxers that sleep in the bed with us and the male is usually waiting on me to get out of his spot. lol. That helps too.
  • crozierb
    crozierb Posts: 61 Member
    Ha, I just read this after posting nearly the same thing....
    Just like the others have said...just get up when you hear you alarm, set your coffee pot so you just have to press on and let that be your reward for finishing.....the best quote I have heard that makes me get up at 5:30am to excercise.. is " You will never regret finishing your workout, but you will regret not starting"..
  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
    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
    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
    Just do it...it is not always the easiest thing to do but worth it in the end. Good Luck
  • RoniDoll
    RoniDoll Posts: 262
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    Dont think about it, just do it.

    Best Advice!! ^^^
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
    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.
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