Tips for getting up early to exercise

Eagles8080 · January 2022

I start work at 7 am. Was kicking around the idea of getting up at 5 to hit treadmill. Can’t find motivation.

goal06082021 · January 2022

If you want to do something, you'll find a way to make it happen. I can't want it for you, but I can offer the thought process I followed when I decided to start working out first thing in the morning before work.

In my case, I was already up for ~2 hours before my start time, and realized I was spending half an hour or so just doomscrolling or otherwise laying around between breakfast and getting dressed. I was already awake, so it was easy to just do something else during that time - I had time for a 20-minute workout video and a quick shower, it was just a matter of choosing to use that time for that purpose instead of mindlessly thumbing through Instagram.

When do you get up now, and how much idle time do you have in the mornings? Is there anything you could do the night before to free up a few more minutes before work, like pack a breakfast/lunch, set up a programmable coffeemaker, go to bed a little earlier, etc.? Remember to factor in time to change into and out of workout clothes, as well as time to freshen up, if you're currently a nighttime showerer. If you don't have a lot of idle time in your morning routine, and/or if you don't currently exercise regularly, you don't have to jump straight from 0 to a full 30 or 60 minutes on the dreadmill. You could start with five or ten minutes, then gradually start setting your alarm a little bit earlier and working out a little bit longer every few days.

minnelizzy · January 2022

Same here. 7 am start time and the thought of waking any earlier than I need to really sounded terrible. But… I’ve been doing it and I actually like it. I know for me if I put it off for any time later I’ll find a reason not to- busy, kids, tired, etc. I’ve said it all. So early morning is the one time I have that’s just mine and once I got my mind over the hump of waking earlier it really isn’t hard at all. I feel better throughout the day knowing I already got it in and it really does wake me up better than just getting out of bed and plodding through my morning stuff in a rush to work. I like to set my alarm a bit early even so I can hit snooze and it feels like a bit of luxury lol. You can do it!

sbelletti · January 2022

Only one way to find out... Commit to doing it for a week. If you can manage that, do it for another week!

I tried morning workouts and they made me miserable and grumpy so I kept trying different times of day and workouts until I found what works for me. The goal is to find something that you can do indefinitely and not something you absolutely hate.

littlegreenparrot1 · January 2022

I run or go for a swim before work every morning, and have done so for years. I like it and it suits me. There is no chance of it ever working for my husband, its very individual.

To make it happen I prepare breakfast and lunch the night before so its ready to go, sort out what clothes I'm going to wear, and make sure anything is packed in the workbag that needs to be.

When the alarm goes off I get up immediately, there can be no thought process. If I start thinking about whether or not I want to, how loud the rain is, how cold it is etc I'm not going to do it.
Its not motivation, its that the decision has already been made.
Autopilot - up, into kit, out the door.

It's worth trying to see how you get on, but there's no point beating yourself up if you hate it.

yirara · January 2022

If you don't like it then don't do it. For me, it's a massive NOPE! I don't have energy before my main meal in the evening and I'm a night person. So that's a double massive nope for me. For you? Why not figure it out?

makinlifehappen · January 2022

If that is the time you have, then you will make it work.
Get plenty of sleep the night before, maybe get up and put on a pot of coffee and a quick shower.
Then do what you got to do.

ninerbuff · January 2022

I'm up at 4:30am every morning and get to the gym by 6am. Get my workout done and then take on clients by 7:30am till 11am. Then do a 2 hour school monitor job during lunch. Go home by 1pm, eat lunch, then nap till about 2:30pm. Then back at the gym for second shift from 3:30pm till whenever I'm done which is usually before 8pm. 5 days a week. It's easy for me now because I view my fitness as regular lifestyle.

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

HoneyBadger302 · January 2022

I'm not a morning person - I never will be. So when I was only working one job, I started by moving my alarm back 15 minutes for a week, and just doing something short in that time (stretch, walk, few body weight exercises). Then the next week, backed it up 15 more minutes - rinse and repeat until I was getting up as early as needed to get my workout in.

Right now I have a physical job (barn chores) for 2 hours before my day job, then have a 20 (2x week)-60 minute (3x week) workout after work. Not being a morning person I'm not going to get up at 3:30 to get that AM workout in, bad enough getting up for the barn, so I just make myself go do it right when I am done with work/get home before I even sit down.

cwolfman13 · January 2022

I think you just have to do it and see if you get used to it. For myself, I've tried doing my cycling workouts early in the morning, but my performance suffers and I'm not getting everything I want out of it. I resigned myself a long time ago to just not being a morning workout person. In the warmer months I do like starting my day early walking the dog, but it's not in the least bit strenuous and I can take my coffee along with me.

I go to the weight room 3x per week. For two of those I go during my lunch break as the gym is around the corner from my office and then around 9 AM on Saturday. I do my cycling workouts in the evening after work on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday which keeps me from sitting on my butt all evening watching TV and then have a "free ride" to either road ride or mountain bike on the weekend...usually mid morning.

Exercise schedule is just something you have to play with.

idabest777 · January 2022

I recently made the switch to morning workouts (about 4 months ago) after trying many times and desperately hating it, I finally figured out something that worked for me.
My main issue before was that I would wake up, stay in bed for 30-40 minutes slowly waking up and scrolling on my phone, then have coffee/food and have to wait for that to digest, then start working out before the caffeine really had any effect so it would be a slow start.
I switched to having a caffeine pill and a granola bar in bed as soon as my alarm goes off, then I stay in bed and spend ~30 min scrolling through my phone but after that I'm ready to go and filled with energy. A lot of people I've told this to tell me they think it's weird, but I'm not a get up and go kind of person and this is the only thing that worked for me, and honestly has made the switch to morning workouts pretty easy for me.

Jthanmyfitnesspal · January 2022

I'm never consistent about it, but I've done it for various stretches due to schedule. So, while I can do it, I'd rather not!

When needed, I really have to psych myself up. I lay everything out (e.g., for a run). I go to bed early. I get up, put my headphones on, and hit the music.

As @HoneyBadger302 says, start at a comfortable time with an easy workout, moving it earlier by 15 minute intervals, adding intensity and duration. I notice that, if I run in the morning, I need more of a warm up.

If a lard-*kitten* like me can do it, you can do it better. 👍

matt9712 · January 2022

I have to get up at 0315 to get workout in which is tough but been doing it for years. What works for me is I put my alarm on other side of room so I have to get out of bed to hit snooze or shut it off. I also put my pre workout next to it so I drink as soon as I hit alarm. Even after years it's still a struggle sometimes tho.

mirianyusm · January 2022

matt9712 wrote: »

I have to get up at 0315 to get workout in which is tough but been doing it for years. What works for me is I put my alarm on other side of room so I have to get out of bed to hit snooze or shut it off. I also put my pre workout next to it so I drink as soon as I hit alarm. Even after years it's still a struggle sometimes tho.

This and I tell to myself that I will just walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes or do a light ride in spinning class but after a couple of minutes of starting I find the energy to do the full workout, I think it would be hard for me to do it after work when I am tired and I have to get dinner ready for my family and me. It's not about motivation, It's about will and discipline. But I also understand that getting up at 4:30am is not for everybody. You might need to find the right time of the day for you to workout so you will stick with it. In the end, it doesn't matter the time of the day, what matters is that you do it.

westrich20940 · January 2022

I would say firstly - you will probably have to go to sleep earlier to accommodate this. Sleep is very important for health and weight loss.

I personally hate getting up in the morning and also lack motivation to do so. The only time I get up early to work out is in the summer when it's hot because I run and I do not want to do that in 90 degree heat/humidity.

So what I will say is --- force yourself to do it and I promise that you will feel better for the entire rest of the day. The days that I go for a run first thing in the morning I always have more energy and feel better the rest of the day. I just can't get into the habit of that when I don't HAVE to. LOL.
Good luck!

Tips for getting up early to exercise

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