Not a Morning Person

Options
hwilliams519
hwilliams519 Posts: 428
in Fitness and Exercise
First I like to start off by saying that I am NOT a Morning Person. Therefore, I have never been one to exercise in the morning. So many times I said I would, but then don't get up. Now anytime I even mention to my husband that I'm going to start working out in the mornings, he laughs at me. And the funny thing is, we both know it won't really happen.

So the reason, I'm posting this is to find advice on getting up early in order to exercise. My husband gets up earlier than me for work, so if I could actually get my workout over with at that time it would be beneficial for many reasons. One, I can get it out of the way and don't have to worry about it later. Also, in the evenings I usually like to spend time with my husband, and sometimes I feel guilty leaving him to workout. I don't know why I feel that way. I guess I think that's more time to be spending with each other. And I know it would be great if we just worked out together to avoid that, but unfortunately getting him to exercise is very rare. I have tried and tried.

Also I would like to know, how can you make yourself get up when it's still dark outside? I was going to get up at 6am one day, but it was so dark, it just didn't feel right. Probably just an excuse from a non-morning person. But I'm serious...how do you do it?
«1

Replies

  • Deckershann
    Deckershann Posts: 272 Member
    Options
    Three alarms on my cell phone right next to my face. A puppy that will piss everywhere if she's not taken out. The thought that I might not make it to the gym at night. Yes...this is what gets my butt out of bed. I am not a morning person...but some things just have to be done lol
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    Options
    As soon as its daylight, I'm up.

    If you're cutting your sleep from 7-8 hours to 5-6 to work out, that's not the greatest idea.

    Your best bet is start getting into a regular sleep routine, that'll yield about 8 hours for you, while still allowing you to wake up early. Therefore you should feel more rested , and less like you woke up waaay too early. Start brushing come 9pm, get into bed, shut the lights, etc..or read. You'll naturally get more and more tired if you have the same sorta routine.

    On the opposite end, if you're up til 11 or 12 every night, workout at 8 or 9pm. Shower then do whatever it is you do, then wake up at your normal time.

    I had a gf who used to be able to sleep til like 2 or 3pm. Or later. Like wtf....
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    Options
    treat it like you treat your job. Or school. set your alarm, and do it, don't flake out on yourself. If you can hang in there for a week, I promise it gets easier. Also go to bed early!!!
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    Options
    treat it like you treat your job. Or school. set your alarm, and do it, don't flake out on yourself. If you can hang in there for a week, I promise it gets easier. Also go to bed early!!!

    This^ once you take this lifestyle as serious as your job you won't mind getting up earlier.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    Options
    Oh, that girl just reminded me, place your alarm clock across the room so you have to physically get up.

    Or google annoying alarm clocks, they require some precision and motorskills to shut off (some are small puzzles you have to assemble, some run off the counter and roll around the room, etc).

    Open the blinds/lights will wake you up faster too.
  • Shanna_Inc86
    Shanna_Inc86 Posts: 781 Member
    Options
    I have the same problem....Thank you for the ideas
  • mbcasey2009
    mbcasey2009 Posts: 52 Member
    Options
    Girl I get up at 5 am everyday! It's hard, it takes a few weeks to get used to and the weekends can set you back when you want to sleep in but I love getting my workout out of the way. Try and go to bed earlier-say 8:30/9 and lights out by 9:30/10. I shoot for 8-9 hours a night. The downfall with getting up that early is that I'm get tired around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. But I still think its worth it to be able to go out to dinner/hang with the hubby in the evenings since I get it out of the way. Also-I have 2 dogs and no yard. So they don't let me sleep in. So that might always be an option too! Good luck!
  • KMSForLife
    KMSForLife Posts: 605
    Options
    It does take a while to get used to it. When the alarm goes off I have to remind myself how good I feel all day after I've worked out. I have a noticeable increase in energy level throughout the day.

    One thing I did for awhile was put a picture with the alarm clock- choose anything that inspires you to be who you want to be. And yes, put your alarm clock across the room. Have your husband wake you up as soon as he gets up to get ready for work. Convince your husband to work out with you - hold each other accountable.
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
    Options
    I'm there with you! Alarms and one that isn't right by your bed to make you get up to turn it off. I make my husband get me up too on days I know I need to. I still slack but I'm getting better at it!
  • 2manyshoes
    2manyshoes Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    I'm not a morning person either. I'll set my alarm and then hit snooze for 45 mins. I'd always read that it was better to work out in the morning (gave you more energy through the day) but for me to actually get up.....well, it rarely happened. So now, I just workout in the evenings, no matter how late it is and my track record is much better.
    I don't have a husband or kids so my evenings are my own. My suggestion? Maybe workout 2 evenings in a row and then on the 3rd day workout in the morning. Do that until you get used to getting up. Then switch to alternating mornings and evenings
  • fat_tastic
    fat_tastic Posts: 42
    Options
    I opt to go to sleep a litlle earlier if I want to excercise the next morning. Morning excersice is more convenient for me on certain days. I also see myself as getting it over and done with since I'm still at the point where I still dread it. When I don't exercise in the morning I think about not wanting to do it all day and when I'm at the gym 7:30 at night after work I curse myself and say "if you just would have woke your butt up a little early this morning you wouldn't be going thru this right now".
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Options
    Its hard to say...I guess I actually am a morning person (not the bright cheery in-your-face kind, but once I'm up...I'm up). I go to a gym early and dress for work there, so I pack my bag and put it in the car the night before, prep the coffee machine so all I need to do is push the button and lay out my workout clothes in the other room. I've asked my husband for a little shove, but he's usually afraid of getting punched (One time only...I swear...LOL!). Now if I miss a day, I'm really mad at myself, so it doesn't happen very often anymore.

    Like other people have said, it DOES get easier once you get into the habit, and its really nice to have my workout done for the day by 7AM, but don't try to force something that isn't in you either. Find a time that works best for you, because you want to be in a routine that you can keep doing...not something that feels horribly wrong to you. Good luck!
  • Shanna_Inc86
    Shanna_Inc86 Posts: 781 Member
    Options
    Found a puzzle alarm...lol

    http://www.tongxunshe.com/images/2009/08/tongxunshe_megan_fox_gq_italy_August200905.jpg

    And my picture for the puzzle
  • kitkat415
    kitkat415 Posts: 43
    Options
    I wasn't great in the mornings either when I started out. Transitioning from running in the afternoons to running in the mornings was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I did it, and now I can't imagine how I ever worked out in the afternoon again. Getting it out of the way first thing is awesome. Here's what helped for me.

    1) Give yourself some extra time. Seems counter intuitive because you'd want to sleep in, but I give myself an extra 15 minutes to get up calmly and get adjusted.
    2) Have everything set to go the night before. Not having to fumble around for socks in the dark definitely helps.
    3) Black coffee. not sure if you're a coffee drinker, but if you are, have about half a cup to get going.
    4) Anticipate a few really crummy workouts and mornings. I have to say my first 5 morning runs were gross. I felt like I was running through sludge and thought I might throw up afterwards, but I didn't and after that they got a lot easier. If you can get through the first 5, you're golden.
    5) Be consistent. I try to wake up at the same time every single morning, so my body can get used to that time. Even if it's a rest day, I'll get up and do some yoga or get some stuff done for the day. Sleeping in an extra hour just makes it that much harder to get up the next day.

    You can do this!
  • KyleGA
    KyleGA Posts: 309 Member
    Options
    Rather than feeling guilty for working out at a time that works for you (evenings), why not ask your hubby to join in with you...therefore the time spent is actually together and you can explore that attribute of your relationship together.

    Working out in the evenings has worked out extremely well for my wife and I. I know, different strokes for different folks, but AM workouts aren't my thing either...and working out (fitness) should be something we always do...there is no way I would set myself up for success trying to workout in the mornings. Sure I could do it consistently the first week, two, 10 weeks...but at some point, I will stop fall back into my old routine and am challenged with this yet again.

    I hope you find a win/win here...cheers to you and your healthy lifestyle!
  • hwilliams519
    hwilliams519 Posts: 428
    Options
    So for those of you who do get up early to work out, do you get up the same time on the weekends? I like to sleep in on the weekends, even though I don't always get to. For example, on a normal work day, I get up around 6:40-7am. On the weekends I prefer to sleep to 9 when I can.

    But at the same time, I'm sure it would be better to be more consistent. Maybe if I had a better routine I wouldn't feel like I need to sleep in on the weekend.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Options
    So for those of you who do get up early to work out, do you get up the same time on the weekends? I like to sleep in on the weekends, even though I don't always get to. For example, on a normal work day, I get up around 6:40-7am. On the weekends I prefer to sleep to 9 when I can.

    But at the same time, I'm sure it would be better to be more consistent. Maybe if I had a better routine I wouldn't feel like I need to sleep in on the weekend.

    I usually do...sadly! My alarm is set for 4:15 (I know..crazy!), and most week days I wake up just before it. Same thing happens on weekends, but then when I remember what day it is, I'm able to to go back to sleep for a couple more hours. Again..I've always been kind of an early riser...so things work differently for everyone.
  • justle
    justle Posts: 275 Member
    Options
    I'm the same as you definately not a morning person i'd love to be able to get up and do my workout in the morning but my kids get up at 5am every day and theres no way i'm getting up at 430 am to workout!!!!

    I cant wait till they sleep till 7 so i can do morning workouts!
  • KMSForLife
    KMSForLife Posts: 605
    Options
    So for those of you who do get up early to work out, do you get up the same time on the weekends? I like to sleep in on the weekends, even though I don't always get to. For example, on a normal work day, I get up around 6:40-7am. On the weekends I prefer to sleep to 9 when I can.

    But at the same time, I'm sure it would be better to be more consistent. Maybe if I had a better routine I wouldn't feel like I need to sleep in on the weekend.

    Not a chance! I sleep as long as I want to on the weekends. I get up at 4:30 am during the week. I figure the weekends are my time and I will fit my workout in at some point throughout the day. If I can, I still workout when I wake up - but that may be 8:30 - 9:00 am. I love getting out of bed at my own pace on Saturday and Sunday :)
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
    Options
    I do love mornings, but there are still some mornings when I just want to sleep in a little longer and not workout. Here are some things that help me:
    1. Have your entire outfit/accessories ready for you. Shirt, undies, bra, pants, socks, headband, water bottle, shoes, keys, gym pass, anything you need for morning, ready to grab and go.
    2. Drink a ton of water before bed, and anytime you get up at night. I always have to pee when I wake up. So if having to pee actually wakes me up (which it does now that I'm in a routine), then awesome! I'm up!
    3. Caffeine. People will say caffeine is bad, but whatever. It works for me. On the mornings that I run (which I would consider an intense hour+ workout), I eat/drink a PowerBar Gel 2x caffeine. My morning runs are awesome. On mornings where I do a video or something, I'm cool with just water. I've tried coffee too, but it made my heart pound too fast and I had to slow down my workout. But my husband drinks coffee before his morning workouts and is fine, so just an idea.
    4. Go to an early morning class. I don't do this anymore, but it was super easy for me to jump out of bed and get to my kickboxing class - I caught flack if I wasn't there, and it was genuinely fun, the people/atmosphere made it worth getting up at whatever ridiculous time it was.
    5. Put your alarm across the room. Just somewhere out of arms reach so that you can't just roll over and turn it off.
    6. Instead of thinking "It's dark out, I don't want to get up", think "Hell yes, I'm going to have my workout done before the sun comes up! Take that!"

    I do like mornings, I always have. Regardless, it can be really hard to get up in the morning. But you've just got to do it once and it WILL get easier. Since January, I've been getting up between 4:30 and 5am to workout, and it really has gotten better. There are still some days where I just want to sleep, so I let myself do it once in a while.
    And I do usually get up early at least one day per weekend and workout before the rest of the house wakes. A good "sleep in" is until 7am for me, and that's only if The Kid agrees. So a lot of times I'll just get up leisurely at 5, rather than 4:30 and go for a run, and still be back before wake-up time.
    You CAN do it!!!

Categories