How do you get up early to workout...

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Replies

  • I am not a morning person but my husband started a new job and had to be to work early. We had just joined the gym so I decided I was going to get up with him and go. Once he began working later, he started going with me and it's just stuck. We get up at 3:30 every morning get dressed, have breakfast and leave for the gym at 4:30. We've have been doing it for a year. Now if I miss my morning workout I feel like I'm not functioning on all cylinders!

    wow! my hat off to you!!!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Like some others have said. No trick. Just freakin do it. I'm not a morning person and prior to starting to work out in the mornings I would set my alarm for 5:00 and hit snooze until I actually had to get up at 5:30. When I decided to start working out in the mornings I set my alarm for 4:00 and decided that I could not hit snooze. The alarm went off and I put my feet on the floor and turned off the alarm so as not to wake my wife. Once my feet were on the floor and there was no ability to hit snooze I was up. That was three months ago and I haven't missed a day (I start later on weekends and holidays though). I work out at home so I just drag my *kitten* out to the living room and exercise. I get done and wake everyone else up to get ready for work/school. This way allows me to enjoy my evenings with my family. I've also never slept better in my life. 2 or 3 times a week I work out again on my lunch break but I don't skip my mornings even on those days.
  • ogottwald
    ogottwald Posts: 60 Member
    With my crazy schedule I recently started getting to the gym early. I get up around 6:00 a.m. - 6:15 a.m.. I plan on also starting running after the kids settle down at night. What is hard for me is sometimes I go to bed at 1:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. because of work so working out on 4 hours of sleep is not cool. After working out though in the early morning makes me feel better during the day and the early morning hot tub/shower visit is really refreshing / wake up call.

    I love swimming in the morning also!

    As others have stated have stuff ready in the morning. It can be annoying looking for socks etc... and you may wake someone up in the process. My internal clock wakes me up usually but if you set an alarm - set 15 minutes before you get up which is also a prior good suggestion.
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    Im a morning person. But I sdo Like to hit the snooze button sometimes. But im tired of trying to fit it into my day. After I get home from work , make supper, visit with my son and hunny its 9:00pm.Always something comes up. Well its hard to go up to the gym ans do an hout workout. So thats why I think I need to really kick myself out of bed at 5am and just do it. That way I will have it all done with and be ready for the day. I also can have more time for what ever pops up.
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
    I somehow push myself out of bed and just do it LOL :) Well except this morning :) I have to do it after work now if I am going to do it :)
  • Umpire57
    Umpire57 Posts: 389 Member
    You can not deprive yourself of sleep. The things that have to happen:

    Lay out your clothes, workout gear etc. the night before so you have everything ready
    Go to bed earlier. - THIS IS THE KEY! - If you go to bed at 9-9:30 then you can do it. If you still go to bed at 10:30-12 then you cant.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
    7am during the week and 6am on the weekend. Didn't do it this morning, so I didn't work out. I'm the kind of person who HAS to do it before I'm fully awake, hahah.
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    Well I set my alarm for 5am. I have my clothes all layed out. So all I need is sleep! . Im excited.. this will make it so I can spend time with family at night....
  • juicygurl1
    juicygurl1 Posts: 195 Member
    I am an early riser so it's not a big deal for me.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    1. Set the alarm for the desired wake up time
    2. Just get up and go

    You need to find your inner motivation that pushes you to do it. No words from anyone on MFP will change the fact that you are responsible every day for exercising or not exercising. We are all tired, have busy lives, need sleep, etc. We all have excuses.
    This is maybe the best answer I've ever seen on MFP.

    Do this.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
    I started working out during the day over Christmas vacation last year, which gave me more energy so that I was waking up earlier naturally. Before that I could barely drag myself out of bed to get ready for work.

    I started getting up early in order to play wii fit games; it was the only time I could have the wii to myself. So I had something to look forward to. I enjoyed the games and my body enjoyed the exercise, so I was excited to get up. Every six weeks or so I would set the alarm back another five minutes until it was enough time to get a good workout. I added in other workouts, took up running, etc. Wii fit games are still my reward at the end of my workouts several times a week.

    Like others have mentioned, I set an alarm, I put out the clothes that I don't sleep in (I work out at home, so I can work out in the sweats and t-shirt I sleep in,) check the weather forecast the night before, etc. I have specific workouts/training planned for each day, with a fall-back if the weather is too bad for a run. Everything is ready, all I have to do is get up and do it. Liking what you do helps!

    Pam
  • dcmat
    dcmat Posts: 1,723 Member
    Move the alarm clock away from the bed so you have to get out to turn it off. It's 5am for me to hit the raod at 6am for a 21 mile ride into work. Have a choice - cycle or car....car is used 1-2 a month.
  • rajivdubey
    rajivdubey Posts: 382 Member
    I wake up at 6:15 on weekdays, wake my son who has to leave for school at 7:20.

    I go for a quick 17 Km Cycle ride in the morning which takes about 44-45 Minutes depending on winds.

    In winters you need lot of motivation to wake up and go for a ride! I probably do it to prove a point to myself.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    Im wanting to change my time to workout.,, But getting up at 5am is really hard. How can I get this a routine...
    Go to bed earlier.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    Well I didn't get to bed to early. But I did get my clothes ready. So when the alarm went off I got up and left.
    It felt so good. This is going to be my new journey .... but the question is on the weekend do I still get up at 5the or sleep in ....
  • Just do it. No excuses first thing in the morning. It's done and out of the way. I lose motivation as the day goes on. The first 2 weeks will be hard but after that it's habit like brushing your teeth. My husband used to exercise at night, said he would never get up early to do it. Now he wakes up an hour earlier every morning to get his workout in before his day starts. He was the biggest skeptic on the planet. Good luck and take care of yourself!
  • lts42uk
    lts42uk Posts: 162 Member
    I've found that my entire day is different when I exercise in the morning. You won't regret switching to morning workouts--you'll feel much more vibrant and alive the entire day!

    This is SO true! A month ago if you had told me that getting less sleep would result in more energy all day I would have called you crazy. But, a morning workout definitely puts a pep in my step all day and leaves me feeling great.

    I totally agree! It's great starting your day knowing you've done your workout! I get up at 5.40 to workout - I go to bed at 10 so I get plenty of sleep and once I'm up it's easy!
  • sunshinesonata
    sunshinesonata Posts: 241 Member
    I get up at 0330-0345 every morning in order to get my workout in since my day starts so early, but it's worth it!
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
    the easiest thing.... just start doing it. that's it. just do it. make yourself get up every morning. but don't look at it like a negative.

    Totally agree. I am not a morning person, but switched my workout time to the morning at the beginning of the year. Those first few months, I would only allow myself to skip one day a week, and if I skipped, I had to work out later in the day. By forcing myself to be consistent, it has made a world of difference. I still don't like to get up, but once I am up and am at the gym, I feel great. Good luck!!:drinker:
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
    I get up at 0330-0345 every morning in order to get my workout in since my day starts so early, but it's worth it!



    @kayayaesthetic, impressive! I have a hard time breaking the 5 am barrier. But I have to get up at 4:50 am on MWF for a body pump class at 5:15. Good for you!!
  • PepeGreggerton
    PepeGreggerton Posts: 986 Member
    I don't... I can't. I switched to working the day shift 7 years ago and still haven't adjusted to getting up in the morning.
  • _beachgirl_
    _beachgirl_ Posts: 3,865 Member
    I set my alarm for 5:15. Move the covers, swing my legs over the side of my bed, put my feet in my slippers, walk to the bathroom, pee, walk to the living room, then pop in a dvd and do some JM 30ds.
  • Umpire57
    Umpire57 Posts: 389 Member
    Well I didn't get to bed to early. But I did get my clothes ready. So when the alarm went off I got up and left.
    It felt so good. This is going to be my new journey .... but the question is on the weekend do I still get up at 5the or sleep in ....

    Depends on your schedule. I am a little later on weekends. On weekends I usually trade an extra hour at night for an extra hour in the morning. I still get up and get it done before I start the rest of my day though.
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    I think this saturday I will not get up at 5. But I will get up when my hubby goes to work. So I will get up at 6. When I got home from my workout this morning, the whole house was up. It feels so good to have it all done for the day. Im excited for tonight, I will be able to get alot done..
  • *sighs* I would LOVE to have a 5am workout. Unfortunately my full schedule will not permit. So I do 4AM. It's realy tough for about the first week or so, and it is never really "easy" ever. You just do it.
  • KimertRuns13_1
    KimertRuns13_1 Posts: 702 Member
    Get all your stuff ready the night before.
    Go to bed early.
    Set the alarm and get up when it goes off, no hitting snooze.
    Find an accountability buddy who will do the same.
    Lastly, no excuses. Just do it.
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    The hard thing for me is going to be going to bed early. I set stuff out the night before, but sleep early i don't know...
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
    The hard thing for me is going to be going to bed early. I set stuff out the night before, but sleep early i don't know...

    Going to bed early is the hardest for me. I like my quiet time after the kids are in bed. They are in bed by 8:30 and I'm in bed by 9:00 so I don't much of my quiet time, but I do get it in the morning when I'm exercising.
  • Umpire57
    Umpire57 Posts: 389 Member
    I find the going to bed earlier thing easy now.

    I have to admit when I was 100+ pounds heavier, I wanted to watch a lot more TV than I do now. Now that I can move, it does not hold the same hold on me it used to have.
  • jennieodwyer
    jennieodwyer Posts: 1,036 Member
    I work out at 5am in the morning. It was hard to get into a routine but honestly after a while you start to get used to it. To make it easier I have all my clothes and shoes laid out as well as my towel and water botte so I all have to do it get up and get going. I find this helps but the biggest thing is to not give yourself a choice. Whenever I ask myself do I want to get up or sleep more or if I try to think of excuses I end up not doing it. Now I just turn the alarm off and get up just like I would to go to work. It takes a while to adjust but it does get better. Don't think about it just do it :happy:
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