How do you get up early to workout...

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  • iriedeb
    iriedeb Posts: 42 Member
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    I exercise in the morning (planet fitness), unless I am going to zumba in the evening. I get up early enough so I can have a few cups of coffee, and putter while I wake up. I find that it's easier than trying to get to the gym at lunch or at the end of the day, and I have less time to make excuses not to go (hungry, tired....)and it's quieter at the gym, which I prefer. I feel better equipped to take on the day after I've exercised, and it's one less thing I have to think about!
    deb
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I'll admit, it's very difficult to begin with, but you just have to commit and drag yourself out of bed. After about the first week, it gets much easier. I put my kids to bed at 8:30 and I'm generally in bed by 9:00. It sucks going to bed that early, but it's what I have to do so that I can get up at 5 am. I really don't have time the rest of the day, so I know if I'm going to get my exercise in, it has to be in the morning.
  • sbcass
    sbcass Posts: 25 Member
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    I have always been a morning person so getting up is easy for me. I also have commitments in the morning that force me to get up. I work out with a trainer three days a week at 6AM and do a group deep water aerobics class at 6:30 the other two days. On the weekends, I do not get up as early but I do have my workout completed by 11am both days.
  • PoochPottery
    PoochPottery Posts: 205
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    I am a teacher and throughout the day I get so tired so it is hard to exercise at night! I just started to set my alarm 30 min earlier (4:30 am) and got up! Knowing that the alarm is going off for me to workout is a mental thing too! I am lucky to have a treadmill and bike trainer in a spare bedroom which makes it easy! I used to actually get up and go to a 24 hour gym up the street from me. I find working out in the morning gives me more energy for my day!

    Start off by doing it two days a week and then go from there! The first step is just doing it!
  • KCharron20
    KCharron20 Posts: 105
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    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!
  • IndianCat3
    IndianCat3 Posts: 158 Member
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    well, im no a.m workout person, but when i did try it, wat worked for me was layin my clothes, shoes and towel out the nite before in the bathroom (didnt want to wake up my hunny bun with lights on) and also i would set my alarm in da bathroom too. That way, i had to get up and walk all the way to da bathroom to cut alarm off..by this time, i see my clothes all laid out and ready to wear ;)

    i also agree wit a previous comment, start off with twi days a week and then up it the next week :)
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
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    I can get up and exercise early if it's needed, but I don't enjoy it, and for me, an extra hour of sleep aids recovery far more than anything else I could possibly do! Therefore I tend to choose lunchtime & evening workouts, except when I an only squeeze in a workout early.

    How I get out of bed is by preparing everything the night before so there are no easy excuses to stay in bed.
  • jwhit31
    jwhit31 Posts: 450 Member
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    No snooze button just get up when the alarm goes of before you have a chance to think about it. At least that is what I do. :smile: I run at 0530 for 30 minutes. The first 10 -15 minutes blows because I haven't warmed up yet but after that I'm completely into it and it seems like the 30 minutes went by too quickly.
  • diaryoffatdad
    diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
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    when i needed it, i used to put the alarm clock on the other side of the room so i had to get out of bed to turn it off, furthermore if you can sleep through the music it turns on make sure you have one that will play the most annoying beeping you can find or tune the radio to some really loud and terrible music station.
  • Pochart
    Pochart Posts: 14
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    it takes 30 repetitions to create a habit.... don't think of it, just do it! and prepare everything the night before...
  • Pochart
    Pochart Posts: 14
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    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
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    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
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    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: 952 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 952 Member
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    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
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    I am an early riser so it's not a big deal for me.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,071 Member
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    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.

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