5am Workouts?

Does anyone else get up early to workout? I want to start getting up at 5am, but I am so not a morning person. Any tips and tricks to waking up early (other than going to bed early)? Working out in the evening is about to become impossible with my work schedule . . .
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Replies

  • skohl83
    skohl83 Posts: 23
    Every morning at 4:45, my only tip is just get up and make it a routine, I absolutely hated it at first but now my internal clock goes off and I cannot stay in bed....good luck!
  • gdean428
    gdean428 Posts: 25
    The only way is to just do it. You will get use it. If you're not a morning person, you might not be happy for the first week or so, but youl will get use to it. Good luck! Morning workouts are the best!
  • dafoots0911
    dafoots0911 Posts: 347 Member
    Every morning at 4:45, my only tip is just get up and make it a routine, I absolutely hated it at first but now my internal clock goes off and I cannot stay in bed....good luck!
    This and how bad do you want it. I got tired of being tired and my belly sitting on my thighs when I sit.
  • RNmomto4
    RNmomto4 Posts: 143
    I dont get up quite that early, but I get up at 5:30. When my alarm goes off, I seriously hate it. But after a minute of thinking how bad I will feel, I am out of bed.

    I hate the thought of missing my workout. I feel like crap all day if I do. I also know that if I dont do it, I wont get a chance later in the day. I look at it as my only alone time.

    In the beginnning, I thought about moving my alarm clock away from my bed so that I would have to get up, but it just became routine.
  • spazofthedead
    spazofthedead Posts: 175 Member
    Set your alarm REALLY LOUD so it scares you awake. (I did this on accident on Monday and boy did I wake up!)
  • Starsighter78
    Starsighter78 Posts: 62 Member
    I was NEVER a morning person and thought it was impossible to work out before work. That all changed about two years ago when I took an early morning (5:30 am) boot camp kind of class. I now LOVE it and never go at night. My husband gets up really early to go to work (3:45) so I'm usually heading to the gym at about 4:15. Since I don't have to be to work until 8:30, I usually work out for an hour or so and head home to read, nap, whatever until about 7 when I have to start getting ready.

    It sounds so counterproductive, I know: Get up way early and then have to go to work all day. However, the days I get up and go to the gym are the days I have so much energy. It feels so great. The first couple weeks are tough, but stick with it. It is so worth it in the long run.

    :)
  • I set the alarm for 4am - and a snooze every 15 minutes. that way I am sure to all the way awake in time for the 5am workout. going to bed early really does help. I turn everything off at 8:30p for the best sleep. to make sure the habit / routine was set for a month I did it every day without fail. now i am 5 mornings a week. but the routine is well established. Good Luck! it makes for a wonderful start to the day.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    I get up early anyway, 4:00, so I just moved my alarm back 10 minutes to give me a quick non-cardio workout in the am. I usually run in the afternoon during the week but I am sure that if I wanted I could get up at 3:30 to workout in the am for a longer time.
  • I do not get up at 5 but I have started getting up at 6 to work out. My alarm clock is across the room and my sneakers are at the bottom of the steps. Have to put on shoes to work out, so I have to get up and get them in order to do it. By that time, I am up and ready to move.
  • phoenix8633
    phoenix8633 Posts: 137 Member
    I'm a morning person mostly, I find if I'm going to work out in the morning I have to set my mind to it the evening before, and set my alarm, but when I wake up it's a case of not thinking about getting up it's JUST get up and do it!
  • sherim71
    sherim71 Posts: 130 Member
    I want to switch from evening work outs to morning work outs also!! But lately sleeping feels soooo good. Yesterday I worked out in the morning though, as I had some extra time, and man I was starving all day. That was an interesting twist.
  • phoenix8633
    phoenix8633 Posts: 137 Member
    I used to do evening workouts but sometimes I was just too tired after work, so I switched to morning workouts which I do struggle to get up to sometimes! Especially towards the end of the week!
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
    Yeah - I'm not a morning person either, so it was hard to do it. I had to force myself (almost literally force myself... like push myself off the bed) for a while. But, actually, after a few weeks - I really started to look forward to it. It gets it out of the way so there's nothing to worry about all day long, plus I know my calorie burn ahead of time so I know how to plan my meals and if I just so happen to go over, then I have time at the end of the day for a quick 20-30 minute jog or whatever I feel like.

    Plus, it makes me feel much better/more energized all day long.
  • RainRedfield
    RainRedfield Posts: 597 Member
    I used to get up that early and am working on it again, BUT I haven't been able to make it into my bed until almost 1am each night.

    Kinda kills me when a 5am alarm goes off.

    I will be back there soon though :)

    -Rain
  • Becca308
    Becca308 Posts: 43 Member
    I get up at 4:45. I set my cell phone alarm and turn it up loud. Then I get out my workout clothes and put them in a pile far away from my bed. Then I bury my cell phone in the middle of them. When my alarm goes off, I have to get out of bed to shut it up and by then I've got my clothes in my arms so might as well put them on and get on with my workout!
  • littlelaura
    littlelaura Posts: 1,028 Member
    Three Ideas I have done.

    Get a dog (I have 3) , train it to have to go potty at 430am it will learn to wake you up for you and then you can be ready to workout by 5am.

    Have a trusted neighbor ring your doorbell who leaves for work at that time, like 10-20 times to make sure you get out of bed.
    (tried having them just ring my cell but I would have it muted before bed and it didnt work lol)

    Put your alarm on the far side of your bedroom so you cant hit snooze and physically have to get out of bed to shut it off.
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
    Good Luck - I started it then got crazy at work (long hours on top of an already long drive) and needed sleep and my gym isn't 24-hour so I couldn't go when I got off work. So in a few days will get back to it - but it is really easy to fall out of the routine. I agree with what another poster said - you just have to get up and make it happen. Even when I didn't feel like getting up - so long as I had minimum of 6 hrs of sleep I would make myself get up and the fact that I did and did the workout felt like an accomplishment.
  • jaysonhijinx
    jaysonhijinx Posts: 663 Member
    I'm up at 5am 2-3 times a week already to make a solid breakfast before heading out. Usually warmed up and on the basketball court from 6:30am. Would be on court earlier but the gym is 30 minutes away and doesn't open til 6:30am anyway :P

    Going to be 5am wake ups all week to add in 3 days of strength training starting soon though, I think I'm looking forward to it xD
  • Destinie589
    Destinie589 Posts: 211
    I agree with most of these people. Go to bed earlier than normal and just get into a routine. The first week or two might be tough but just get through it. We can all train ourselves it just takes getting through the first few days/weeks etc. Good Luck!! :smile:
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    I have never been a morning person. I wake up at 5 so I can be at my studio by 6:00am. The first week was ROUGH but now I am used to it.

    1) Don't eat too late
    2) If you need a gentle wake-up, set the snooze timer. (I just get out of bed, but I can't fall asleep once the alarm is off.)
    3) Be sure to stretch and warm up before doing anything crazy

    You can do it! I love working out in the morning because it takes all the pressure of getting to the gym after work out of my day and I know when I get to the office I've already accomplished something.
  • nairobiny
    nairobiny Posts: 13
    I enjoy my early morning run at the weekend so much that I have no problem getting up for it. I also find that I sleep better when I'm exercising, so my midweek (evening) runs mean it's easier to get up.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    I get up at 4:45. I set my cell phone alarm and turn it up loud. Then I get out my workout clothes and put them in a pile far away from my bed. Then I bury my cell phone in the middle of them. When my alarm goes off, I have to get out of bed to shut it up and by then I've got my clothes in my arms so might as well put them on and get on with my workout!

    Becca... that is HYSTERICAL! Love it.
  • annew1952
    annew1952 Posts: 77 Member
    I have been working.out at 5am for like two years. I was never a morning person but since I work in a school and have to be
    In work at 7:30 am I workout before school. I take a 530 am spin class. I have my clothes laid out the night before
    And my gym stuff. I only live 10 minutes from work and the gym. So I make it home in time to shower and feed animals and get
    To work. I like to be home at night. This is my choice because I hate crowds and in the am there is like 10 people in the gym.
  • andreanicole686
    andreanicole686 Posts: 406 Member
    I use to hate it but it makes you feel so much better and it gives you something less to worry about later in the day.
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 842 Member
    UP AT 4 A.M. EVERY MORNING FOR WORKOUTS ALL THE TIPS ARE THE SAME MAKE IT A ROUTINE MOVE THE CLOCK GO TO BED EARLY DON'T EAT LATE THERE IS NO SECRET OR TIPS ITS JUST A COMMITMENT TO A CHANGE YOU CAN DO IT
  • kerricolby
    kerricolby Posts: 232 Member
    I get up at 4:30 to work out M-F. It helps to have everything ready the night before. I set the coffee to go off, lay out all of my workout stuff including socks and shoes, and I'm ready to go. I meet 2 other ladies from work to lift M,W,F at the gym at our work so I have to have all of my work clothes/shower stuff, etc. all packed too. I love it! I love having my workout out of the way and I can just do whatever the rest of the day. I'm usually asleep by 9 though.
  • MissFuchsia
    MissFuchsia Posts: 523 Member
    I get up at 6am to workout. I want to cry when my alarm goes off but I always manage to get up. I know I'll regret if I don't get up
  • Treat it like it is an appointment that you absolutely can not miss. That is what I have been doing the past 5 weeks and it has worked so well! I have made it every day
  • cjm109
    cjm109 Posts: 264 Member
    My alarm sounds at 4:30 every morning, except for the weekend. No snooze just get out of bed and go downstairs for a cup of coffee, take care of the animals and 5:00 I'm on my elipitical. Mon, Wed & Fri cardio 30 mins and weights then Tues, Thurs & Sat 45 mins cardio.

    Your body adjusts itself eventually. Good luck...you can do it!!!
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 499 Member
    I get up at 530 5 days a week. On Saturday I sleep as late as I want and then workout...everyone in the house knows to leave me alone until I am done working out!

    I started out by just getting up about 20-30 minutes earlier for a few weeks...then I got up 45 min earlier..then I finally hit the hour earlier and my goal time of 530. It took me about a month to work up to getting up earlier. It's still not really easy to just jump out of bed every day but it is easier and a habit now.
    After about 2 months of getting up early you will notice that it is much easier.