Earlier AM workouts

gonnabea5

gonnabea5

Cathlete
I always workout in the AM, but I'm moving farther away from work and will have to get up even earlier to make this healthy habit stick for me. I have to be at work by 8am with an hour drive at least. So, I plan on -

1. Getting to bed early enough to feel rested and ready to get up on time which will be 4:30, (work out at 5-6 and out the door by 6:30.)
2. Leave workout clothes laid out in basement where I will be working out.
3. Have a solid plan for breakfast and lunch every day.
4. Have work clothes prepared the night before so that won't hold me up.
5. Have rotation's lined up in advance

What else can I do to make this a successful habit? Thanks in advance.
 
gonnabea5 said:
I always workout in the AM, but I'm moving farther away from work and will have to get up even earlier to make this healthy habit stick for me. I have to be at work by 8am with an hour drive at least. So, I plan on -

1. Getting to bed early enough to feel rested and ready to get up on time which will be 4:30, (work out at 5-6 and out the door by 6:30.)
2. Leave workout clothes laid out in basement where I will be working out.
3. Have a solid plan for breakfast and lunch every day.
4. Have work clothes prepared the night before so that won't hold me up.
5. Have rotation's lined up in advance

What else can I do to make this a successful habit? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Hi Shereta, as an AM exercises, here is one point that I'm applying it to myself:

Do not press the snooze bar on the alarm clark otherwise it will throw off your schedule. Sometimes I will press the snooze bar - too many times -- then I have to really rush in the morning, which I don't like to do.
 
Thank you so much, Margarita!!!! This is such a good tip!!!!! OMG. I have been a victim to this several times before. But, I've got to keep my game up so it doesn't happen again. A few of Cathe's rotations include workouts that are more than 60 minutes, so I have to alter them. But, when I snooze too long, they become a 30 minute workout which is still good, but then I feel so bad that I didn't get up on time.

Thanks again.
 
I work out early early too! (4am)
it will become a habit before too long, just tell yourself how much better you'll feel for doing it.
Christie
 
I've been getting up at 5:10 since November, 5 days a week. Here's what I've learned:

(1) Prep the night before: workout clothes and workout DVD so you don't have to think in the am.
(2) Get to bed at the same time every night. Lights out at 10pm for me.
(3) Get up when the alarm goes off. If you need to set it across the room, do it. Don't let yourself think about how warm your bed was, or how good that dream was, just work on autopilot and head to the bathroom to get ready.
(4) If you need caffeine build in a few extra minutes. I found that tea (not a coffee drinker) relaxed me and put me back to sleep, so I found a pre-workout drink with Caffeine that I use to wake me up and get me ready.
(5) Do the workout you planned out the night before!
(6) Shower and ready.
(7) Quick 5 minute breakfast (I do either a protein shake or some breakfast meatballs that I make on the weekend and freeze in meal portions.)

To make it easier to rush out the door for work, I am able to bring my lunches on Monday and keep in the fridge/freezer. So I grab that on Monday, and don't usually have to worry about it the rest of the week.

I still have days where I am extra sore and don't get up because I talk myself out of it when I am still lying in bed, but it's not as common.

Keep in mind that it takes a good three weeks of this to really get into the habit. When you over sleep, go easy on yourself and just recommit to it the next morning.

Mornings are the only time I can be consistent with work and family obligations, so I do this for me :)
 
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I get up at 4:15 am every morning M-F to workout and have been for 10+ years. It sounds like you have a good plan and have gotten good advice already, but here is what I do (it is similiar btw).

Set up workout room the night before--barbell loaded up to first weight used, Select Techs dialed up, DVD in the DVD player.

Lunch for work already made and ready to be loaded into lunch bag.

Green smoothie partially prepared and ready to be stuck on the blender. Depending on what else I am eating for breakfast I also prepare it in advance--boiled eggs (I even peel them so they are ready to eat in the morning), oatmeal made (just heat it up in the microwave), etc.

Workout clothes and shoes on the hamper next to the bathroom.

Work clothes hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

In bed by 9:30pm. I never hit snooze. I just get out of bed--usually before the alarm goes off.

And my workout rotations are prepared a month in advance, so I know what I am doing every morning.

This has worked for me for more than a decade!
 
I have been working out morning for years. I have tried other time pattern and it has not worked for me at all. It's the only way for me to manage my time the most efficiently as possible.

You have listed all elements and cathletes have added good points too.

Just remember to set the time for going to bed and let loved one around you know. If it's 9:00 pm they need to know. It does require discipline but you will get used to it. What may happen is being stuck on the phone with close family or friend and realise you have passed the time set! There is always away to handle this:):)

You will be fine ;-)
 
I love when this topic comes up on the forum! It makes me smile :D! I work out in the evening after I come home from work, before dinner, around 6 pm on the weeknights. On non-working days, I prefer around 10 am. Early morning exercise is just no good for me: I'm too creaky and stiff (comes with being 51 years young :p); I can't exercise after an 8 hour fast; I can't exercise within 2 hours of eating (or drinking a shake). The very best time seems to be around 10 am. For about a year now I've been lucky enough to not set an alarm and I wake up naturally after 8 hours of sleep (I hope I can keep that up!). I feel very alert and energized in the morning, but not "limbered up" enough to trust myself with weights or jumping about...those days left about 20 years ago! I sometimes think about how great it would be to workout first thing in the morning and be done with it like I used to do in my 30s...but I think I'm just wired for a later time of the day. I admire you ladies that have the grit and determination it takes for those early days! GO FOR IT!!!! :eek:
 
I workout at 3am or shortly thereafter. I've been doing this for years for at least 5-6 years. I used to work out after work but then by time I got home from work and finished my workout it was so late when DH & I ate supper. I started working out in the AM and it works much better for me. I'm in bed around 9'ish. Everyone else gave you great advice and I do pretty much the same and don't really have anything to share.

Great dedication and before you know it you'll be so used it.

Your definitely not alone with working out in the AM.
 
My Mom (before she retired) selected her clothes for the entire week, down to the jewelry on Sunday. It didn't take too long, usually 20-30 minutes, but she would hang them together (not necessarily the same hanger, just next to each other.) I would help out by preparing homemade soups, stews, and veggies in microwave safe containers and those go in the fridge or freezer. Then she would just grab a piece of fruit in the morning.

As for breakfast, I am a big fan of the egg cup (where you take an egg, cheese, and whatever filling you want and bake it off in a greased muffin tin.) Why? Portion control, protein, and prepare it on Sunday you should be good for all week. Also, you can alter the fillings/add ins so its not the same every day. Don't overbake so that you can warm it up for 20 seconds in the morning before you go to work or eat them cold. I guess that doesn't work if you are vegan.
 
I rise and shine at 4am for my workouts and I love it! It sounds like you have a pretty good plan in place already. Planning is key for me...anything that I need for the morning is prepared the night before. When my kids were babies, I used to work out at night but now that they are in school, I love being able to workout, shower/dress, and get breakfast going before anyone else wakes up.
 
I work every Fri, Sat and Sun at 7am so I get up at 4:30am to get my workout in. Mon through Thurs I get up at 6am. I love getting an uninterrupted workout in before my 15 month old gets up. We are usually out the door between 8 and 9 for an activity of some sort. I love not having to worry about working out later in the day. Everyone had great advice that I follow as well but one thing I could add is to even have your water bottle ready to grab and go. Also, I prep my coffee pot the night before so I can just hit the on switch after my workout. Got to love my caffeine ;) Great choice going for the early morning workouts! They are the best :)
 
You are all so inspiring! I work out like Nanbo-10 or 11 on my days off and after work on my work days. My DH really hates to hear me jumping around too early in the morning! But he has no problem cooking dinner or doing the dishes or getting a flat tire fixed (tonight) so I can work out. As long as we're working out we just need to find what time works best.

Beth
 
I am very similar to Jengolf in schedule and planning. I think that's the key here......plan, prep, prepare! Wether it's breakfast lunch OR dinner, clothes for work or clothes to workout in, prepping a caffeine fix etc.

I get everything done the night before. When the alarm goes off I shuffle into the kitchen and turn on the Keurig, while I'm putting my sneakers on the coffee is dripping into a cup that I've already added cream to ;)

Anything you can do the night before makes the morning sooo much easier! I have gotten up before the rest of the world for so long its ridiculous! I've gotten so accustomed to am wkouts that I have found myself in my wkout space on Christmas!!

It will become easier over time, its already a part of your life and that's a huge advantage! I must admit that there are days when it takes a good 15 min before I really wake up......with a step in front of me as I ricochet over....oops! Its all good:eek:
 
tlc93, you just made me laugh out loud! I'm the same way...some mornings, I'm a little wobbly in the beginning of a workout but it doesn't take long to get rockin' and rollin'! :)
 
I am also an early morning workout person. I do think, as others have said, prep is a huge step in making this a habit. A rotation helps alot, as you know what's on track for the next day. Set out your workout dvd (or online), weights, bands, mat, whatever the night before.

Also, I find that I really like to sip my morning tea as I do the workout. If you are a coffee person, you might choose that or whatever other morning drink. Just that basic habit signals to my body and brain that we are up and working out. By the time I get in a couple of sips and the warm-up, I am ready to go.

Another thing to note- since you are just starting this, you might try scheduling your week so that your most strenuous (or most disliked) workouts are for weekends (assuming you have a little more time on weekends for workouts). Also, that way, one of your rest days can be a work week day, which can help.

Good luck!
Stephanie
 
L Sass, thanks for those clips!!!! Very inspiring

In response to comments: I drink a cup of coffee before I workout while praying or reading scriptures. I sip on coffee and water while working out. My pot comes on automatically when my alarm goes off. I love that.

All of these responses are so encouraging. I'm not crazy for doing all this to support my healthy habit. I'm determined to be the best 'me' I can be.

Thank you all so much.
 
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