Early morning workouts

[Barbara]

I have been trying to consistently exercise in the mornings for years. I'll manage to do it for several weeks at a time, and then I just end up giving up and accepting the fact that I'm just not a morning person. When that alarm goes off, the only thought in my head is "forget trying to exercise, you're too tired and need your sleep." The only problem that I keep coming back to again and again is that the morning really is the best time for me to exercise. Otherwise, I end up not exercising at all, or if I do manage to squeeze it in, it's at the expense of something else. I would love to hear from anyone who has managed to overcome that lazy evil morning voice and turned themselves into a morning exerciser. Thanks for your help!

 

[Irene]

No free lunch

Barabara,

I wish I could say that morning workouts have no down side. Unfortunately, they do. You have to go to bed EARLY. This may sound obvious, but is a common reason people have difficulty waking up early. Are you going to bed early enough??

I have been workout out in the AM for years. On work days I often have to be up by 5. There is one day that I really need to be up by 430 in order to get a long workout in. (This day is often a rest day, or a short workout day. I refuse to get up before 5 consistently). Since I do vigorous workouts and have long hard days at work, I need at least 8 hours of sleep. THIS MEANS GOING TO BED AT 830 OR 900 PM! Believe me, this is a sacrifice. My children and I go to bed at the same time. I do not have as much time with them in the evenings as I would like. (I do make it up to them, and my husband, on weekends and on wednesdays- which are only temporarily free).

Switching your diurnal rhythm takes time. Perhaps doing a half workout in the AM for a while is a good start.(just weight training or a short cardio workout). You also have to be sure it's worth it. Morning is the only time that I can workout so it 's that or nothing.

Good luck,

Irene

 

[rachel2]

switcheroo

Hi!
I used to be a p.m. workout person prior to my last baby's arrival one year ago. Because of my husband's early schedule and my baby's nursing needs I had to switch to mornings myself. It was no picnic in the beginning but it is great to get it out of the way so that I can focus on the rest of the day without guilt, anxiety etc... I get up at 4:30 and have a light breakfast. That gets the blood sugar up and me more motivated. Perhaps you could try an early light breakfast and see if that helps.
Rachel

 

[Rose031]

Morning Exercise

I also have days where if I don't get them in before work and school it's almost impossible to get them in at all. I haven't been able to turn myself into a morning exerciser yet, but I do have a plan you might want to try as well. When the time changes next month, I'm going to still get up at the same time. My body will be used to it and won't know it's technically 5 instead of 6 unless I tell it. I don't know if it will work, but nothing else I've tried has done it. I've put my clock across the room, and have managed to learn how to get out of bed, hit snooze and get back in, under the covers without waking up. Well, I hope my idea helps you

Rose

 

[Joyce Thurman]

I'm right there with ya on this one...

Barbara,

I can relate to your problem. I wish I could find the formula to make myself get out of bed in the morning to workout. I did it for 3 months and loved getting it out of the way but I didn't get as good a workout as I do in the p.m. and I hate getting out of bed in the morning for anything. It was the double whammy. Plus, it seemed like my body just didn't adjust to it even after 3 months. I am pretty committed and do it now in the p.m. but it's a challenge even to do that. I debate with myself in the car on the way home from work about whether I want to do a workout or not when I know in the back of my mind that I don't like to miss my workouts. What's a person to do? Maybe some of these creative ideas will help! Good luck!

Joyce

 

[Pamela_P]

My boss's advice

My boss has worked out 5-7 times a week for the past 27 years. Before I started working out, I used to ask her how she did it that consistently, day in and day out, year after year. She said, "I don't ask 'the question.'" In other words, she never asks herself if she's going to work out on a particular day or not, any more than she would ask herself if she was going to brush her teeth that day. Now obviously that takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline (more than I have!), but I've tried to follow that advice as much as possible and it's worked well for me. At the beginning of the week I try to get an idea of my schedule and plan what days I'll be working out, and barring illness, injury or some other catastrophic incident, I "just do it." (Well, 98% of the time, grin.) When you're driving home and you catch yourself "asking the question," see if you can just move on to another happy thought.

 

[Lezly]

A.M. workouts, ARGHHHHH...

I hate morning workouts, but I see the best results with them! My schedule gets so hectic as the day goes on that it's easy for me to sacrifice my workout. Also, I found when I get up early to workout, I'm REALLY GOOD with my food intake. I'll think "Well, I didn't get up at 4:45am so I could eat a DOUGHNUT!"

Still, it's not easy. Every morning I want to reset the clock and go back to sleep. One thing I've found that helps me in the winter is as soon as the alarm goes off, turn on a light. It's much harder to get yourself revved up when it's dark.

Good luck and if you find some helpful hints that work for you, let us know!

 

[honeybunch]

a.m. workouts

My simplistic advice: don't analyze it, just do it!

There's no easy way, or a way that will get you to like it....you just have to do it, and see that you like the results. Period.

I like a.m. workouts because they're over & done, and I have nothing later in the day to put off.

 

[srmohler]

Mornings are best because...

I like morning exercise because I get it over with, the family is asleep so there are no interruptions, I only need to take one shower each day and it is cooler in the mornings (this doesn't matter in the winter). I started over 6 years ago getting up to do the Denise Austin show at 5:30 a.m., and am now getting up at 4:45 to start a video or go out running at 5:00 a.m.
I get up, go to the bathroom, get dressed, put my hair up, drink a cup of orange juice, get a glass of water, set up my equipment, and get moving. If I am working out to a video, all I really have to wear is a sports bra, underwear and socks. It is really nice to not have to be dressed; you don't have to worry about company at 5:00 a.m.!
I do find that I have to get in bed by 10:00, or I feel really crummy the next day. I also only work out M-F, because I like to sleep in on the weekends. I figure if I have to get up anyway to go to work, I might as well get up earlier. If I have to stay out late on a weeknight, I still try to manage some abs work or something in the morning before getting ready for work.

It takes willpower and discipline to go to bed early sometimes, but it's worth it. I'd never workout during the day; too much to do.
Good luck, Sandi M.

 

[Joni O]

No Easy Answer

I get up 5 mornings a week at 4:45 am, after going to bed at 10 PM. One trick is to set your radio volume really loud so you practially jump out of bed when the alarm goes off. I've been exercising in the morning for 20 years or so. I guess you just get used to it. Even when I belonged to a club and took classes 3-4 nights a week, I still worked out 5 morning a week at home (just in case I didn't make it to the club). I've totally lost all motivation for working out at night now, and I'm glad I work out in the morning.
It's a lot easier for me to get up and work out on work days - then it becomes part of my regular morning routine. On weekends or if I'm not working one day, it is harder to get up to work out - I'm not sure why. Don't beat yourself up if you only get up a few mornings a week - that's something !