Early Morning Workouts

F

Fighting4Me

Member
Hi everyone

I was curious as to how some of you are able to get up so early to do your workouts. I already have to get up at 5:30am in order to get to work on time. I get home late and by the time I'm done making dinner and cleaning up it's 9 or so and I'm tired.

I want to be an early bird but I'm so tired. I don't feel like I even have the energy to start and when I do I can't seem to keep up the motivation.

Am I just a complainer looking for excuses or is there really a trick to this? UGH!!!
 
IDK that there is a "trick" to it except to go to bed as early as you in the beginning, force yourself to get up and give your body time to get used to it and adjust. Try doing shorter work outs at first so that you don't have to get up quite as early at first. I worked out early for a couple of years while working at my last job. Once I got used to it, it was great because it doesn't interrupt my time with family or anything else I need or want to do after work. It can be tough to get into it but once you do I think you'll love it! :)
 
I tried it for awhile but couldn't stick with it. It is tough the first week. It does get easier. There was a post from one of the Cathletes who said she sleeps in her workout clothes. Others have everything laid out so they don't waste time.

You would need to get up no later than 4:15 am to get your workout in before starting your morning routine. It might be easier to do one of Cathe's shorter premixes each day to allow you more sleep.
 
I've been getting up at 4:30am M-F to workout for more than 10 years. I am in bed before 10pm most nights. It has become a habit. I never miss a workout. It is such an ingrained part of my life that I never wake up and think--"I don't feel like working out, so I'll just skip it today and sleep in." I would fear that if I did that once, then it would start becoming easier to do, and therefore become a new habit. So my point is, create a habit. Push through it until it becomes intrinsic. If that is what you really want, that is. The best time to workout, is always the time you are most likely to do it regularly. For me, that is 4:30am.
 
melagras said:
I tried it for awhile but couldn't stick with it. It is tough the first week. It does get easier. There was a post from one of the Cathletes who said she sleeps in her workout clothes. Others have everything laid out so they don't waste time.
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I don't sleep in my workout clothes, but I do prepare everything the night before. I have my workout clothes right by the bathroom, and in the workout room, I already have everything set up and ready to go, so all I have to do is hit "play."
 
Two tricks:

1. on your day off (I'm assuming that you have one, maybe not, I used to work for 10 days in a row.) prepare your meals in advance as much as possible and freeze them. That should get you some time on your weekdays.
2. Gradually set your clock earlier by 15 min. each week. This shouldn't be too much of a jarring adjustment. You may not notice it too much. The first week won't be enough time to workout, but you could do 10 minutes of stretching before you get dressed. Then, the second week you could do 20 min. of yoga. And come the third week you are getting up 45 minutes earlier than you were, you can now do a 30 min. workout. By the fourth week you can do a 45 min. workout. If you want a longer workout you can continue, but with you being so busy, I think you will find that is sufficient.
 
I'm the oposite of you. I get up between 2-2:30am, I'm now trying to get up later and do my workouts at a later time, but just it working for me. The workouts are not as enjoyable as when I do them early morning, plus I find myself with a little less energy. I'm thinking I will be going back to my early, early, morning workouts! Sorry not much help. :(
 
I get up around 4:30each morning. You have received some great suggestions. I would say get in some short workouts during week and a long workout on the weekends. Maybe 3 days a week you can do 30 minutes and 1 day 45 minutes and 1 day at least 60 minutes or 90 minutes. This can still give you 2 rest days if you desire.
 
Just do it at least once and see how it goes.

Other than being tired you may discover that there is another area in your morning that can be tweaked.

Keep your reasons as to why you want to develop the morning habit on a sticky note in your bathroom or kitchen (or both) which can help keep you motivated.

Figuring out which workout you'll do the day before and get it set up (love that one Jengollf!).

Good luck!
 
I ditto what jengollf said. I do the exact same thing and have for as long as I can remember. My time is 5am, not 4:30 though. My workout is the best part of my day and I'm excited to get up and do it. Things tend to go downhill after that point so I make the most of my workout and try to enjoy every second of it. It's also my only time alone without kitties and people demanding things of me. I cherish that time of day more than anything :)
 
Thx guys! I'm going to give the 4:30 workout a go. I like the idea of tweaking it. I'm such an intense person that if I don't have perfection the first time, I stop everything until I can figure out perfection...which never happens.

I need to routine to follow and the morning workouts are the only time I seem to be able to control.

So, here's to 4:30 am workout tomorrow!

Thanks again for the suggestions and encouragement!!
 
way to go! I find that the routine of morning workouts is very satisfying once started.
When I started (and now too) what works for me is
1. having everything ready the night before
2. going to bed on time, I also have a philips gradual light alarm so it isn't so jarring
3. when I first started, I did super short workouts to get into the routine
4. I do my favourite workouts! I am so pumped when I know I've got Lower Body Blast or Athletic Training planned, if things have been tough (babies not sleeping) then it is way easier to get up knowing I've got an awesome workout planned, I am almost gaurenteed to sleep in if I planned to do pilates or Jillian Michaels.
I also found my energy severly lacking and I couln't lift as heavy but my body adjusted and now I don't notice a difference.
 
You've gotten many great ideas so I'll keep it short. I thought it was impossible for me to get up at 4 am and I used to consider myself an early person. In other words, even 4 was a bit too much for me. However with my daughter's sport schedule, string performances, my bible study every Tuesday evening, work travel, and other unexpected events I found working out in the AM mandatory if I was going to stay committed to exercising. I get up at 3:50 am to give myself time to wake up, eat half a banana with a little dark chocolate peanut butter, and then take one caffeine tablet. The caffeine has helped significantly. I make sure that I start my routine no later than 4:15 am if I'm working out for an hour so I can be on schedule to get in the shower as if I hadn't worked out. I'm not a coffee drinker so one tablet a day before my workout is just right with no jitters. If you can't take caffeine try Tyrosine, an amino acid. It's known to give you alertness as well as a building block for protein. Read up on it first to see if you're interested. Good luck.
 
I've been an early morning exerciser for over 18 years. When I even think about just sleeping in I remind myself that a few more minutes won't really make a difference. I also start my morning with artificial tears in each eye--wakes me up for sure!
 
I used to hate working out so early. I tried so many times and just could not stick with it. In june of this year i was committed to do it. Reason being is I was always getting home late and to tired to workout. I envied my coworkers that got their workout done first thing. Well here it is November and I am still going strong. I get up at 4:45 every morning. The first couple of weeks were brutal for me. Once I got use to the early rise it became habit and can't imagine not working out first thing. I wish you luck!
 
I'm always a morning exercising. This started in the military 18 years ago. But now, I've been slacking on how much I get done because I get caught up in other things. This thread has really helped me see how I'm sabotaging myself. All the things I find to do in the am, I need to do in the pm and focus on getting to bed on time so the good-for-me-cycle can stay on track.

Thanks so much for all the great reminders of how to make it work.
 
I workout in the morning and evening....but when I first started morning workouts....they were tough...but after a few weeks of it....I was addicted. I am wide awake when I get to work....I try to never miss my morning workouts! They get me going for the day!!!:eek:
 
Had to go back to my 3am workouts. I was finding that working out at a later time was way to stresful, to many things to do. I love my morning workouts...done and out of the way!!!
 
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