Morning Workout People

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the others that it’s all about creating a habit / mindless routine.

I also need some negative reinforcement - a person I’ll let down if I don’t show up for a morning workout, or money I’ll lose by forfeiting a class. It’s too easy for me to hit the snooze button otherwise 😊

This is exactly me. Start slow/infrequent until it becomes a habit. And it feels so great putting in that hard work before many people are even up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

"Just Do It"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

OP you just have to wait until kids are older or your DH makes enough you can go part time or SAH. Just not enough hours in day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

OP you just have to wait until kids are older or your DH makes enough you can go part time or SAH. Just not enough hours in day.

This is the wrong answer. Fitness and health don’t start when the kids or older and they don’t depend on you being a stay at home parent. You wake up, drink your coffee, and just GO. You go even though you don’t want to. The same way you would not skip brushing your teeth or showering, you make it so habitual to work out that you don’t consider not going just because sleeping or sitting in your chair a little longer sounds nicer. The absolute only way to make it a part of your daily life is to do it often enough that it becomes routine. You literally just make yourself wake up, make yourself get dressed, make yourself get to the gym, make yourself work out. It’s discipline, you just have to cultivate it.

[Anonymous]

I wake up at 5am, have a sip of water and I'm off to the gym. I've been like this since my 20s and I'm in my 50s now.

[Anonymous]

Start off waking up early 2 days a week to exercise, then work your way up.

I was never a morning person but I adopted the habit of getting up early to work out when my son was a toddler so could get it in before he woke up. Because otherwise I knew I likely wouldn't have the time/energy later. The habit stuck and now I feel 'off' for the rest of the day if I don't do my work out first thing. It wakes me up. And I love getting it out the way and then I can go about the rest of my day as normal. That's actually my biggest motivation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

OP you just have to wait until kids are older or your DH makes enough you can go part time or SAH. Just not enough hours in day.

This is the wrong answer. Fitness and health don’t start when the kids or older and they don’t depend on you being a stay at home parent. You wake up, drink your coffee, and just GO. You go even though you don’t want to. The same way you would not skip brushing your teeth or showering, you make it so habitual to work out that you don’t consider not going just because sleeping or sitting in your chair a little longer sounds nicer. The absolute only way to make it a part of your daily life is to do it often enough that it becomes routine. You literally just make yourself wake up, make yourself get dressed, make yourself get to the gym, make yourself work out. It’s discipline, you just have to cultivate it.

You can actually get sick more from working out without enough sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t start doing it until my kids could drive themselves to high school.

Here’s what helped:

I’m more of a morning person than a night person anyway, so I’d rather do it at 6:30 in the morning then at 5:30 PM or later after work.
I joined a regular gym where I pay a lot of money for 8 classes a month, with more for a la carte classes, and it annoys me if I miss classes or paid and don’t go
I joined a women’s only gym so the camaraderie there is pretty nice.
I’m done by 7:30 AM
I go on days when I don’t also go into the office, except one day a week.
I go three times a week consistently. Consistency is the key for me. Unless I’m traveling for work (rare) or sick, I go.
It’s a high-quality class so I feel like I’m really getting a good weightlifting workout.

[Anonymous]

Ps I’m still getting 7-8 hours of sleep, by going to bed at 10 and waking up at six.

I sleep a little bit more on off days to compensate, but not a ton more

[Anonymous]

PPS my gym is only six minute drive from my house

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sleep in my workout clothes and get up seven minutes before I have to be out the door, which is usually 5:30. Water bottle and keys are ready on the kitchen table. The most important step for me it to get one foot out of bed and on the floor. Once I do that, I just move and get it done. So I focus on getting a foot on the ground and don’t think about what’s next.

You sleep in athletic wear and synthetic type material? Sounds uncomfortable and unhealthy. Body needs to "breathe"

[Anonymous]

I didn't really work out regularly until my 40s, after my kids were out of the house. For the last 5 years, I've been doing 6 days a week. Weekday workouts are at 5, after work (I have to get up at 5:15 to make this work since i have an hour+ commute).

My "morning" workouts on the weekend are at 10 am lol. My body wants two cups of coffee and food before I even think about it and that has never happened at 4 am or 5 am. Left to my own devices I would go to bed at 1, get up at 8, and workout from 5 to 6:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

OP you just have to wait until kids are older or your DH makes enough you can go part time or SAH. Just not enough hours in day.

This is the wrong answer. Fitness and health don’t start when the kids or older and they don’t depend on you being a stay at home parent. You wake up, drink your coffee, and just GO. You go even though you don’t want to. The same way you would not skip brushing your teeth or showering, you make it so habitual to work out that you don’t consider not going just because sleeping or sitting in your chair a little longer sounds nicer. The absolute only way to make it a part of your daily life is to do it often enough that it becomes routine. You literally just make yourself wake up, make yourself get dressed, make yourself get to the gym, make yourself work out. It’s discipline, you just have to cultivate it.

You can actually get sick more from working out without enough sleep.

And you can die from inactivity and obesity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve accepted that the only time of day that I can realistically get a good workout in is early in the morning before work and before the kids are up. Problem is that it takes me a while to wake up and get going. That time of the day is when I have the least amount of energy or will power to actually start a workout. So, I guess I’m looking for some advice from folks that do this. What time are you getting up? Do you workout straight away, or are you waiting / eating breakfast and then doing it? How do you get motivated to start? Does it get easier after a while of doing this. I spend most of the previous day telling self I’m going to workout in the morning, but talk myself out of it as soon as I wake up.

OP you just have to wait until kids are older or your DH makes enough you can go part time or SAH. Just not enough hours in day.

This is the wrong answer. Fitness and health don’t start when the kids or older and they don’t depend on you being a stay at home parent. You wake up, drink your coffee, and just GO. You go even though you don’t want to. The same way you would not skip brushing your teeth or showering, you make it so habitual to work out that you don’t consider not going just because sleeping or sitting in your chair a little longer sounds nicer. The absolute only way to make it a part of your daily life is to do it often enough that it becomes routine. You literally just make yourself wake up, make yourself get dressed, make yourself get to the gym, make yourself work out. It’s discipline, you just have to cultivate it.

You can actually get sick more from working out without enough sleep.

Yeah see people like you will always find an excuse not to do it. I need 45 more minutes of sleep. I’ll do it when I’m a stay at home parent. I’ll do it when my kids are teens. I’ll do it when I retire. just wasting time.

[Anonymous]

Get your clothes and gym bag ready the night before. I find I am much more likely to go if I have everything ready when I wake up. I will have coffee and a banana before I leave the house. If I start "making" breakfast that will stall or even stop my exit plan.