For those of you who exercise in the mornings….

[Youngatheart00]

How do you get it done?!

I’ve never been a morning person but nearing two years WFH has meant I often roll out of bed at the last minute as it takes me forever just to ‘come to’ and be alert and feel good.

Despite doing dry january so off the booze a week now, I’m still waking up feeling hungover, headache, fuzzy head and just so tired. Once I’m up and about (eventually) I’m ok but I’ve been trying to exercise 3 times a week ans the most logical time to do this would be in the mornings, pre work (no caring responsibilities)

But I just don’t seem to be able to do it!!! Morning people - any tricks??!

Ugh. I can't do it! I can't exercise on an empty stomach then need 15 mins or so for my muesli to go down before I get active! And I resist putting the sports bra on first thing...
I'm quite efficient at doing it just before lunch though. But then need shower...

Is there something you can listen to which you only listen to while exercising? I download podcasts for when I am swimming and only listen to them while swimming. I make sure they are something I will find really interesting and will want to go swimming so I can hear the next instalment.

It's really hard to get into the habit and sooo easy to get out of the habit. It's much harder in winter as it just feels so good to snooze in the dark. However, I'll stay fat if I keep snoozing.

Plan your workout so you know exactly what you will be doing.
Lay all your clothes out the night before
Don't snooze
Pre workout!
Just get up as soon as your alarm goes off and don't think about it. It becomes second nature.

Start small - just commit to doing a walk around the block in the morning. A morning walk is great fir you. Then build on that.

Definitely get everything ready the night before. I put my running gear just outside the bathroom so that I don’t wake DH when I get up at 5 to go for a run. I don’t exactly enjoy it, but I do feel better all day afterwards for having done it! I can’t exercise after work - I’m too tired and there’s too much to do with the DCs. Plus there are loads of people out and about in the evenings; I prefer not to see anyone when I’m out running.

I get up at 6am, get straight into my workout wear, which is right by the bed and go downstairs and do 25 mins HIIT video on YouTube. I don't make tea, eat or anything or I wouldn't do it. You have to do it immediately on waking, like a robot,

@MrsKDB

I want to do it, it's the best thing about my day and the cumulative benefits over years are SO worthwhile. I think about that - I'm doing it for future me.

Yes also this. I am 41 and want to be mobile and fit when I retire, not work my whole life to then be fat and housebound!

I struggle with this and i can otherwise get up and function well, I'm definitely more of a morning person apart from when it comes to exercise! I can cope with running 5km, 10km at a push, and I don't mind swimming first thing but anything else feels like really hard work. I'm the sort of person who wakes up hungry and eats breakfast straight away and I always feel dehydrated when I exercise early. It also makes me want a snooze by mid afternoon!

Also, if it doesn't suit you, don't feel the pressure to do exercise in a morning! I think it's harder when it's dark, I'd rather start work early (if your job permits it) and go for a walk or run at lunchtime when it's daylight, or sometimes I take a slightly longer lunch and do a gym class or swim, or exercise after work if it suits you better.

I exercise in the morning. I'd much rather stay in bed!

I set my alarm, get up, have 2 coffees and exercise. Then it's done for the day and I feel smug better knowing that. It's easier if I don't drink the night before (I don't drink much and am doing dry January anyway).

I'd say if you're not a morning person, exercise at a time of day that does suit you (if you can fit it in).
For me one of the key things that gets and keeps me exercising is that it fits in with me and my life. (I'm a morning person, as it goes, but it applies to any time of day).

Morning exercise isn't for everyone.
Set yourself a goal for a brisk walk on your lunch break or when you finish
It'll help you feel great.
I use to enjoy brisk walking I'm very lazy now can't be bothered and feel worse for it physically and mentally.

Put your gym clothes on when you wake and it soon becomes a habit.

It's just part of my routine, like brushing my teeth and eating breakfast.

Alarm goes off at 0600, I turn lights on and get straight up (even if I'm muttering and swearing a bit). Gym gear already laid out, teeth, hair, and I'm out the door by 0620.

Studio is just up the road so I'm there in time for a quick natter with friends (some leaving the 0545 session!😳) before we start at 0630. Home by 0710 to start school and work routines.

Find something you enjoy doing. Meet friends. Don't kill yourself to get to a spin class if you hate a tiny saddle up your arse and cycling in the dark being shouted at by a PT with a shit playlist!

On very cold winter nights I've been known to sleep in my gym clothes... 🤦🏻‍♀️

Do not give yourself the chance to think about it. My kit is ready for me and I roll out of bed and am out the door running by the time I've properly woken up. I confess it's a lot harder in winter, I don't like running in the dark, but being under a hot shower by 7am and ready to face the day is quite the smug-buzz.

If I manage this before everyone else is up, I feel amazing but it means being up by 5.30 and I fail more often than not. I was on a role for a while before pandemic hit but just haven't managed to get back into it the same way despite all my best efforts.

I now schedule a short workout into my working day when I work and do straight after school run on non working days. I wear my exercise clothes from morning (thank you wfh!) and it means I do it. I've not been doing it for long but am determined to make it stick!

I’m not a morning person either. But if I don’t do it in the morning, I’ll procrastinate all day. Make it easy on yourself, have your workout gear laid out the night before, water bottle filled and ready, coffee machine ready to go… whatever it takes to remove as many obstacles as possible from your path.

Started exercising in the mornings after Christmas (as I got ringfit adventure for Christmas) and the only way I can do it is make myself do it is if I do it before anything else (learnt this from my physio exercises, if I did them first thing I did them every day, but if I put it off I would end up not doing them), so no cup of tea first or anything, just get into exercise clothes, go downstairs, get my water and get started.

Hurt my ankle now so can't do it and I'm actually missing it. Something I never thought I'd say!

I drop at school at 8 and make an 8.30 class and am done by 9.20

I'm not a morning person but I do a 6:15am gym class three times a week. I get everything ready the night before, work clothes and shoes packed in a bag, gym clothes ready, and lunch etc all ready to grab. My friend picks me up at 6:05. If I had to do it after work I just wouldn't, I'd be too tired and make excuses.

I love mornings because it's far quieter than the evening and I get it out of the way.

I purposefully chose a gym I can walk to, so I drop DD off at school and head straight there. I have pre booked sessions with a PT and solo sessions.

I go to bed at a reasonable time and have my clothes out ready, plus having exercise you like to do really helps with motivation. I have no love for cardio (but walk to/from the gym and most places) so focus on strength training which I do enjoy.

Get up around 6, school run at 8:30. So bags of time. No I don’t work but same timings could be applied to many jobs, especially now with WFH. I just workout in the house but if I was a runner I could do that as DH working upstairs so kids wouldn’t be alone.

I’m still waking up feeling hungover, headache, fuzzy head and just so tired.

First, try to go to bed earlier. Like really really early, just to test. If no difference, go see a doctor and get your thyroid and vitamin and mineral levels checked. It's not normal to wake up every morning feeling like that.

What exercise do you do?

Basically I do the same as others- have my workout clothes/ swimsuit and clothes laid out in the bathroom the night before. Gym bag by the front door. If I’m running from home I have my gloves/ water/ running light etc by the door ready to go.

I feel SO much better when I exercise early in the morning.