To see if any seasoned early morning exercisers are about?

[liveforeva]

I have decided to wake up a 5am every weekday and either be at the gym for 6 or be outside for a walk.

Today is day 1. I am drinking my coffee and my workout clothes are on the table ready for me to get changed.

Any one here awake ready for their morning exercise to give me some motivation and reasons why I'll learn to love this ?!

I do go to the gym and after each session I'm in such a good mood but getting there is a struggle especially after a day of work and kids stuff!

I have to say, much as I love my morning exercise during the week, I am also loving that it’s Saturday, which means I don’t have to earn my breakfast 😀

I wash my hair in the evening, every two days.
I wear a shower cap in my morning shower- shower and dress takes no more than 6 or 7 minutes.

I shower at work - fortunately they have very good changing rooms with showers, hairdryers, straighteners, lockers etc. I know I'm fortunate in that regard. They're big on supporting "active commuting" to keep parking issues down.

Ah. I couldn't go to work with sweaty hair or after swimming without washing it.

How long do you work out for?

I do 30 minute run, 30 minute swim usually and from door to door it's around 2hr 15 mins including hair wash. That doesn't include drying and styling so 2 hr 45. I'd have to leave the house around 4.45am to make it work after. Eeek.

@Sallysoup

The classes are either 50 minutes or 60 minutes long.

My routine:

05:30: wake up, get ready, faff
06:15: out the door
06:45: arrive at the gym/studio (have to give myself a buffer as they don't allow latecomers into class!)
07:00: class
08:00: shower, get ready
09:00: at my desk (latest)

I never purposely miss a class because, for one thing, they're bloody expensive and you don't get your money back if you don't show up.

This is my routine Mon-Fri.

Saturday I do an 8:30 yoga class which means I get a lie-in and get up at 7!

Sunday is even better because I do a 12:30 HIIT class so I get the mornings to do whatever I like, which is usually a coffee at my favourite coffee shop (actually sitting in for a change) and a leisurely trip to the farmers' market. 🙂

Thanks for replying. I start work at 8.30 and the gym is 40 minutes from work so I don't think it's realistically possible😥.

It’s really hard to believe it when you are still in the sleep trenches but it’s true. Hope baby is better soon. Maybe you can get out for a brisk walk by yourself later if you have someone to watch them.

do you eat before early classes? I’m looking at 615 classes twice a week. I eat before 8am class that I do once a week, not sure I could go without food 🤔

I work out fasted; I do have a protein shake afterwards but I don't eat food until 2-3 hours later. Once upon a time I would have sworn I couldn't possibly, but I got used to it very quickly.

Can I ask, what time do you early risers go to bed? If you haven't slept well would you still get up that early?

I try to be asleep by half 9. Because I’ve been doing it for a while, I will likely be naturally awake early anyway so even if I’ve had a bad nights sleep I am probably going to wake at that time. So I do still exercise and although it never feels wonderful to start with, I always feel better at the end. I think exercise after a bad nights sleep makes me feel better than a bad nights sleep by itself, if that makes sense. However, if it was a bad nights sleep because I was unwell then I wouldn’t exercise.

Just a coffee before exercise for me. Then I eat a protein-filled breakfast around 1 hour after the workout.

I keep my kit next to the bed. Sit up, jammies off, kit on. No drink or I'd need to wee while exercising.

I just get on with it. I either walk with a headtorch if it's the autumn/winter, workout in the outdoor garage with a headtorch, or do yoga in the study.

Then back in the house, drink two pints water, get DS up for school, get ready for work and leave the house at 6.55.

But I am a morning person and always have been. I consider a walk ruined if anyone else is out at the same time and dawn is my favourite time of the day.

And I go to bed by 9 most nights, book down by 9.30. Can't stay awake past that.

tumbleweed from the op this morning 😆

oh unless weekends off?

im up early every day. Just my body clock and i am so so grateful. That silent coffee, then either a run or a workout video, dog walk, admin

lovely

I get up at 5.30 and go for a walk 6 days a week. Day seven I still walk but later on. Normally do 45 min walk. 2 mornings a week I then do 30 mins of weights when I get home. 2 days I do a weights class later in the day at gym. Started walking a year ago and have lost 2.5 stone. Added weights in about 2 months ago. Biggest bonuses to my mental health. Walking outdoors even in the dark has made such an improvement!

I workout at 5ish whilst my teens are still asleep. YouTube video and decathlon weights in the garage. Could you do that?

When they were little I got to the gym for 6am and then home before DH left for the train at 7.15 and then I'd get the DC up and dressed.

Never did classes though, just warm up and weights routine.

I don't keep my phone in the bedroom, it charges downstairs and I set an alarm clock. That way, I don't turn alarm off on my phone and start scrolling.

Though the last 4 years I've had insomnia so I often get up when I wake up

I have a strength and conditioning class at 7:15 tomorrow morning
Today I attended a 7:15 reformer class

I've always preferred to exercise before work but when I moved to my new job, and I had to be up for 5am just to get ready and leave the house at 6am I decided to move my exercise to after work as I am usually home by 2pm.

Problem being, by the time I got home from work I just couldn't be bothered to go to the gym, and it is far too hot to run, even in the winter (live overseas).

About a year ago I decided to bite the bullet, and I now get up at 3.50am, to be out of the door for a run by 4am 3-4 times a week. There were many early morning arguments with myself the first couple of months, but I soon got into a routine and promised myself if I ever felt too tired to run, I wouldn't force myself.

Consistency, along with being realistic that you're not going to feel it ever time, are the keys to building early morning exercise into your morning routine.

Some great ideas on this thread - thank you. Working out how other people make the routine work is so helpful. I am going to aim for a 5am wake, 5.20ish out the door, 6am back home which will allow for a 6/7k run. Which is plenty to give me energy and feel zingy.

I'm in awe. I'm working on committing to this.

How does anyone manage it with multiple kids? Especially a BF one that still wakes MANY times a night?? I feel like I'm often still awake at 4/5 without having slept more than 45m in a consecutive chunk. Maybe I just need to push through!

P.S great thread. Thanks for the inspiration 👏