How do you workout in the AM?

[Ms. Chevious]

I REALLY wish I could work out everyday in the mornings before work because I love getting off work at the end of the day knowing that the most hated activity of the day (working out!) is DONE, and I can go home, relax, and most importantly, eat dinner (since I'm always starving after work!). But I've tried and tried and its almost impossible for me. I can set the alarm an hour early, but then I'll just lay in bed for the hour or even when I get drag myself out of bed I just don't have the energy to get through a workout. The few times I've done it I don't feel like I'm getting a very good workout because I'm kind of in the AM fog, hazily going through the motions but I can't really put the energy into it that I can at other times. I'm definitely not a morning person but once I'm up and have had breakfast I can usually function pretty well - but I don't think I could have breakfast first, that seems like it would make me feel ill - plus I'd just be working off the breakfast and that's about it, right? (I had a trainer once tell me never to eat right before working out because all you're doing is working off that one thing and it doesn't do you any good.) I just don't have a ton of time in the AM so I wish I could just get up, work out (do a tape, go for a walk, etc.), and then get ready for work as usual so I'm only getting up an hour or so earlier.

So for those of you who can work out in the AM, how do you do it? Do you just pop out of bed all energized, do you have breakfast first, do you have a good amount of energy to get through a workout? I wish I knew some tricks because I'd love to be able to do it regularly so I could feel less guilty about hitting the couch as soon as I get home from work!

[Dewey]

Well, I'm a morning workout person, and I ALWAYS eat breakfast first. I have to disagree with the theory that if you eat breakfast first, you are "only working off that one thing". Does that mean that if you eat breakfast right after working out, you are only replacing that calories you just burned?? It's simple math; by working out, you burn more calories. If you normally eat three meals and don't workout, you will burn fewer calories than if you eat three meals and workout, regardless of when you eat and workout. I always eat a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, then immediately go workout. I have a great feeling of energy and accomplishment after I work out. In fact, I find that I tend to get a lot more accomplished if I get my workout in the morning. If I skip it, I just waste the AM watching news or something.

[RebeccaT]

I don't work out in the AM either, so I am interested in hearing people's responses. I like working out, but what I don't like is that working out after work, then coming home, showering, and cooking dinner - we don't sit down to eat until close to 9PM sometimes. That can't be good!! But somehow, my logic goes out the window in the AM, and I cannot be convinced that getting up to work out is a good idea, no matter what I told myself the night before. :o

[KValley]

No real tricks here- some days it really is a struggle. MWF I go to the gym at 6:00 for a yoga/pilates class and I stay to do the rest of my cardio/weights workout; TTH I go in around 9:00 a.m., although I really like the way an early workout leaves the rest of my day open, so I am thinking of going at 6 am on TTH as well.

I AM a morning person, so that is at least half the battle. I lost that battle this morning and switched off the alarm to snuggle next to DH under the down comforter!

I have to eat something before I go- just a banana- but your body needs some fuel. The trainer who said that you only work off the meal that you just ate is a moron (sorry)! Exercising is a cumulative process, not about burning off your most recent calories. Charging your metabolism through cardio and weigh training stays with you all day.

If you aren't happy working out in the a.m., what about eating a healthy (content and portion) snack in the late afternoon, then trying a post-work workout? I used to do this when I had an 8-5 job and couldn't work out in the a.m. Everyday at 4:00 I'd eat a cup of microwave oatmeal and a piece of fruit and this got me through until dinner at 7:30 or 8:00.

Or split it up- do something in the am for 30 minutes (an exercise tape, a brisk walk) then another 30 minutes in the evening (a walk to unwind from the day, a yoga class, some strength training). Exercise doesn't have to be done all at once for great benefits!

[JanetJ]

I don't know that I have any great tips for you and I will admit that exercising at 5am isn't my favorite thing to do, but it works for me. If I didn't get up early to do it, it wouldn't get done. Between my commute and getting dinner ready, time is precious. I set the alarm for 5am and I always have my workout clothes laid out and ready to go. I have my water bottle filled, my shoes and socks ready and I throw it on still half asleep. I watch tv while I run on the treadmill and that helps me a ton. It distracts me from how it's still dark outside and I wish I was still in bed. As much as I wish I could exercise later in the day, nothing beats the feeling of knowing you've already accomplished something so early and it really energizes me for the rest of the day. It did take me a week or so to really get into the rythmn, it was very very tough at first.

[sjs9601]

I NEVER thought I would become an a.m. workout person. I also call myself, "not a morning person" and don't talk to me before coffee. However, a few years ago, I started working out regularly and knew the only way to stay with it was to workout in the a.m. If I wait until the end of the day, I can invent every excuse you can imagine!

The first few weeks weren't easy, but along with the other posters, you have to be organized. Don't go to bed until you've laid out your workout clothes, shoes, etc. and your gym bag is ready. If you're getting dressed at the gym for the office, make sure you have the entire outfit (yes, I've gone back home for the missed skirt, slip, etc). Definitely eat breakfast before going, although you'll probably have to work at what works for you. I couldn't go with just a piece of fruit. I eat oatmeal, a serving of fruit and 1/2 glass of skim milk.

I always take tunes to listen to and if I'm riding the bike, take reading material. It's "my time" and I feel totally refreshed and energized by the time I'm done. The BEST part is by the time you get to work you have the accomplishment of having already worked out. What a feeling! I notice a huge difference if I don't get my a.m. workout in. It's more challenging now, because I'm working from home and have to PUSH DH out the door some mornings so I can get to the gym or my basement. Once you get in the routine, you won't even have to think about it.

Good Luck!

[jphilg]

I can only reiterate the tips from other morning workout folks. I have always been an AM workout person because:

1. If I get in early, I don't have to fight for parking (I live in DC)
2. Its done. No chance to talk myself out of workouts all day.
3. Only one shower a day. Good for skin and hair.
4. My gym is EMPTY in the morning, and absolutely overstimulatingly packed in the evening.


So I am highly motivated. I pack my bag the night before, and go straight to work from the gym. I have lunch made the night before, water bottle filled, day planned....I just roll out of bed, brush, dress, grab a quick bowl of cereal and some fruit, and go on autopilot. By the time I get through a workout and shower, I am energized. I have a morning snack (a yogurt or a small turkey pita...) and my day is great.

It takes some discipline to get into the habit, but much less discipline than it takes to go in the evenings, when you jsut want to let down.

Also, do it every work day. If some days you dont go, you'll talk yourself out of it on extra days. Just make it part of your routine.

Jen

[Kristine]

I go to the gym at about 6:45 AM twice a week and walk at about 7:30 AM twice a week (neither is extremely early, but I don't think I could handle any time before 6:30ish)--the other days are noon workouts, which have both pluses and minuses as well. I eat about half a banana and some water before I go, and then a glass of juice and a bowl of oatmeal with the other half the banana when I get back. This plan works pretty well for me, and I never feel hungry while exercising. I do admit that some days I really feel tired and don't particularly want to get out of bed, but I can usually convince myself that I will feel much better if I go work out (and I always do feel much better!).

I would definitely prefer to work out around 9:30, but school just doesn't permit it. :)

[Chris415]

I have been working out in the morning for about two years now. With the darkness and having to warm the car up and scrape it, I've changed my routine in that I go for yoga once a week (6 a.m.), and take a brisk 2-mile walk during the day--when the sun is out! :)

But, when I am on my regular schedule, the alarm goes off at 4:45, which I can hit a couple of times. I have all my clothes set aside for the gym and for work all ready the night before, so I'm not searching for things in the dark. I have about a 10 minute drive, and my goal is to get there at 5:15 for an hour workout. Home by 6:30, shower, breakfast, and in the car for work by 7:30.

Here are my tricks for getting up early. First off, I have to get to bed early, so I try to be in bed around 9, read a bit, then lights off. Going to bed at 10-10:30 just doesn't cut it, so if I have a good night sleep it makes it easier. I think your body also gets accustomed to the time, I frequently wake up earlier than the alarm, kind of lie there before getting out of bed. For me, the hardest part is just GETTING out of bed. Once I'm out, I'm ready to go, but it's that first step. But believe me, there has been many a day that I've made that step to get up, then gone back to sleep!

I'm not crazy about working out, but it's something I have to do. I like having my evenings free, so I look at working out in the morning as getting it out of the way. So, if I feel like coming home and watching movies all night, I don't feel guilty about the fact that I'm not going to the gym!

I don't eat breakfast before I go to the gym. I drink a bottle of water before and during my workout, and have a banana in the car to eat on the way home. I don't find a problem with this, or lack of energy. I have no appetite at that time, and sometimes feel ill if I fill my stomach. This works for me.

One thing, you might want to wait a couple of months before working out in the morning. Not sure how you are with the lack of light these months, but for me, getting up in what looks like the middle of the night and getting home and it's still dark is really hard for me. It gets so much easier in March or so.

Good luck! :p
Chris

[JenZen]

I just hit the snooze button .... :) And, I live next door to the gym. :)

[HeidiD]

I'm new to this forum (though I've been reading the BB for several months) and appreciate all the information and support that gets passed around here.

I started working out first thing in the morning 7 months ago. I have spent so many years making excuses about not getting to the gym, and with two kids and work, it seemed like there was always something getting in my way. I turned 41 last year and my weight got up to the heaviest it's been in my adult life (I was a fat preteen & teenager, so I weighed my heaviest at age 12!). I came to the sad but obvious conclusion that I HAD to start exercising regularly again and that the only way I could make it happen was to exercise at 6 AM.

My exercise of choice is walking, which I used to do outside but because of skin problems with rosacea, I found I needed to limit my sun and extreme temperature exposure. We've had a treadmill for years that I'd used on and off but I decided that I had to get back on it. Last June, I began getting up at 6, when my husband gets up for work, and started walking on the treadmill every weekday morning. I started at 30 mins and now do 50 minutes, 6 days a week. I guess I am addicted because I hate to miss a day. In that timeframe, I've lost only 5 pounds, but I am not following a specific diet and I don't have a lot of weight to lose (10 more pounds is my goal).

As someone else said, I know it helps that I am a "morning person" and that my spouse and oldest child are up anyway. The best part is, I don't schlump around with guilt anymore that I need to find time to exercise -- being done by 7 AM is very freeing and doesn't cut into my other responsibilities. I am happy to be approaching my 42nd birthday back down to what I weighed at my 40th, and hopefully someday, I can weight what I did when I turned 30!

[HDgirl]

I workout in the morning too. I'm at the gym at 5:25 (I live 2 mins. away) do an hour and back home to get ready for work. I make a smoothie for my breakfast that I end up taking to work w/ me and some cereal for my mid-morning snack. I bring water with me to the gym.

I need to be into work around 7ish, so it is sooooo important that DD and DS have showered BEFORE I hit the door at 6:30. It gets real ugly if the shower isn't waiting for me! I can actually get ready in 1/2 hour. Low maintenance woman here.

I consider myself a morning person and don't have problems getting up, I'm not a sack rat like SO. Being organized with my workout clothes helps and having older children too. However, the flip side is I am looking for my bed around 8:30.

Another advantage is less people early in the AM. I don't have to wait for anything. Of coarse if a decide to do a class, I will have to do that in the afternoon....haven't decided how to fit that in yet.

[makedah]

I workout at home or run in the neighborhood. If I had to get dressed and GO somewhere, it would be more difficult. Here's how I do it.

Go to bed early.
Wake up on time.
Get dressed (laying out clothes the night before helps)
Putter around the house for a little while; have some water or juice or citrus if I'm hungry.
Workout.
Feel great about myself the rest of the day!

[SusanT]

My husband also works out in the morning and I also meet a friend to walk two days a week. Having someone else to get up with or know is waiting for you is a powerful motivator. I also have the enjoyment of seeing my friend and spending time with my husband.

Also, Wednesday is my "off" morning so I don't have to get up every morning.

I love having exercise out of the way and find that my day goes better when I've exercised.

[aggie94]

Ms. Chevious,

I completely relate to how you feel. I have tried and tried and tried to be an a.m. workout person, because I would love to come home after work, have time to make dinner and do a little cleaning, read the paper, watch some TV, and still get to bed at a reasonable hour. Alas, I've finally given up. I've accepted that some people are just not cut out to be a.m. exercisers. Even on the weekend, I feel sluggish and don't have a great workout if I go in the morning. For starters, I'm not warmed up because I've just gotten out of bed. When I workout in the evenings, I've had all day to be limbered up and stretched out. Even after stretching in the mornings, I don't feel "loose" enough - my muscles still feel tight and I can't work them as hard. Plus, I always feel like I want to take a nap after I've worked out in the morning. I don't feel energized like I expect to. Not to mention the fact that I simply can't drag my butt out of bed in the morning. I am NOT a morning person.

All that said, I admire those people who can get up and workout in the mornings. I'm resigned to working out in the evenings after work, but I'm happy to say that I've finally reached a point where my p.m. workouts don't affect my ability to sleep. It used to be that I would be energized in the evening after working out and have difficulty either falling asleep or sleeping soundly, but now, after a hot shower and a regular routine, I've fallen into a pattern that I'm completely happy with. So even though this doesn't answer your question AT ALL ;) since I'm not an a.m. exerciser, I thought maybe you'd like to hear that there are some successful p.m. exercisers out there!

[Ms. Chevious]

aggie94, thank you so much for your post - its always nice to know you're not alone! Not that I didn't appreciate everyone else's comments, its great to get tips on what works for others but all week since I've posted this, each morning when the alarm goes off I lay there thinking "all those BB girls can do this, why do I just want to stay under the comforter ALL DAY??" (Now I'll be thinking I'm not the only one saying that!)

I have really tried this week to get up and do it and its really tough and I still hate hate hate hate EVERY second of it (but that's how I feel about working out no matter what time of day) but its SO nice to get off work (I don't get home until 8 most nights) and know that I can relax and eat right away without feeling guilty. I'm going to keep trying but I'm just so NOT a morning person and I do feel like I'm groggily going through the motions.

Thanks for your tips though - oh, KValley - 30 minutes in the AM and 30 in the PM?? Good god - a GREAT exercise day for me is if I can complete a whole 20 minute work out tape! 30 minutes?? No way, much less TWICE! I SO admire those of you who can do that and those of you who can get up in the AM and work out, especially when its DARK and cold - props to the Vermonter! I guess I should just strive to exercise for one and not beat myself up if I just can't do it at 7am. I'm just a night owl and just can't adjust my body clock to going to bed before midnight or waking up in the dark!

Alas in a perfect world I'd probably stay in bed everyday until noon and NEVER work out but I'm working on it! Again, thanks for all your tips and for making me feel better. I appreciate all of them, really. I'm going to keep trying, I may not do it everyday but I'll keep working on it!

[pammy]

I'm not a morning person either, but last year I got into the a.m. exercise habit. Unfortunately, I got a bad cold in March or so, and after I recovered, I never got back into the morning thing. I want to start getting up earlier (about 5:30 a.m.) and have resolved to start next week. It really does give me more time to do what I love in the evenings...relax, unwind and cook without time constraints.

Ms. Chevious, I hope you don't mind my changing the subject a bit, but it doesn't sound like you enjoy your workout much. It may be easier for you to get up to do something that is fun for you. Think about ways that you can move your body which may not be a traditional "workout". There are exercise tapes that incorporate elements of dance, from Latin to hip-hop to ballet, which you may find more enjoyable. Go to your local video rental place or library and check out the exercise tapes that they have. Maybe you would enjoy cardio kickboxing or yoga. There are plenty of ways to move your body, and perhaps if you find one you like, it will be easier for you to make it a habit. The folks who visit this board can probably make a ton of great suggestions, just ask! Good luck :) .

[wallycat]

I'm not sure i"m a morning person but I don't hate them either :D .
When I worked full time, I'd work out whenever I could fit it in...
4am if I had a flight out, 6 am if I knew I"d have to stay late...I'd take karate after work and those days, I'd work out (jogging) right after work....

Now that I'm home, I find I have to do it in the morning..not necessarily VERY early, but before the day gets away from me.
I do yoga before breakfast...whenever i get up...
then eat breakfast and let it settle and do my aerobics/weights.

Now that DH is home, I'm trying to get him to exercise, so I encourage walking together and will go whenever he is willing. We try to get out by 10-10:30 unless we have lots of errands to run; then we go around 2ish before school buses and traffic take over :D :D

Exercise is beneficial ANY time you do it. If you're not a morning exerciser don't punish yourself. Heart rate/blood pressure are highest in the early mornings, and if your body is telling you it's not ready, don't force it...as long as you manage to fit it in later in the day.
:)

[Little Bit]

I like yoga, because in some ways it's less of a jolt to my system than other forms of early morning activity. It's also more physically demanding than I'd realized before I started taking classes, so it's a good workout too.

[AmyMcP]

Since I moved to DC area, I have had to change my schedule a lot. I lived in Charleston, SC where EVERYTHING is 10 minutes away. I would get off work anytime between 5 and 5:45 and be able to make it to my 6PM step class. Home by 7 for Cooking Live etc...

NOW, it takes me about an hour to get to and from work. I went to the gym after work once when I first settled in. After finding a parking spot, I went inside to find the place packed...no machines! And the aerobics class was packed as well. I had no interest in waiting until 8 or 9 to workout.

SO, I go to the gym @ 5:45AM. It is right behind my house, so it really isn't difficult to get up and go. I take step on Monday and Wednesday, Body Pump on Tuesday. Off on Thursday and some sort of cardio work on Friday. I am home by 7:15, shower etc...and I get to work by 9AM. And as mentioned before, I am done and I don't have to drag myself there after work. Sometimes I have to work late (the life in a law firm), so that is another incentive to "get it over with." I hope this helps. It works for me and gives me a lot of energy throughout the day.

[JHolcomb]

I've tried to work out in the AM, but honestly, my body seems to like PM better. Once i'm out of bed, I don't have a problem being energized-in fact, I have waaay too much energy-I'm a fidgeter-and sitting still at a desk for 8 hrs a day about kills me. So an afternoon workout just rocks for me. I can release all the tension and stress and extra energy from my day in the hour that I spend in the gym.
Anyway, my point is that I do what my body tells me to do-if you just can't force yourself to workout in the AM (even with all of these great tips!) I would find a better way to work it into my PM schedule. Good luck, and keep working out no matter what time you choose to do it.

[valslp]

Thanks to you and your inquiry, Ms. Chevious, I tried working out in the morning this week and I really enjoyed it. I have never considered myself a morning person, and I think I'm still partially asleep on the drive to my gym. Once I get there, the lights are bright, the music is loud, and everyone is going about their business, so I snap out of it (or into it, I guess) pretty quickly. I have tons of energy during the day. The catch for me is that I'm in bed by 9 p.m. since I get up at 4:30. Then when I get home from my job, the weight that is usually on my shoulders (i.e., exercise) is no longer there since I already took care of it! I tried many of the tips mentioned earlier---I lay out my clothes the night before, etc. I eat a little box of raisins on the way to the gym and that holds me till breakfast. Maybe you could try a reward system for yourself. For example, 16 early morning workouts per month would earn you a manicure or something like that. Good luck---I think I'm hooked!

[ISAIAH30_18]

I am constantly trying to get myself to the gym in the mornings!! Reading all of these posts...I think I'm re-inspired!!
I've always done pretty well with pm workouts, taking a cardio kombat class with friends, or the treadmill....but since getting married and other commitments I hate having to go to the gym at night when its really the only time my husband (is that what DH stands for?) and I have quality time with each other.
He goes to the gym every morning for weight training, which I like, but it doesn't wake me up like cardio. You'd think being able to go together would be an incentive but I would have to go earlier than him in order to do the excercise & get home to get ready for work. But I am going to try to do that next week....
thanks everyone!!!!

[lisalee]

I'd rather workout in the morning than any other time of the day. The only possible exception would be to take a walk around the block around lunch time. I don't usually eat before going for a walk (my choice for exercise),and stretch a little before hitting the sidewalk. When I have a lot of time, like on the weekends, I will usually walk for a couple of miles and for about an hour. I don't have to be at work until 10:30 in the morning, so I can schedule a walk every day. I've tried working out with those morning exercise shows, but don't like it much and don't stick with it. The instructor on the tv usually loses me about the third exercise, because I'm trying to figure out the one right before it!:D