One of the nourishing decisions that I'm trying to make is to increase my exercise. Through much trial and error, I've discovered that it is preferable for me to exercise early in the morning before I go to work. When I leave the exercise time for the evening, it's just way too easy to slough it off and say, "I'm cold. I'm hungry. I'm tired. I don't wanna do it."
Here's my problem. I'm finding it ruheeelly difficult to wake up early in the mornings. I hit the snooze button so many times this morning that even my clock gave up on me ever getting up and shut itself off. Dude, my alarm clock gave up on me! I am hopeless.
I think that I need somebody to come into my bedroom every morning and beat me up until I get out of bed. My brother suggested an annoying song to wake up to, but I think my idea is better.
How do you make sure you get up for exercise?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
In Need of Wake-Up Ruffian
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I don't. And it shows. But this is a NEW YEAR and it will be the dawn of a NEW ME! I vote that we take turns driving to each other's houses every morning and singing in the morning. I'm thinking a medley of High Hopes, It's a Small World, and Single Ladies (including the Beyonce dance, of course) is a good choice.
You in?
I can't.
Even though I'm better at managing to get it done regularly in the mornings.
The only time I had a good, regular morning exercise routine was when J and I worked a block from each other, and she had to be at work an hour before I did. So we drove in together, I'd go in my work-out clothes, she'd go to work, I'd work out in the gym in our building for 45-50 minutes, shower, and go up to my desk.
I could theoretically do that here now, too, but I never got anything set up. I think all the TTC crap had me too focused on that, I just couldn't focus on working out.
I am going to subscribe to the comments on your post in the hope that someone will have a good suggestion. I have failed to establish a morning exercise habit for many years for the same reason you mention: I hit snooze repeatedly instead of getting up to "just do it."
I'll be interested to read how others have overcome this problem because I think I, too, would be better off doing exercise first thing each day.
My secret is my husband. He gets up at 5:45 a.m. to go to minyan which wakes me. And he has to wake me before he leaves the house so that I get my butt up and do my exercise DVD. He is even nice enough to turn the computer on for me and open the DVD player so I have no excuse. If I had to get up on my own? NEVER!
It is so hard for me to get up in the morning and workout, but I do it. Having a workout partner is the best way. You're less likely to hit snooze when you know someone is waiting on you.
Also, set out your workout clothes the night before.
On days when I absolutely don't want to workout, I'll tell myself, "I'll do 15 minutes. If after that, I still don't want to do it, I'll go back to bed." I've only gone back to bed once. You can do 15 minutes! And when you're up and going you'll want to keep going.
If you figure out the answer to this question, please let me know!!!
Sorry friend, I got nuthin'.
Good luck with that.
I talk mean to myself in my head. I work on programming my internal dialogue so that when I say "I don't want to wake up and work out" I answer back that I'm stupid and fat and need to. It's not nice, but it's effective.
I also have an agreement with myself that I have to workout for at least 10 minutes on the days I'm scheduled to work out. So, if I don't do it in the morning, I have to do it after work when I really don't want to. If I do my 10 minutes, and want to quit, I give myself permission to do so without guilt. It keeps me from being a "non-exerciser"
I've been waiting for the right opportunity to buy someone this gift. First time I saw it in action I LMAO.
http://www.wowcoolstuff.com/Nanda_Clocky_The_Alarm_Clock_That_Runs_Away_p/clocky.htm
Yeah. Um. I am sooooo the wrong person to ask. Though I do walk the dog around the block every morning (but only because I'm afraid he'll poo in the house if I don't).
ha ha! wake up to work out! ha ha!
*ring, ring*
hold on, my ass is calling...
yes?
YOU NEED TO WORK OUT!
damn. guess I need a wake up call in the mornings too. Let me know what you sort out and I will just copy. heh
Well, I worked out in the evenings after work because I couldn't get out of bed either. And I printed out a calendar and then forced myself to write down my workouts in it. And if I didn't work out, I had to write down the reason why. So I always felt like a loser writing "didn't feel like it" or "too lazy" so that made me go.
I'm horrible at this but the only way I can work out in the morning is if I wear my work out clothes to bed, sports bra and all. Kinda dorky I know but it works. (and obviously shows that I'm not getting too much action ;)
I get up at 4:45am to make it to the gym by 5:15. My husband is a light sleeper, so the guilt of waking him up repeatedly with the snooze helps to get me moving. I set out my workout clothes the night before. I also meet a personal trainer at the 5:15 two mornings a week (including Monday to start the week off right). Some mornings I really have to talk myself through it and just take small steps...I usually wake up needing to pee, so I tell myself to at least do that and then I make myself hit the light in the bathroom so now I'm a little more awake, then I convince myself to put in my contacts, and so on... Eventually I get to the point where I'm pretty awake and I've gotten this far and so I might as well go forward with the plans to work out. I also have told quite a few people that I am working out in the morning and most are incredulous and regularly ask me if I am still doing it...so I am motivated to be able to say yes when they ask.
I like Meghan's sleeping in the work out clothes approach.
I am NOT a morning person, but like you said, there are always reasons and excuses not to exercise in the evening. But at 5am, there's really nothing else I'm supposed to be doing (let's ignore the sleeping point for now). I am also totally addicted to the self-righteousness that comes with having already finished my workout by 6:30 am.
Good luck! If you can get into the groove it should be a really good thing!
I don't.
(SIGH)
I was going to say move your alarm clock across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off, but if you can ignore it until it turns itself off then that won't work either.
Knowing someone else is waiting on you has always worked well for me, too.
waking up to my own music is how i do it! and having start off very quietly and increasingly get louder. i have one of those ihome cube things, like this http://blog.gifts.com/giftrap/categories/gadget-gifts/2010-resolutions-wake-up
I like Meghan's idea! I can see where it would be effective.
Like everyone, I have a terrible time with this as well. Sadly, I find that if I will just GET UP, I actually feel pretty good. It's that whole part where I actually have to put my feet on the ground that I struggle with.
I like the idea of waking up to a special song. Maybe I can find a song that really puts me in the work out mood to wake up to.
What about moving the alarm clock to the other side of the room with some REALLY annoying music....that way you at least have to get out of bed....OR set a bunch of alarm clocks (through out the room) at 5 minute intervals but hide some so you have to look for them.
I just have to do it...and I haven't in a long time!!
I exercise in the afternoon for this exact problem.
The only way I ever work out is if I do it in the morning as well. I find that when I can do it, it's a conversation in my own head. I have to truly conceptualize how much better I'll feel if I forego the 30 (or whatever) minutes of sleep and go jog or do weights. Nothing else gets me out of bed. I have to want it. Freaking blows.
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