Becoming a morning person
Why hello there, cup o’green:
Remember when I mentioned those blended salads I used to have alllll the time? Well, I had to make one after that! I used to do this in the Valdosta days, and figured that it would be a fun way to get in some extra veggies. In the blender, I added handfuls of spinach, a few tomatoes, 1/2 bell pepper, 1/2 cucumber, salt, pepper, garlic, a little Dijon, lots of lemon juice, 1/2 avocado, some flax oil, water,
and pureed it on high. To be real, I didn’t love it quite as much as I used to. I think next time I’ll make a regular salad, but this was a great portable option for our afternoon adventures. Liv, on the other hand, went crazy for it. She kept saying, “More? YUM!” after each sip. It was kind of like a green gazpacho.
I’m writing this post in advance, because when it publishes, I’m hoping I’ll be driving home from a very early yoga class.
I say “hoping” because I have no idea if I’ll actually wake up and go.
Waking up early has been a little rough for me, especially since Liv starting sleeping through the night (umm.. a year ago….). I realized I could get glorious sleep as long as possible and actually feel rested. Rested! It seemed like a unicorn of a concept -you hear about it but never see it- but it did happen eventually.
Currently, Liv’s nap time and at night are when I get work done, but if I could wake up early and take care of work/emails, a workout, or study, I would have more time to relax at night after she’s asleep. I love working out early in the morning -those endorphins last all day!- and was on a good run for a while, then we started going to bed later, and later, and later (that darn “Sing!” app haha). The snooze button is once again BFF status.
I haven’t been crazy about our usual yoga class since our favorite instructor moved, so I figured I’d try something different with a new-to-me studio and instructor. Usually with the drive time and class on Wednesday nights, I don’t see much of the Pilot, so this way, I’ll start my day relaxed and get to hang out with him tonight.
If I go.
I’ve never been a “morning person,” (and later found out that the reason for that was hormonal) but made it happen when it needed to happen. Work and school often had me waking up very early -4:30am. What?!- and since they were commitments, I just did it. Snooze button wasn’t an option. Since I have the option to sleep later on the days I’m home with Liv, I’ve been enjoying it. Maybe I need to make it non-negotiable…and just get to bed earlier!
So, all you early birds out there, please share your secrets with me! What time do you wake up? When do you go to bed? Is there anything that helps to prevent the snooze button? “Becoming a morning person” was on my before 30 bucket list. I was half-joking, but it would be awesome if I could change my ways.
Hope you have a fantastic Wednesday! Livi said to tell you thank you for the half birthday wishes <3
xoxo
Gina
Edited: I woke up and did it. And now, I’ll feel energized all day 🙂
148 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Honestly, I didn’t become a morning person until I completely cut myself off from coffee and espresso! I went from feeling like a zombie in the morning and constantly sleeping through multiple alarms no matter what time I went to bed, to successfully rolling out of bed at a consistent time (around 5:15 during the week, 6ish on weekends).
I’m not a morning person. On the days that I work, since I turned back into a daywalker, (I worked nights for 3 years) I’m up by 0530, out the door by 0615-0620 and drive to the next town over to be at my shift by 0700… (I’m an RN at a hospital.) I usually shower the night before or use dry shampoo (my hair goes up into a pony or bun, so there’s no use fussing over my hair that early in the morning.) I don’t usually wear much makeup on work days- I never have been a makeup kinda gal. On occasion I’ll do some eye makeup and mascara.
Sometimes I make a smoothie to take with me, more often I end up not eating much for breakfast and having a late morning snack, or grabbing a burrito at the hospital. I need to prep some egg/veggie muffins again- those take 20 seconds to heat up and keep me going! Coffee is a MUST. I try to be in bed by 2130 or 2200, especially if I’m working more than 2 days in a row. 12.5 hour shifts don’t lend themselves well to me working out on work days (plus I’m beat when I get home) so I work out on my off days.
On my off days? I’ve been known to sleep until 10!! I’m more of a night owl by nature… I’m actually considering switching back to nights if a position opens up on my floor… I love the “normal people hours” of day shift, but I like the pace and the culture of night shift.
I am very much a morning person, and have been since I was a toddler! It’s just how I’m wired—I’m way more productive between 7am-2pm, and most nights, I’m ready to crash by 9pm. I’m a teacher, so during the school year, I’m out of bed by 5:30 and at school by 6:45 (about 45 minutes before kids get there). I use that time to catch up on emails, grade papers, finish lesson plans, etc. because I know that, at the end of the day, I’ll be dragging!
Honestly, I’m not sure if I have any “tips” for getting up and going. I’ve never been a snooze button person—when my alarm goes off, I force myself to get up right away for fear of falling back to sleep and never getting to work on time! Bribing myself with coffee always helps, too!
Great job getting to the class this morning! I’m generally a morning person but now that I’m pregnant and waking up several times a night to use the restroom I am unfortunately sleeping later and finding it harder to get up in the morning. I much prefer morning workouts so it helps to remind myself when I am laying in bed that I will have to do my workout in the evening if I keep hitting snooze. I do think it is MUCH easier to start a morning habit in the summer when the days are longer and there is more light in the morning. Getting up at 5:30 AM on a cold, snowy day is hard whether you are a morning person or not!
Up early this morning at 5:30 am and at the gym doing squats, over head press and dead lifts before the sun came up. I am not normally a morning person but it was either that or don’t work out today. No secret this does not happen often.
Morning person checking in here!
I have to do it in the mornings or my exercise will not happen. Here is what I do to get me going:
I set everything out the night before-from my workout clothes to my pre workout snackage
Set several alarms at different times
Get the coffee maker ready for 5:30 a.m. (once I smell coffee, I wake up to that yummy smell…like that Folgers coffee commercial, but I digress)
It also helps that I go to boot camp class 3 mornings a week so money is motivation and that others are counting on me to be there too!
I am definitely a morning person, but even for me those early morning alarms can be rough!! I generally set 5 alarms…starting way earlier then I actually intend to get up. For example, if I want to get up at 5 then I will set alarms for 4:15, 4:25, 4:30, 4:45, and 5. Every time an alarm goes off I snooze it, but by the time I get to 5 I am already half awake so it doesn’t feel as hard! Then, after about a week of getting up early consistently it doesn’t even feel that hard any more! It’s just making it through those initial days!
I wake up around 5:30am on weekdays. I was never a morning person, and it’s still difficult, but the trick was just sleep. It seems obvious but it’s the only thing that allows me to get up that early. I aim to be in bed by 9:30pm with a cup of chamomile and a book/magazine to wind down (and watching tv doesn’t count). Yeah, I’ve missed out on this season of The Bachelorette but I much prefer the satisfaction of being able to check my workout off my list by 7am…and getting extra time with my boyfriend at night. Good luck!
I actually set a bed-time alarm in addition to two morning alarms. Sometimes when I get home, tired from work and the day, I get caught up in the tv or blog reading. Before I know it, it’s after 11pm! But if I set an alarm to start winding down and getting ready for sleep, it gets me out of my “trance” and allows me to get to bed on time.
This is a great idea! Totally going to start setting a bedtime alarm.
Props to you for getting up early! I used to workout in the morning before work (and by morning I mean 7am-not that early!). Now I have to get up at 7 just to get to work in time at my new job, so no more am workouts for me. I would love to get up earlier but I end up staying up so late at night that I don’t think I can do it. But like you said, you feel great all day when you can get in a workout in the morning!
What did work for me when I used to be a morning person was booking in a class in the am that had a strict cancellation policy (i.e., I would lose my money if I didn’t go). Money is always a good motivator.
i wake up at 4am to workout, I am not going to lie, I live in Colorado and the winters hare difficult at times. I work out with my daughter so that it our time together and we text each other “are you up” We workout in the mornings so that we can spend time with our husbands in the evening. We do spin 2 days a week and mixed the other 3. Saturdays are whatever days, we either go to spin or so something outside with our husbands. I lay everything out the night before and by the door so that I don’t forget anything because I get ready at work. I work at a hospital and there showers there and such for me to use. I make my lunch and all of my pre-workout meals prior. the engergy balls are nice because I can pop those in my mouth while I am trying to gather everything Up. Good Luck. You will get addicted to mornings in no time.
Gina, if you have a post about the hormonal aspect to sleeping that you mentioned, could you please please direct me to it? If not, I personally would love a post on this – or just an explanation in a comment if not. I bet a lot of your readers would be interested! I am always curious about the effect of hormones.
I need to hear more about this as well! I’ve long said it’s not that I don’t want to get up, I physically can’t! Detail, details please!
yes, i agree! Tell us more about this hormonal hatred of the morning…
^^This, please! Some mornings it’s like my body is made of lead, even if I’ve gotten a full 8 hours, and it just makes no sense! I’d love to hear more about your experience…
Me too!
I’m not trying to speak for Gina but have you all considered you iron levels? My levels were drastically low for years and still now change throughout the months due to my cycle and since being able to regulate this, well I no longer have that “My body is made of lead” feeling anymore.
that’s an awesome point. i found out i was low in iron when i got pregnant and they did blood tests. taking floradix while i was pregnant CHANGED my life. maybe i should get my levels checked again?
and yes, i’ll definitely address the hormone thing in my next post.
xoxo
I was going to ask for one too so I’ll join in this party and say me five!
Ditto! More info on this would be amazing!
For me, the trick is to:
1) Make it a routine-it’s pretty easy once you’re just used to doing it every day, all the time!
2) Go to bed early-again, make it consistent.
3) Not eat too late-food helps me stay awake, so if I eat too late then I can’t fall asleep and it’s harder to wake up in the morning.
4) Have some kind of commitment-it was fairly easy waking up at 5:30AM to go to CrossFit because it’s something I love to do and I had to get there on time.
Hope these help!
P.S. Also just a reminder that it’ll be easier to get into the habit of this now while the sun is up in the morning than in the winter when it’s darker and cooler outside. 🙂
My friends call my “grandma” because of my early bedtime (9pm – in bed by 8:30ish) but it’s because my alarm goes off at 4:21am. And yes, that one extra minute is necessary. I’ve been getting up at this time for 3 years now and it’s honestly become a habit (though I do love indulging in a few extra hours every now and then).
Here are some of my tips:
1. Don’t drink too much after 7pm. And I’m not talking alcohol. I find if I drink a whole lot of water after 7pm I’m up and down all night long using the bathroom.
2. Keep your bedroom cool. I turn the temperature down at least 2 degrees before bed time and I turn the fan on in the room. It’s easier to snuggled up under a blanket that way.
3. Lay your gym clothes out the night before. I literally have my morning routine down to a 9 minute science. Use the bathroom, put on workout clothes, put in contacts, brush teeth, pull hair in ponytail. Leave.
4. Don’t push snooze. Never have (well, except one sick day) and never will.
I hope that helps – but I also don’t have a little one at home so I know that your household is a little different than mine. You just have to find what works for you. I simply enjoy coming home after work and knowing that the workout is done. I also think it sets the “stage” for the rest of the day.
Here’s to zzzzz’s and early AM workouts.
It’s a huge accomplishment if I get up and work out in the morning. I am actually proud of myself the rest of the day for doing it because it is so tough for me. I have always been a “stay up late, sleep in late” type of person, but the working world just isn’t conducive for that. However, I would love to be able to workout out in the AM at least 2-3 days per week and do the other workouts in the evenings or on weekends. But that would mean I would have to go to bed earlier, which is also tough for me sometimes, especially if I did a later workout that day anyway and am eating dinner at like 9:00.
BTW, if you don’t mind me asking, what kind of hormonal issues/imbalances cause this? I already know my hormones are wonky b/c birth control and me just do not get along, so I was wondering what it was and how you can correct the issue (maybe not fix, but at least alleviate).
hooray for making it to your yoga class this morning! hope you enjoyed it 🙂
i didn’t use to be a morning person, but now i love waking up early and giving myself a little time to relax before starting my day. however, i do get some help from drinking coffee… lots and lots of coffee 🙂
yes, it was wonderful!!
coffee is my life blood haha
I used to have no problem waking up to get my workout in. Now I am lucky if I can get up at 7. Have you written about how hormones play in role in whether you’re a morning person or not? The past 6 months have been really difficult for me to wake up and I’m wondering if that has something to do with it? Thanks!
it may be worth looking into! yep, i’ve written about it before but will talk about it in tomorrow’s post
I am defiantly not a morning person, but can sometimes get up and be happy, Once I am up, I am up. Also, I wanted to share with you and everyone else, that my shop LatherTime, is having an everything MUST go sale, I have purses, bath bombs bracelets, and more. I do custom orders, but mostly on purses. Everything is homemade and is unique. I will be slashing my prices, and you know what I will even give you guys the coupon code, which is good until August 1st So here it is use this code 228426627 to get $5 off of any $20 purchase. Please tell all your friends because supplies wont last. I take PayPal and Money orders. 🙂
Opps here is the link to the site http://www.etsy.com/shop/LatherTime?ref=si_shop
I switched to morning workouts a year ago and I’m so glad I did! I was never a morning person but once I got used to going to bed early and waking up early, it got easier. The trick is really to just go to bed early! It takes practice but try waking up a half hour earlier each day until you reach the right time, and stick with it. Even on weekends, I only let myself sleep in until 7am or I will screw up my internal clock. It also helps to sleep in your gym clothes 🙂 Good luck!
I have always been a morning girl, which of course means I can barely function after 9 pm. I wake at the ridiculous time of 3:45 to get everything done. I work-out, make lunches, clean dishwasher, fold clothes/laundry etc. I commit to this during the school year because it makes my day a LOT smoother and makes mommy happier! I take kids to daycares on my way to my teaching job. My husband has a busy job and is even busier in the winter so his help is limited.
Good luck with becoming a morning person! Or at least -I hope you made it to your yoga class this morn. 😉
I don’t mind working out at night, I’d wonder if I could even handle a workout that early in the morning! Having said that, I AM NOT A morning person! I never have been, but on the other hand, I love the mornings. Its the actual waking up and getting out of bed that I have a problem with. I do like getting up when I’m on vacation, so I think the suggestions to get everything ready and your not dreading having to make decisions in the morning would be good ones! Congrats on going to your class, anxious to hear if you liked it and the instructor. I hate being without at least one favortie instructor in my routine of group fitness! 🙂
I am 100% NOT a morning person. I think it’s partly because of my Fibromyalgia (I gotta get as much sleep as I can), but I don’t think I’m naturally a morning person anyway. I’d much rather have to pick someone up at the airport at 2:30am then 6am, and I think nothing of staying up late and sleeping in, but going to bed early and getting up early – no good.
And I can truthfully tell you that I have no desire to be a morning person. Ever. lol.
I get up at 4am every day to workout or just start my day. Love it! I have 4 teens and those few hours are MINE. I do yoga at 5:30am wed and friday and literally jump out of bed (most days 😉 ). It’s a great class and would hate to miss it. I feel great all day long.
I do go to bed by 8:30 or 9 though so my evenings are kinda non-existent! haha
i really need to start going to bed earlier!
4 teens?! WOW. you are a rockstar
I’m blessed that we have an amazing man for a husband/dad! I’d be nothing without him 🙂 I’m also blessed with my 4 teens (ages 17, 15, 14, 14). They are great kids and make it much easier!
As the quote goes, ‘motivation gets you started, habit keeps you going’! I am a morning workout person & really think I’ve kept it up because it’s been part of my routine for so long, that there is no ‘should I/shouldn’t I’ question in the morning – rather that it would have to be something really big to stop me doing it – like something getting in the way of you eating your dinner!
I also agree with having everything ready the night before – I have my gym clothes out, a bag with shower stuff and work clothes and a post-workout breakfast smoothie in the fridge! I find that eating half a banana before, shoving my gym gear on & heading straight there works the best for me.
Once it’s habit you’ll never go back – it means the evenings are free to do whatever you want – whether that’s collapsing on the sofa or going out – without any guilt!
Best of luck!
I’m with you on this! For a long time I also had a resolution of waking up early and starting my days early (without much grief). Some people have already posted great tips so that’s really cool! I wrote a post on this on my blog because it too is something I’ve been trying to work on for some time. Here are some of the tips I suggest (that have worked for me).
1. Taking a multivitamin. This can be a real reason why it’s so hard for you to wake up in the morning. If our body is depleted of important vitamins and minerals, it can be harder to wake up because it essentially needs “more time to recoup”. Vitamin D is a big one for this!
2. Plan a workout with a friend. This will help you have an accountability partner. there aren’t many morning people out there, but if you look at your group of friends, I bet you’ll find one that is willing to be your accountability partner. Whether it be a text they send you, or a plan you plan with them to go work out. This will most certainly get you out of bed!
3.One of the biggest struggles I had is the fact that I was a “night owl”. However, I realized that my pre-bedtime activities weren’t helping me get sleepy (tv, facebook, etc). I changed this and started “winding down” my night with a good book, and it was like magic… I got sleepy!
4.Create bedtime routines. I usually begin one hour before now, but I know once it starts it’s fairly predictable I’ll be in bed in the next hour. This includes washing my face, brushing my teeth, getting in PJs, planning out my outfit for the next day etc.
Hope this helps! I know it’s pretty tough and it’s crazy to think about how many different components affect the ability for us to wake up in the morning! If you get really determined (like I did) you can definitely figure it out!! Great post! 🙂
awesome tips- thank you!
I switched to morning workouts about a year and a half ago and it has been SO NICE. I don’t have kids yet or anything, but just wanted nights free to spend time with my husband, walk the dogs, go to happy hour, or work later if necessary. Having a work out “to do” hanging over my head was miserable! A few things have been super helpful:
1. I’m pretty adamant about getting to bed by 10:00. I might read in bed for a little, but lights out by 10:30.
2. Prep things the night before – lunch is packed, coffee is set to go off, workout clothes laid out, etc.
3. Have a workout planned. Usually I’ll take a 5:30 or 5:45 class (spin or body pump) which is more motivating than just getting myself onto a machine solo.
4. Meeting my friend – I know we’ll get to chat a little and it’s just nice to have a little accountability.
It’s tough at first, but really helps to free up the rest of the day! Any extra activity is a bonus!
I also would love to here how you found out your late sleeping was linked to hormones. If you have time, direct email me would be great.
I on the other hand, have gotten up at 4am for the past 18 years. I own and operate an in home daycare, and find that if I do not get the laundry done, breakfast prep started and a workout in before the crew arrives at 6am, I just will not fit it all in after they leave by 5pm. That is when I have to dedicate what time is left of the day to my own family.
All that is due to change real soon here, when my son leaves for his first year in college. I just am not sure how much change to expect yet!
Now sleeping in for me is maybe 6am, if I am lucky.
I always remind myself that an extra 45 min of sleep probably won’t make much of a difference, but that 45 min of exercise will.
^^^Yes to this!!! My alarm goes off at 4:30 am Monday – Friday and while it never gets any easier to leave my nice comfy bed, I just do the damn thing and tell myself how great I’ll feel once the workout is in the books.
so true.
Big congrats on the morning workouts! I use to religiously get up at 430 am to stat my workout at 5 am, did it for about 3 years. It got to me and after 3 years i started to sleep in and now workout 6 pm, which i love. I for some reason have more energy to workout at night, but i do also love morning workouts, but not too early, around 730 am. To help me get motivated I use to lay my clothing out the night before or sleep in my clothing, crazy i know, but it worked. I would have my sneakers right nest to my bed and roll out the door to the gym. I always enjoyed a nice cold protein shake afterwards that i looked forward to so that helped motivate me too during the workouts. I knew after a sweaty, hard session, my protein shake would be waiting for me.
Hi Gina, I am so proud of you!! Way to go this morning!
I have the same exact problem as you and have been struggling with this for YEARS. Something triggered in me when you said it was hormonal? Can you please share more on this so I can explore the same? Maybe you already wrote a post on this?
Thank you!
yes, i’ve written about it before (but couldn’t find a link) so i’ll address it in my next post
xoxo
I do mornings for many reasons: I LOVE getting up early before anyone else in my home; love beating the heat for a summer run; and oftentimes, I’m also teaching fitness classes early in the morning and/or getting ready for work/school. I wake up at 5am, sometimes a few minutes earlier!
Tips:
*Go to bed before 10pm and about 1 hour before, “un-plug”. I hop into my bed around 9pm and open up my book. More often than not, I actually fall asleep way before 10 because my body realizes it’s time!
*Keep your alarm clock far enough away from the bed that you actually have to get up to turn it off. For me, once I’m up, I’m up so I find this to be a life saver to prevent hitting the snooze.
*If you’re planning to workout early in the morning, go to bed with your workout clothes on or have them laying right by the bed so that your mind recognizes that it’s time to get up and sweat!
*Drink a glass of water right away when waking up – I find that it really wakes up my body and gives me hydration for a workout!
Good luck everyone! I used to hate mornings, too, but after getting used to them I am probably going to always be an early morning person!
I didn’t become a morning person until the day we brought our first baby home from the hospital, but it stuck! We’ve got 2 little ones now (ages 3 and 11 months), and getting up at 6:30 and getting a head start on them is the key to my sanity. My husband thinks I’m nuts for getting up an hour before the kids, but it’s the only “me time” I get all day, and I feel that time to get ready leisurely and eat breakfast in peace is better for my well being than the extra sleep would be. I know everybody has their own tricks and tips, but mine is simple. I need 7-8 hours of sleep, so if I go to bed early enough for that to happen, then waking up is no problem.
It’s like working out – don’t question it. Do it. Don’t think twice, because then you will hit the snooze button. If you do so, think about how you will feel after your morning workout. For me, there’s NO workout like the early morning one. It’s the best. And the feeling when sitting down for breakfast? PRICELESS. i go to bed at 10/10:30 and wake up 5/5:30 – you can get used to it….I think 🙂 I’ve always been a morning person so I can’t really tell. But it’s SO worth it! I mean, you can start with the early routine on 1-2 mornings per week. I don’t get up at 5 every day, but around 4 times a week.
I had NO IDEA early mornings were optional for mamas!! Hahaha…(half-kidding of course!)
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a choice to sleep in much (unless super-hubby comes to the rescue) because it compromises my yoga/stretching time. My 3 bum discs physically FORCE me to do yoga every morning just to operate without crazy pain meds/medical intervention and be a coherent mama. Meds or yoga??? Yeah…..I’ll be a hippe yogi anyday 🙂
Marriage + Job + Kids + Wife duties = WORN OUT
Thats the equation no matter who you are, how many kids you have, or if you work in or out of the home. The only thing that gives me my “me time” and “cloud 9” feeling all day are taking some time for myself in the morning. Its the only way I can do my bible study, workout, take care of after hours business, etc.–completely uninterrupted. And in a house of a few (loud) family members….this time is PRECIOUS!
So make a list of all the reasons that sleeping in/staying up late are better….and you will find its very slim! Thats my secret, keeping my eye on the prize and to be the best possible WIFE, MOM, FRIEND, etc. for my family 🙂 Motivation can’t get much better than that! Good luck Gina! I can’t wait to see what kind of shenanigans you get into in the early am once you get on track. Keep us posted of course!
P.S. The angry elf part of me that wants to press snooze and cuddle doesn’t go away until I’m sipping my cup o’ joe. So Amy Ramos is so right! Get your coffee/smoothie/whatever kick in the a$$ you need to get you going READY so you don’t even have to think about it!
i love that tip of keeping your eye on the prize. it’s so worth it, especially as a mama, just to have time for YOU
keep up the amazing job you’re doing <3
xoxo
I used to be a consistent morning exerciser in college, then once I started working 9-5 I somehow ended up finding it easier to work out at night. That being said, the past two weeks I’ve literally forced myself to get up at 5:15 to work out in the morning, and I have felt awesomeeeeee! It really does wake you up and set a happy tone for the rest of your day. When I want to sleep in I just remember how great I’ll feel and that I can lay on the couch all I want after work 🙂
Good for you for getting up and going! I still struggle with getting up earlier than I “need” to since having a little man. Sleep is such a luxury now that I want to stay in bed as long as possible. It’s a constant battle but setting the coffee pot to go off when my alarm does sure does help. And I just try to remember that once my feet actually hit the floor I’m happy to be awake! It’s just swinging them out of bed that’s the hard part…. 🙂
i need to see if i can set out coffee pot to brew at a certain time….
I absolutely love this post of yours. So many people have said that once you get through that first week or so, well it’s just habit! I find that to be so true for myself. Thank you for writing this, I’m motivated to wake up early tomorrow and hit the ground running by 6 a.m. now 🙂
It’s an old trick, but I moved my phone and charger to the desk on the other side of my room so I had to get up to turn it off. Since I don’t want it to go on too long and wake my fiance, I hop right up, and by then the hard part is over. I’m naturally a morning person anyway, but this makes it even easier for me. It really works!
Way to make it happen Gina!! I am a personal trainer and have clients 6 days a week at 5:30am. Yes, they are crazy, but I still love them. The trick for me is to not hit snooze and put my feet on the ground as soon as possible. The more I sit there and think about it, the more I hate getting up. I also think it really helps to turn the news on as soon as I get up. It helps to hear other people are awake at that crazy hour and gets me going. Getting ready in silence just makes me want to dive back under the covers!
I just came across your blog today. I think from Skinny Meg, now I’m not sure. I’m not a morning person but I’m also not a night owl. HA! 4-5 days a week I get up at 4:45 to either run or go to a Yoglates class. I don’t like getting up early but I don’t like having to work out at 5:00 pm when I get home from work. One thing that helps me is my hubs gets up at 5 so he just sets his alarm for 4:45 & wakes me up so I can’t hit the snooze button. I also feel bad if I say I don’t want to get up because that means he just missed out on some extra sleep. I also tell myself how great I feel having my workouts done before going to work.
I used to wish I could be a morning workout person and I finally am now. I force myself to keep a bed time and I sit up immediately when the alarm goes off. I also always plan out my workout the night before so I know exactly what I will be doing when I wake up.
It comes from the same motivation that we dig from in the gym…just make yourself do it. Don’t think about it, and when that alarm goes off, throw the covers off and get out of bed and get going.
Some things that help me is laying out my workout clothes so they are ready to put on right away, and also turning off my alarm the first time. Completely off. Not just pressing snooze. If I shut it completely off I know that i have to get up or I’m going to miss my workout. 🙂
Also, meeting a workout buddy early in the morning is good too, you should see if there is another Mom in the area who would want to meet up for an early walk or run. The accountability will pull you up and out of bed.
that’s a good idea. my friend ashley is usually my yoga buddy, so maybe she’ll want to wake up early and meet me 🙂
The biggest thing for me is making sure I go to bed at a reasonable time the night before so it’s easier to get out of bed earlier. If I stay up late it’s 10x harder in the morning – and more tempting to push the snooze button!
The snooze button does more harm than good. Just make yourself get up, no snoozing. The hardest part is actually getting out of bed. Once you’ve been moving for about five minutes it’s all downhill from there. Every morning I think about going back to sleep and every morning I make the (almost physically) painful decision to just get up and every morning I’m glad I did.
http://www.motivationalwellbeing.com/snooze-button-effect.html
thank you for that link! it’s so true.. the snooze button makes it much worse!
I’m an early bird! On most weekdays, I try to get up at 4:30 (and yes, it’s awful). I do a couple things to help with this:
1) Lay out all your stuff the night before
2) Shut down all iPhones, TVs, etc. at least 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep
3) Drink a decent amount of water before bed, but not too much that it’ll wake you in the night. This means you’ll have to go when you wake up and will help get you out of bed. Be warned, this can sometimes backfire.
Good luck! Once you do it enough it’s not so bad!
awesome tips- thank you!
so awesome that you made it to yoga! morning Flows give me soooo much energy.
I’ve always been a morning person though, I have always gone to bed fairly early and NEVER use the snooze button. I find it irritating lol when I wake up to press snooze I just barely fell back to sleep when it goes off again. balls.
I know for myself I’m always the most excited to get out of bed when I have a legendary breakfast planned/prepped.. and as many have already said, have the coffee maker set 😉
Proud of you for getting up & doing it! Hope it was a great class too! As a nursing student, I pretty much always have early mornings. They have ranged from 5 am to about 7:15 am. Just depends on whether it’s class or clinical & how far I have to drive. I’m assuming I’ll be part of the 5:30 am crew once I start working as most shifts here in SC seem to be 7 am-7 pm and night shift….
I love mornings usually although I may be tired…If I could, I would be up fairly early on week-ends, just so I don’t “sleep my day away”…I hate waking up at 9 am or after!!
i feel the same way! i LOVE sleeping in, but hate feeling like i wasted the day sleeping
I am a morning person. Just by nature. But don’t hate, because I am the subject of ridicule amongst our friends…Early Bird Special anyone? Lights out by 8:30 for the 4 kids, 9pm for momma or I will turn into a pumpkin. But the true secret? Set the alarm clock and then MOVE the alarm clock across the room. Once you are up, you’re up. And it sucks having to get up to turn off the alarm, but it works. And if across the room won’t work, then move it across the house. Right now, our alarm clock is in the kitchen. Right beside the coffee pot. Kid you not.
My doctor says “you must pay yourself before you pay anyone else” and that mindset might help along with an early time to bed. You are so dedicated to working out and healthy eating I bet over time and with consistency you can train yourself to be a morning person.
Do you have a favorite yoga mat?
i totally agree! by taking care of yourself, it’s much easier to take care of others. liv and i had kind of a rough afternoon -her teeth are bothering her big-time- and i felt so much more relaxed because i had a yoga practice this morning
So, I used to be a night person (like so, that I would go out to run 6 miles and feel SO good that I’d run 9-10 instead), but then me and my hubby somehow switched places and I became the morning person!! Since having a baby, I think I’m back to being a night person again. But, I totally like the morning thing better, so I think I need do exactly what you’re saying – go to bed earlier! Starting tonight 😉 After wine…obvs!
necessary 🙂