Do you go to the gym in the early morning?

You're on Page 1 of 2
Go to
  • I have come to the conclusion that going to the gym after working all day is just not do-able for me. I work till 5:00, drive home a 45 minute drive, start cooking supper, eat supper, and by the time we are done eating, I am dead tired and its almost ready for bed.

    I cant go walking at lunchtime anymore cause its too darn hot for me....so...........my next plan is to begin working out BEFORE work, which would mean I need to get up at 5:00 am, workout, come home and shower, and be out the door for work by 7;00 am.

    Does anybody do this? How do you not be tired and sore all day while at work? And how do you make yourself get out of frigging bed that early?

    HELP!!!! Words of encouragement, others who do this?!
  • MugyouCANdoit,

    I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. to make it to Y and do weights and cardio. It really helped alot and sort of set my mindset for the day to keep with it and make good choices (why waste such a really good start?!) It helped that I was meeting a friend there and I've gotten out of the habit since she dropped out of it. But summer's coming up and I won't have to get up quite so early, I won't have to get the girls up and ready and to school and I really, really want to get to Onederland this year, so I'll be starting back up again within the month.

    It felt/feels really good to start the day with a real step towards getting healthy/losing weight. And as Jillian sez -- you can't get Biggest Loser results without making Biggest Loser effort (that was a rant worth saving : ) ).

    Barb
  • I don't do that anymore, but I used to. The hardest part was the showering, which I eventually just started doing at the gym.

    The great thing is you have your pick from the machines and working out in the morning really motivates me throughout the day. I feel sexier and better all day long because I already commited and finished a large part of my weight loss obligation that day.

    Now, I'm a morning person, and I like getting up that early. You just have to make it a habit. It is going to suck at first, but you will get used to it and it will be worth it because you'll have so much time in the afternoons!

    Good luck, it really does rock to work out early. And, you won't be alone. Eventhough I go to the gym afterwork, I do 30 minutes on my treadmill every morning at home (5:30 a.m.)
  • Here is my current routine EVERYDAY (I go 6 days a week):

    Wake up at 5 a.m.
    Get dressed and do my hair and make-up (I know - ridiculous, but you'll see why in a second)
    Get out the door by 540 a.m. to make it to the gym by 550 a.m.
    550 a.m.- get to gym
    640 a.m. - leave gym
    650 a.m. - arrive home to get my 7 year old ready for school
    710 a.m. - bring my daughter to school (which is in our community) and then head out for 1.5 mile walk, YES - even after going to the gym
    740 a.m. - get home, hop in the shower and wash my body of sweat (I do not wash my hair, I DO blow dry it with cold air though and that pretty much takes care of any sweat in my hair line)
    750 a.m. - get dress and "touch up my make-up (usually just a little of powder)
    755 a.m. - head out the door for work to arrive by 810 a.m. (I do eat my breakfast in the car or when I get to work-this is a downfall)

    NOW - I have many advantages here:

    A. I live close to the gym
    B. I live close to my daughters school
    C. I live close to my job

    If you do not have children, I think you could probably swing it. I ALWAYS plan my outfit and lunch the night before. Everything is laid out to not hold me up.

    Now, as far as the routine itself, how I get up and how I feel. Well, I NEVER exercised. My whole life I NEVER exercised and I started this routine about 2 months ago. For the first 3 weeks it was REALLY hard and I definately didnt start at 6 days a week but after you do it and you feel how amazing it makes you feel and how the rest of your day goes, its well worth it. It sets the pace for my day and believe it or not, I have MORE energy throughout the day. Yes, I do go to bed a little earlier than usual (usually 930-10 pm) but that really is not a big deal to me. After doing it a while, your body just gets accustomed to it and I actually started to feel like crap on the days I didnt go, thus the reason I built myself up to 6 days. Anyway, sorry for babbling. I just wanted to let you know that I could relate and how so.

    Good luck!
  • I was at the gym this morning at 0440. It was a really decent way to start the day. It's my first early morning workout, and it was really good. I'm looking forward to doing it again tomorrow.
  • I work out at home now days.

    I used to go to the gym though. I'd wake up early, take everything I needed to shower/change. It was nice as it wasn't crowded. I felt really good exercising in the morning. I actually try to exercise in the morning vs at night when I can.
  • Would there be any way you could work out at home? Like with DVD's? I wake up at 6.25am and do the 30DS. Now I am lucky that it is only 20 minutes so it's super easy to squeeze in, I also bought a few others that were 1/2 hour long.

    The way I make this work is I get the living room all set up the night before, I have my weights and runners ready to go, I move the coffee table out of the way etc. I go to sleep in my workout clothes. Once the alarm goes off I sit up immediately, stumble like a zombie to the living room and get it done. I have never really been consistant with a workout routine until now. My views of exercise have drastically changed since now after a workout, I am so awake and hyper and ready for the day! My workouts now are less about trying to lose weight and more about feeling great in the morning. Plus working out after work is just like you said, after dinner, driving home blah blah, the last thing you want to do is work your butt off, once it's done in the morning, you can just come home and relax. I have also heard stuff about morning workouts being better for fat burning but I am not sure how true that is.

    Props to people who can get up and make it to the gym but I think it's so much easy to be able to just do it at home.
  • I go to the gym early, too. I get up at 4:45, make my lunch and breakfast, get dressed in gym clothes and take all my stuff (work clothes, shampoo, makeup) to the gym because I live about 15 miles away from work and the gym. Work and the gym are within 5 minutes of each other. I usually get to the gym by about 5:45 and I work out until about 7:00. It doesn't take me long to get ready for work, so I'm at work by 7:45.

    I was like you, where I could not find time to work out after work and if I did, it was hit and miss. Now I go 6 days a week to the gym and I'm feeling better than ever.

    I'm like luckylindy, the first few weeks were HARD! Now, I look forward to it and I feel better during the day, knowing I got my workout in. There have been times that I am sore at work, but that's ok. It's a good sore! The good thing is that if I can go home after work (without running kids around), I don't feel guilty if I just sit and read the paper. I've done my workout!!! I'm done!!!

    My kids are older now, 15 and 13, so it works out. Would be tough if you have little ones.
  • I was thinking if time is really a big deal for you, you could invest in a good work out dvd and two weights, 10 lb maybe? Some of those dvds are challenging! For isntance, Jullian Michaels' 30-day shred. A 20 minute work out that will have your heart pumping from start until finish. The biggest loser also has some good dvds that will get your heart pounding. You could these and still stay at home, that way you save yourself drive time. I do the biggest loser work outs. The plan I have incorporates weights and cardio. This could be an option for you.

    You could also incorporate exercise into your everyday routine. Take the stairs, instead of the elevator. I'm not sure what kind of work you do, but if you do seated work, you could do leg raises in your chair, etc.
  • I don't go to the gym in the morning, but it's when I exercise.

    I find that it actually gives me more energy all day, not less.

    My main strategy for getting up at 5am, besides committing to it, is to jump out of bed immediately. Period. Hitting snooze or stopping to think about it for even a second is death to getting up early, at least for me. Literally, I just decide before going to bed that when the alarm goes off, I'm sitting up instantly. It sounds weird, but it really makes a difference for me.

    It also helps to have everything ready the night before. Knowing my clothes are all set out makes me feel bad to not exercise. They would mock me when I did finally get up
  • I exercise in the mornings but no, I don't go to a gym. Nights are crazy for me. Hubby either works late or is out of town. Between afterschool stuff, homework, baths and making lunches for the next day I just can't excuse myself.


    Yes, like Julie said--laying everything out makes things so nice in the mornings. Some people even sleep in their workout clothing.

    In the morning all I do (mornings hubby is here) is roll out of bed, bathroom, weigh, brush teeth and Noxema face, clothes. Door. I try to arrive back no later than 7 because I have kids that have to be at school at 8.
  • I also go to the gym in the morning. I am NOT a morning person at all, but I was always finding an excuse not to go after work. I also have a 45 minute commute, and was needing to be at work at 7. I did change my hours to start at 7:30, just to give myself a little more time. I find that I just roll out of bed, throw on my sweats, throw on a headband, and am out the door. There are days when it is hard, but if you just get out of bed, you are half way there.

    I also find that I have more energy, and it feels so great to know my workout is out of the way. It is a great feeling of pride, knowing I did it. Also, my evenings are less hectic, and I go to bed around 9:15 or 9:30.

    Good luck!
  • I get up at 5:15 every day, even on weekends, to make sure I stay in the habit on weekdays, when I want to get to the gym early.

    The college gym opened at 7 AM, but I just joined a commercial gym that opens at 5:45. YAY!!!! That's going to give me a lot more time to shower & get ready to drive to the office.
  • I don't go to the gym, but I started walking every day about a week and a half ago. I find that I do much better if I get up in the morning and do my walk before everyone else gets up. If I wait to do it in the evening, it probably won't get done. I also find that if I start my day off by exercising, I feel better all day long.
  • OK, so everyone who has posted is amazing as they rise early! BUT, what time to you go to bed, in order to be up at, say 0430 am??
    I WANT to be an am person, but I am a night person and find it hard to go to bed at 9pm. Are you guys all morning persons? How did you switch your body clocks over?
    Kira