Thread: 5 AM

So, I really need to get my butt out of bed earlier than I'd like to fit in work out time because from here on out during the month of Jan I don't have time. So I need to make the effort of getting up an hour earlier and do something.

Do any of you do this and how do you get motivated. Seriously, I tried to this morning and I just slapped my alarm clock and said f*** it. ,s::

I always have difficulty getting up as early as I need to, I've even tried having three different alarm clocks on the go, set 10 mins apart from one another, and two of them away from arm's reach so that I have to stand and walk to turn them off. But Morpheus always wins and I fall back into bed. Maybe we should try this?

The alarm clock that you have to chase : TurboGadgets Gadget Reviews and Gadget News

LOL! That's clever.

Right I am struggling with this myself just now but I have managed to work out for an hour before work in the past. Im naturally a night owl so found getting up early really hard but I read someplace that it takes 21 days to form a habit so I printed out a date chart for 21 days and just MADE myself get up and do it. And it did work! I just kept telling myself to make it to the 21 days but I actually found myself enjoying it and getting used to it pretty quickly. A couple of practical tips, set an alarm clock across a room, switch on a bright light instantly and put on loud music if you can, this really does help!

Also: go to sleep in your workout clothes. That way you can seriously just roll out of bed, brush your teeth and go to the gym.

If you hit snooze too much you can try password protecting your alarm (like on a computer or iPhone) so you have to be at least a LITTLE awake to make it snooze.

I am an early morning worker outer :P and the best thing to do for me is to not hit snooze at all. Once I let myself have the instance of maybe I won't work out or maybe I'll just sleep 10 minutes longer than I don't make it out of bed. Tell yourself the night before that snooze is not an option :) Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by lilya

Also: go to sleep in your workout clothes. That way you can seriously just roll out of bed, brush your teeth and go to the gym.

Brilliant!

i have such a hard time getting up when it's still dark outside. if i could afford it, i'd definitely get one of those "dawn simulator" alarm clocks. i hear they're well worth the price

Originally Posted by lilya

Also: go to sleep in your workout clothes. That way you can seriously just roll out of bed, brush your teeth and go to the gym.

What a fantastic idea!

Originally Posted by Kathiya

i have such a hard time getting up when it's still dark outside. if i could afford it, i'd definitely get one of those "dawn simulator" alarm clocks. i hear they're well worth the price

Yes! I bought one for my sweetie two years ago, and it definitely works!

can you set an alarm that is a message in your own voice to yourself? is there a way to do this? you could wake up to yourself reminding you why working out is important.

A cheap alternative to a dawn simulator clock is a lamp timer. I have one and set it turn on for a few hours at night, and then turn on the same time my alarm goes off (5 am as well). Having the light on makes all the difference in helping me get up and out the door to work out. Plus it's less than 10 dollars for a timer. Good luck!

Snooze is the enemy. It's like cigs or Lays chips, can't have just one.
Waking up to some rousing music helps. Something like "move any mountain" by The Shamen will energize you. Or not... There's always Rage Against the Machine. LOL

I put my clock on NPR instead of music. I can't sleep when someone is talking. For some reason I incorporate music into my dreams. I like the idea of wearing workout clothes to bed. It's cold in the mornings, so this will help me get out of the covers.

Tammy

I didn't even try this morning, but I swear I am going to wing this. The 21 day idea is awesome. I am going to get up at 5 am tomorrow with Aziza and her shimmies.

Originally Posted by AllyisLuma

I didn't even try this morning, but I swear I am going to wing this. The 21 day idea is awesome. I am going to get up at 5 am tomorrow with Aziza and her shimmies.

Did you manage?

Im going to start the 21 days again on Monday, will let you know how I get on.

I have to get up at 5 am for work and during exams, but if I don't have a reason then there is NO WAY I will get out of bed early. The snooze button wins!

Maybe this will help - I found it while researching tips and tricks to getting up early:

How to get up right away when your alarm goes off

Haven't tried it yet, but it sounds just like drilling and creating muscle memory LOL.

Originally Posted by daisy_witch

Did you manage?

Im going to start the 21 days again on Monday, will let you know how I get on.

I did not. I did get up, but I didn't work out other than some stretching. I tried a new fitness program Sunday night called Callanetics that was discussed on the floorwork thread. I was way too sore to do any cardio this morning.

That Callanetics is very low impact. I didn't break a sweat. However, it sure did kick my butt. I love it.

My alarm went off at 5:30 this morning but I managed to quash the desire to arise until 6. I *did* get up though and I *did* work out. (I'm one who must do it first thing in the morning, otherwise I just won't.) "Brought it" with P90X.

I did think of everyone on this thread. :)

Originally Posted by AllyisLuma

I did not. I did get up, but I didn't work out other than some stretching. I tried a new fitness program Sunday night called Callanetics that was discussed on the floorwork thread. I was way too sore to do any cardio this morning.

That Callanetics is very low impact. I didn't break a sweat. However, it sure did kick my butt. I love it.

Well I managed to wake up on time but then just propped myself up against pillows and guzzled coffee while listening to the radio! But its a step in the right direction at least I didnt go straight back to sleep, lol!

Today I FINALLY did it..got up at 5 am and worked out! I did 45 minutes of Cardio (The Bellytwins Slim Down DVD..hey man, I love that one.) and felt fabulous all day.

Looking forward to doing it again tomorrow morning, though I don't know if I will be doing more cardio or if I will do my Callanetics, Callanetics being totally amazing btw.

thats hard to keep up ..... i have no problem drilling move until late but i find it hard to wake up and just do my workout ..... im always pushing it to the next monday lol ! as if it is easier on monday !!....... thats pretty dump .... (im french .... sometime my sentences are a bit weird )
you inspire me ...... i think i will just start a tommorow a stop the stupid excuses !! :)
the 21 day thing is a very nice idea too i used it to stop smoking last year ...... and im still free off that crap !
by the way , your dvd is it cardio/drumsolo/bellydance or something like that ...mabye i would be more into it than with my plane fitness /cardio work out ....
anyway ! i need to go sleep if i want to wake up !! :))

Get a cat and feed the beast before going to bed and don't leave food the its bowl.

Every morning between 5h30 and 6 am, Miss Cachou starts meowing loudly, jumps on the bed, licks my face, purs with her nose right next to my ear and makes "cookie dough" on my pillow pulling my hair with her two front paws.

Believe me you have to get up! Simon's cat is not to exagerated!..l;,

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ffwDYo00Q]YouTube - Simon's Cat 'Cat Man Do'[/ame]

Qamar

Originally Posted by AllyisLuma

So, I really need to get my butt out of bed earlier than I'd like to fit in work out time because from here on out during the month of Jan I don't have time. So I need to make the effort of getting up an hour earlier and do something.

Do any of you do this and how do you get motivated. Seriously, I tried to this morning and I just slapped my alarm clock and said f*** it. ,s::

I have the same prob. Even my tiny goal of consistent 15 min in the morning...I do randomly & so want to make it a habit, so I can then build into more time. I def think the key is changing one's habits.
I've done it with other stuff (ex-drinker, ex-smoker, ex-U-name-it er ahem) so I know it can be done!!
Love this thread, lots of good ideas. I just printed up the article about "How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off" in lanicraft's post, can't wait to read it later... I am such a heavy sleeper, I've been known to just keep sleeping as the loudest snooze alarm I could find went off forever.

When I had a nursing infant, I'd stumble over to him for middle of night feeding, and fall asleep immediately in rocker.
During my awake time, I'm extremely energetic and kinda hyper, very fast metabolism. I drink a lot of coffee but fall asleep fast.
I used to model for art classes, my head would droop, next thing I know my is head cocked to the side & I'm snoring, but still standing lol. Naked.
I do manage to get places on time, because I start this ridiculous alarm process 2 hours ahead. Sheesh. It doesn't drive my husband crazy stangely enuf. I suppose it would be incentive if it did. He thinks of it as another one of my strangely endearing quirks.
I went thru a period where I'd set my music alarm on loud rock station DOWNSTAIRS, so I would have to get up, run downstairs, & turn it off. Then I would fall asleep on the couch. I stopped that when I had a house guest...it drove her crazy, gee, why?
I'd almost given up trying to change, thanks for giving me hope. *Melodramatic sigh*
PS I have 2 dogs & a cat. But they're old so they sleep a lot. :-)

Originally Posted by Qamar60

Get a cat and feed the beast before going to bed and don't leave food the its bowl.

Every morning between 5h30 and 6 am, Miss Cachou starts meowing loudly, jumps on the bed, licks my face, purs with her nose right next to my ear and makes "cookie dough" on my pillow pulling my hair with her two front paws.

Believe me you have to get up! Simon's cat is not to exagerated!..l;,

YouTube - Simon's Cat 'Cat Man Do'

Qamar

OMG! That's so funny!

My future Father-in-law was in charge of watching the kitties, when Mommy went away to visit family.
Boomer the Grey Himalayan, didn't like it that Mommy was gone...must take it out on Daddy!
Boomer got on Daddy's chest, and tried waking him nicely....didn't work; so little impatient Boomer, stuck his claw into daddy's nose, hooked him and MADE HIM GET UP, or there won't BE any separation inbetween your nostrils anymore! FEED ME! ..l;,

OK...back to topic.

I'm glad you got up, and worked out with the bellytwins DVD (I like them too!)

I heard there is a watch/alarm clock set available that works with one's biorhythms, so it will know when you're sort of awake and the alarm will go off then as opposed to when you're truly sleeping.

I really thin k it can become a habit. I have started getting up at 5 to workout and drill dance moves since I got married and couldn't do it in the evening. It took me a while to get used to it, but now it is not hard. I do have my bedroom clock set back so I feel like I'm getting up later, to fool myself. I also have the alarm clock across the room,and try to turn it off soon after it goes off to not wake my hubby.

I had one day of getting up at 5 am and working out. I gotta say that it was an awesome day when I did that, to. Since then, I've been sleep central.

Today I moved my alarm clock to be across the bedroom. Tomorrow I'll actually have to get out of bed. ,m::

Going to sleep in your workout clothes (as stated before) really works -ESPECIALLY during the colder months, since when you wake up you aren't just dressed to go, but leaving the warmth of the bed isn't as hard 'cause you don't have to change in the early morning cold. Since I've gotten married my husband pitches a fit about this, unfortunately.

-Devora