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Tips for EARLY AM workouts?

Old 12-29-2010, 03:32 AM
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Question Tips for EARLY AM workouts?

I'm looking for any tips on very early (~ 5 am) workouts. I have a 5 month old and would like to start a workout routine at home with videos once he is completely sleeping through the night. Right now I am doing the videos only on weekends or vacation days.

Share your experiences.
What time do you get up?
How do you make yourself get up?
Do you sleep in your workout clothes?
Do you eat before such an early workout?

Any tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Old 12-29-2010, 04:19 AM
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Share your experiences.
What time do you get up? Getting up time is whatever is good for you but be consistent and also consistent when you go to bed, as good as you can be with young one.
How do you make yourself get up? You have to set goals and a reasonable date when you want to make it by, without that who would want to work out? Take pictures of yourself and watch your progress. When you do see progress you will be plenty motivated. Also start off slow, maybe 10 minutes a day, and take quick notes on that too, how long you worked out for and what you did. I've had many friends at the gym go nuts for the first 2 weeks for hours a day, only to burn out and say hell with it later, slow and steady.
Do you sleep in your workout clothes? No never
Do you eat before such an early workout? I've read that working out in the morning on an empty stomach burns the most fat, maybe, maybe not.
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Old 12-30-2010, 02:51 AM
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Hi mstefanis,

I don't have kids, but if I don't get my workout (which for me is usually a run) in first thing, it won't get done.

1.) Lay out your work out clothes the night before - even if you are just going to the TV for a video. Pick a set of tops, bottoms, and shoes that you only use for working out so that after a while as soon as you put them on your mindset is: Now it is time to workout.
2.) Don't linger in your PJs. As soon as you get up, pull on your work out clothes.
3.) Pour yourself a cup of coffee (or tea) and add a teaspoon of a real sweetener (I like honey in my coffee, but real sugar is fine too.) and/or milk. I am not much of an early breakfast eater. Even if I'm going on a 10 mile run I have to force myself to eat a little something to get the furnace stoked. But I am a coffee drinker and a teaspoon of honey or real sugar give me 50 or so calories. You could also add a banana or something else that is easily digestable. No heavy or time consuming breakfast - just enough to wake up the system.
4.) Turn on your video, no matter what - even if you are not really in the mood. It is the equivelant for us runners of just getting out the door. There have been many days when I really didn't feel like a run. So I tell myself, "OK, at least walk a little bit", and 90% of the time the walk turns into a run, and often the best run of the week. I'm betting that even if you just plan on sitting there and watching, after a while you'll get up and join in.
5.) Have a protein loaded breakfast AFTER your workout. And I mean right after your workout. It does 2 things, provides a reward and incentive to complete your workout, and gives you the needed amino acids to build the muscles you have challenged with your workout. Depending on the season and how busy my day is it could be a protein shake (I really like Muscle Milk Lite), cottage cheese, string cheese, or a full on bacon (1 strip) and egg breakfast... you get the picture.
6.) Pat yourself on the back and move on with chaos of the rest of the day.

Good luck, it is really all about getting into a pattern. You and I both know that getting started is the hardest part. But you'll feel on top of the world once you finish, so focus on the finish.

Pam
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Old 12-30-2010, 03:34 AM
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I could just about have written that same post runbikeski.

I do not let myself hit the snooze button (it doesn't really work so it's better I don't use it), if you can't manage that get an obnoxious alarm clock with no snooze, or put the clock across the room so you have to get out of bed to shut it off, and hurry because you don't want the little one to wake up. Set it for the time that will give you 15-20 pre-workout plus the workout, mine is set for 4:40, and I workout from 5:00-6:00am (sometimes 5:30-6:30 if I'm being a slug). LAYING OUT CLOTHES the night before is essential for me. I put them in the bathroom, so I don't wake DH rummaging around and so right after I weigh myself naked I'm putting those on instead of my pjs. I also put my headphones and MP3 on the pile and throw a bottle of water in the fridge the night before - no excuses (I do this at the same time I prep the coffee pot for "auto-brew" mode). When I get dressed I pop the headphones in my ears and start to wake up and get in the mood, that loud obnoxious beat really helps me. If we have bananas in the house I eat one before I get started and I also do the coffee thing, only I put a little protein powder and almond milk in mine. If we don't have bananas I eat 2 slices of ww toast with low sugar jam. Then I grab the water bottle and get going. If I'm not in the mood for something complicated or strenuous, I'll do Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home or Wii Fit Plus. If I'm energetic I'll do something harder like 30-Day Shred, DWTS Latin Cardio, anything Kathy Smith, the elliptical or go for a run/walk if DH is going to be home for another hour. It takes time to figure out what works for you, it took me like 3-4 months to totally figure out how to get motivated in the morning, and even still I fall off the wagon sometimes.

Last edited by almeeker; 12-30-2010 at 03:47 AM.
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Old 12-31-2010, 05:22 AM
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Thank you for all your responses. All the advice is very helpful! I hope to try my new routine very soon.

Happy New Year!
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Old 12-31-2010, 07:05 AM
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Originally Posted by mstefanis
I'm looking for any tips on very early (~ 5 am) workouts. I have a 5 month old and would like to start a workout routine at home with videos once he is completely sleeping through the night. Right now I am doing the videos only on weekends or vacation days.
I have a 3month old so pretty much in the same situation like yourself. I've been working out for a good couple of weeks now coz i got very heavy during pregnancy and didnt fit in any clothes (esp. my behind ). My day includes lots of walking (up to 1.5hr on a typical day) and 5-6times a week 30min cardio, either exercise bike or DVD workout with 2lb weights, no gym no running just yet. I lost 14lb during the last 2 months. Don't rush the weight loss, i always feel like a glutton, people here diet on 1300kcal or even less, and i feel dizzy and weak if i eat less than 1800kcal (but even on 1800kcal i'm losing weight, so what). Also, i found that best workout time for me was when all three kids sleep, that's at around 9.30pm, did you consider exercising in the evening? Exercise gives you this nice feeling, and after that you take shower and sleep, but if you exercise in the morning, you might be exhausted for the rest of the day.
Exercising at home is the best, best thing for mums with babies, you save a fortune on gym and creche, there's no traveling and therefore no excuses just hop on the bike whenever LO sleeps.
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Old 01-01-2011, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by mstefanis
Share your experiences.
What time do you get up?
How do you make yourself get up?
Do you sleep in your workout clothes?
Do you eat before such an early workout?

Any tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I get up by 5 a.m. on most days. On cardio days, I work out on an empty stomach shortly after rising and do high intensity intervals on my elliptical for 20 min. This is controversial...some fitness buffs say it's a bad idea in that it can result in muscle catabolism or cause dizziness, some fitness buffs say it burns more fat...frankly, I do it because I'm more comfortable with an empty stomach SO LONG AS IT'S A SHORT SESSION, and once it's done, it's done for the day. It's been working for me for the last 10 years, so I'm not changing anything. On cardio days where I work for longer than 20 minutes, or weight lifting days-I eat something first. I always bring cold water with me on any workout and sip on it throughout the workout.

After a while, I found I felt so much better exercising, I didn't "have" to make myself get up. It's just part of my daily routine. Until that routine takes hold, you might want to be accountable to one of the group forums. Nothing like reporting back to a group to motivate oneself.

I usually lay aside my workout clothes before bed unless husband's out of town, in which case I don't have to worry about fumbling around in the dark.

Once my daughter was old enough to bring to the gym (probably around 2 yr old), the nursery staff told me they saw her doing curls with a rattle--that was a habit I was tickled to see her immitate!
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Old 01-02-2011, 06:07 AM
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Black Coffee first thing before morning working is a good thing. Caffine stimulates your metabolism so you will get additional fat burning results. Unfortunately I hate the taste of the stuff and if I worked out before work then I'd have to get up at about 4am so not happening
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Old 01-03-2011, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted by MunaAmin
Don't rush the weight loss, i always feel like a glutton, people here diet on 1300kcal or even less, and i feel dizzy and weak if i eat less than 1800kcal (but even on 1800kcal i'm losing weight, so what).
I agree! I feel lightheaded if I try to eat less than 1800 calories a day. I think losing the weight at a slower pace might be better anyway - it might actually stay off, as opposed to crash dieting.
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Old 01-03-2011, 08:41 AM
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I usually wake up at 6am and go for a walk on an empty stomach, I walk fast but at a comfortable pace. I get up and motivated because I know i need to go out for a walk/run. The distance dosnt matter as I live on hills any way so walking up them challanges me
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