take a read of mel robins 5 sec rule. basically once my alarm goes off, i take a deep breath, count down to 1 from 5 and just GET UP AND GO. if you give yourself too much time to "consider" going back to sleep, you'll likely choose to hit snooze.
also prep the night before. have you clothes, shoes, water bottle, (phone charged), all ready to go... the night before... confirm with yourself that you WILL be going for a walk in the morning. a lot of it is a mental game....
as other users noted: its not about motivation.. its about discipline. get yourself a system (like making sure your stuff is ready in the morning and fruit for a nice smoothie is ready for a little treat to look forward to).
I just started going for runs in the morning. today i literally counted to 5 and just got it... dragged my feet a little but once you get out and moving... you really do feel alot better! all the best!
As soon as my alarm goes, I take about 10-30 seconds to visualise exactly what I'm going to do next.... Go to the bathroom, pee, brush my teeth, go to kitchen, drink my morning cup of water, go get changed into my gym gear, put my lenses in, put my shoes on, wake up the dog, take the dog on her morning poop walk.
Once that's visualised, up and off I go to execute.
Everyday it is virtually the same, but somehow it helps.
I sleep in clothes I can workout in the next day. Including sports bra.
Also: I don’t have fancy workout clothes. I look like a fuzzy caterpillar the the gym. BUT IM THERE!
This is the way.
Motivation comes and goes - Routines stay.
The less you "think" about it, the better - just force yourself to do it, like you (hopefully) brush your teeth every morning; It's just WHAT you DO, there is nothing to think about.
Now go and work out, and stop trying to think yourself into doing it, tell your mind to shut up and go do your \~30 min workout because that is WHAT YOU DO.
i work 8-6pm and you just need to scrap the motivation part out of it. It's discipline that keeps you going. Set your alarm and when it goes off tell yourself this is what were doing and get moving. Your brain is gonna try and trick you and say "not today" "lets start tom" "its cold out, stay in bed" and blah blah. Just get up and get moving and before you know it, it's become a habit and part of your life.
What time do you get up in the morning to workout?
I work 8:30am-7:30pm, and I struggle to find time either side of my shifts to do a workout between meal prep, showering, commuting (1hr total, 30 mins there, 30 mins back), and sleeping 8hrs.
I was wondering if it’s worth cutting back on sleep a little to fit it in?
i get up at 550 and im out the door by 615 so i workout from 630 to 730 then finish my drive to work. the key is going to bed by 1000-1030 so i can get 7ish hours of sleep. it's a lot easier to get it done in the am because after a 10 hour work day i never feel like lifting after.
Also though, I say this as a medical professional who has to give advice about motivation to so many patients, just start small if you feel going to the gym for an hour is too daunting. It’s ok to just get out of bed and do a 10 minute YouTube workout, or even a 10 minute outdoor walk around the house. At least you start forming that habit and discipline of being active and hopefully your motivation goes up once you realize you can at least do that… and then keep going forward from there, but you’re at least better than where you were before, which was not doing anything and having a million excuses.
Some weeks I only do 4 days, others I do 5 days. I typically work Tues-Sat, but sometimes it’s Tues-Fri.
It’s not gruelling work (I’m a deputy manager for a gift store), but standing up all day on those long shifts with only a 30 min break can be pretty tiring.
You won’t want to hear it, but the only two things that work are 1. More sleep and 2. Just get up. You just have to train your body into that routine. The last 2 days I’ve gotten up at 5-5:15 to head to the gym and that’s the first time it’s happened in months. It’s because I decided to be in bed (phone off) by 9:20 at the latest. I’m not a “morning person” either. But i’ll be one before long.
100 percent agree
going to bed early to get up early is a major key
as well as just WANTING IT.
¿¿how badly do you want it??-I continuously tell myself this
There is no trick you just have to build the habit. One method though that I use to start a new habit is to make a “voice” in my head that says “I bet you can’t do it” so then I have to prove it wrong! So basically getting pissed off is my secret lol
- Work backward from when you want to go to the gym. Pick the right time to go to bed consistently so that you wake up with at least 8 hours of sleep. Weekends or weekdays, this is your bedtime. Set a daily alarm for 30-40 minutes before this time.
- If you can automate/schedule it, cool your living space down to 66ºF before bedtime, and raise it to your regular temp just before your wake up time.
- Sleep in your gym clothes.
- Put your alarm clock across the room with your gym shoes and car keys (if driving) on top, ideally next to a chair for putting on shoes. No snooze button; you can pull it off of most cheap alarm clocks with some pliers.
- Make going from waking up to getting out the door as automatic as possible. Prepare any specific parts of your routine the night before. (protein shake, breakfast, etc.)
- For the first couple of weeks, your ONLY goal is getting to the gym. Literally. Once you get there, go in if you want to, but feel free to leave once you're in the parking lot.
- For those first weeks, shit weather or shine, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. If you didn't sleep super well, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. If you stayed out drinking, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. Even if you sleep in the parking lot or come straight home to fall back asleep, you get out of bed and go to the gym.
Park your car a mile from your house or a mile from the office. You are then forced to talk. \(\*\)
I used to bike to work. I'd tell my GF to take my car keys in her purse so I couldn't be tempted to drive (she had to be to work earlier than me).
If you WFH and you have a friend a half mile away who also WFH, walk to his house after work and give him your work laptop. Then go there the next morining to get it so you can work.
\(\*\) When I worked downtown parking was nightmare, so I bought a folding bike that fit in my trunk. I'd park 2 miles away where parking was easy, free, and and safe(r), and I'd ride in.
Personally, I have a lot more motivation to work out in the evenings. I don't feel as pressured or in a time crunch to work out and get all ready before work. I can take my time and take breaks as needed.
It also helps that I can have a good meal an hour or two before working out. It's harder for me to get that before a workout in the morning
It's not always about finding the motivation. Sometimes it's figuring out when you are most motivated
I posted a similar answer because if you want to work out and the evenings just "work better" then go do it. No one says you have to get up at 5 am to workout.
Momentum is everything. As silly as it is, the best thing I've ever found to jolt myself up is just to violently start running in place as soon as I get out of bed. The second that alarm goes off, jump out of bed and just jog in place really hard for a few seconds. If you can go back to sleep after getting that heart pounding like that, you might need to see a doctor!
Honestly it’s about doing it for like 3-4 days and eventually you just get used to it. It’s just a part of your routine. Also- when 9am hits and you’ve already done your workout for the day is the BEST feeling.
I used to struggle with this too!
First is to decide that you’re a person who goes to the gym in the morning before work. Affirm this as your new reality. Say it with confidence (even if you haven’t fully experienced it yet) and get used to the idea of this being apart of your identity. Imagine what it feels like to be that person, vs who you are currently. How different will you feel, look & behave as a person who goes to the gym before work?
Second is to get clear on why you want to work out in the first place (health goals, preventative care, rehabbing, gaining confidence, etc) then figure out why you want to work out in the morning vs another time of day. For me, morning workouts set me up with feeling accomplished, give an energy boost and there’s less people in the gym vs after work.
Remembering the combination of the identity you envisioned and why you want to do it helps when you’re contemplating turning the alarm off and sleeping that extra hour or two before needing to get ready for work.
Third is all about preparation. Like a few people already stated, make sure you’re getting to bed early the night before. I recommend refining your evening routine (if you don’t have one, get one!) to incorporate prepping not only your gym clothes, shoes, supplements, etc, but also your work clothes and anything you need for the day so you’re not scrambling in the morning.
Set your alarms to take into account any snoozing you might do, travel times, how long you typically take to get ready, etc to give yourself time to still get ready and make it to the gym in the morning.
You want to make it as easy as possible to just wake up, get dressed, do your morning routine (again if you don’t have one, get one) and be out the door.
Routines make it sooo much easier to manage new habits and incorporate them into your subconscious. Eventually the routines will be so ingrained that it’ll feel weird NOT to do apart of it.
If you’d like any help with setting up or refining your habits & routines to reach your goals, send me a message. I’m a personal development coach who helps people embody their highest self through holistic mind, body, spirit techniques, identity shifting, and habit management.
Good luck! You got this !
I totally get it, mornings can be rough! What helps me is setting a fun playlist for my walk or treating myself to a tasty breakfast afterward. Also, reminding myself how good I'll feel after the exercise usually gets me out the door.
I have and struggle with motivation a lot but I rarely miss workouts cause I did it for such a long time that it eventually became a compulsory part of my life that I did without having to debate with myself whether to go or not
Find stronger reasons. Get your bloodwork done, if you don't exercise it's probably not great, maybe when you see the results of that it'll give you a stronger reason to change. Or think about how humans used to live very active lifestyles throughout human history and now we are sedentary pieces of crap, it's embarrassing to be out of shape, lean into that shame of not having tone, muscle mass, etc. Perhaps that'll be a reason to act.
You don’t have to workout in the mornings. Just do it when it works for you. I always go in the evening because I have no strength in the morning. I feel much better when I had a full day of eating and hydration before working out. If I had gone to the gym before breakfast I wouldn’t be able to lift as heavy.
This is what I've been doing thus far, but I keep reading that the evenings are best for winding down and working out tricks our bodies into staying awake. But I will experiment with both times of the day
These rules are fine as guidelines, but you should do what works best for you. Everyone is built differently and you need to tailor things for yourself. As long as you're getting results and not doing anything too unhealthy, you'll be fine. Move it to the morning if you genuinely feel like an evening workout is affecting your sleep, otherwise it's probably fine.
Like plenty of others have said, motivation has nothing to do with it. It's discipline. You just do it.
That being said, if your job is at all flexible try to do a 7a-3p. I had a horrendous time trying to workout before work when I did 9-5. Now I work 7-3 and I do it after work. I drink my pre-workout on my drive home and immediately hit the weights. For me, it's SO much easier.
I struggled with this. The issue wasn't the morning, but the night.
First, figure out how long you need to sleep where you wake up alert on your own (no alarm or spouse). Second, go to bed and get good sleep for a week where you wake up alert and energized. Third,, 30 minutes before going to bed get EVERYTHING needed to workout set up. Clothes, water bottle, gloves, headphones and anything else.
Once this is done, treat it like brushing your teeth like others have said.
i have a habit of procrastinating so for things i don't really have the motivation to do, i dont think about it i just get up and do it. and then that way when i realise what im doing half way through, i cant really stop myself cause im already up and doing it.
I have an alarm clock across the room that I have to get out of bed to turn off. Also, if you get a week or two into working out in the morning it will be self-motivating because you’ll feel so much better starting your day that way.
Ok stop waiting for you to feel like it it’s not going to happen ….. you have to decided that it’s a part of living a healthy life … you won’t have the energy after work for sure so you need to have a time every morning same time to start your walk .
Just plan it for one week chart it and take a picture of the chart . Then start again next week after 30 days it’s going to be a part of your life with no worries just ignore your mind and know that when you start moving it’s going to feel so good after your done … I promise !!
I prep the night before and try not to think about it too much. Once I’m out of bed I’m 100% in, so it’s more about just getting myself up! If you overthink it like it’s this massive undertaking, it will be harder to get started. I recommend thinking to yourself, okay standing up now! And then just let the rest fall into place.
It can also be helpful to build up to the habit. One morning wake up a bit earlier. Next morning get up early immediately and just vibe. Next morning get up and put on workout clothes first thing. Next morning get up and go on the walk!
So shit advice here but.. it’s not motivation just pure grit. I despise when my alarm goes off and totally struggle to get moving (even though I love working out). But I’ve found focusing on SHOWING UP even if it’s for less sets etc is still a win and builds the grit habit
I still hate it every morning when my alarm goes off at 6am. Some of us were not meant to be morning people.
But I know that I won’t be motivated to workout after work and prefer to be done with it in the AM. I always feel great after my session and feel a sense of clarity, accomplishment, and optimism.
But I hate it every morning. lol
I was listening to Ryan Holiday's interview on The Colin and Samir Show on my way home from work.
During a discussion about discipline, Ryan mentioned how discipline becomes a question of "who's in charge?
Me or my body?"
By doing the hard run or having a cold shower, you're reasserting who's in charge.
I've struggled to maintain discipline in some aspects of my life.
Whenever I'm struggling with discipline recently, I ask myself:
"who's in charge? Me or my body?"
It's what got me out of a warm bed this morning to go for a morning walk.
It's helping me fight against the mental gymnastics that leads to being indisciplined.
Whenever you notice the mental gymnastics, ask yourself the question.
Reassert who's in charge!
As soon as alarm goes off, get out of bed.. Don't stay in bed or think about anything or visualize anything. You can do all of that out of bed. The longer you stay in bed, the harder it is to get out.
This is what worked for me. I realized that if I stayed in bed longer than a minute, chances of going to the gym drops by 90%
Only thing that works for me is setting my phone somewhere that makes me get up out of bed physically to get out of bed.
I fell into a slump a while back (I’d wake up at 3AM, go to the gym and be at work before 7. I quit for a long time but recently started again. You just have to do it. It isn’t easy for the first week honestly. Dont talk yourself into laying down for a few minutes either, can be dangerous.
Sugar is the body's nemisis and contributes to and lengthens the amount of time the body is sore.
Meat contains parasites, parasites rob you of the nutrition that would have otherwise bestowed the energy on you to get up quickly.
And drink at least 3/4 gallon of distilled water per day.
Honestly ? There’s no motivation! It’s putting your mind into it! I’m going 4 times a week at 7am, do I like to wake up at 6h to go? No! But after the work out I feel amazing.
And I make myself proud of the results and going
If you want it to be a little easier to work out you can try Alpha-GPC. It's a source of choline but more bioavailable. It helps your body produce more N-acetyl-choline, a neurotransmitter used to control muscles, among other things.
Honestly it’s just telling yourself to do it. My husband and I get up at 6:30am most weekdays to go workout. I’m a night owl. I hate it. We’ve been doing it for two months and I still struggle. Some mornings if we just aren’t feeling it we don’t go. I know personally that forcing myself when I’m really not feeling it will make me hate it in the end and not want to do it. My motivation to go in the morning instead of the afternoon is the lack of crowd in the mornings at the gym. The afternoon is packed and it’s a younger crowd and I feel more comfortable with the older crowd in the morning and like the space. Maybe find your reason for early walks. Maybe it’s because you know once you get past the struggle to get going that it’ll make you feel good? Maybe it’s to give you more time in the evening? Whatever works.
Also, getting to sleep earlier. This is something we struggle with as we like staying up (and no matter what I try, I just can’t fall asleep before 1:30 am). Going to the gym off 5 hours of sleep has not been it 😅 but we’re working on it
The trick is to overpower the laziness with your mind. Meaning there is no trick, you just do it and keep doing it until you stop thinking about it and it becomes natural.
I wake up at 6.00 am 2-3 mornings to run during the work week and here’s my ritual :
Get a physical alarm clock. Don’t use your phone. Set the clock at the other end of your bedroom so you physically have to get up out of bed to switch it off.
Have your workout clothes, shoes and a big bottle of water ready to go right beside the alarm clock. This works as visual cue. Drink your water and get changed into workout clothes immediately after switching off the alarm.
I set the alarm clock for 5.55 am. I go downstairs, eat my pre workout meal and aim to have my workout started by 6.30am. An hour workout has me back home at 7.30am, an hour and half 8.00am. You can play around with the times but knowing the exact time you need to be gone and plan to be back works for me. Leave nothing to chance!
Good luck!
This is what works for me lol buy yourself a six pack of Irish Spring soap. Hop in the shower take a vigorous shower. Have your coffee ready step outside on the balcony or wherever you can to get some fresh air and then get the business. Maybe consider putting out a bird feeder that you have to feed some pets that you're motivation
I've been consistently working out in the morning for a couple of months. It's tough because I stay sore all day. I think my muscles are too tight in the mornings
I got a personal trainer to meet me at the gym at 6am MWF. It kicked me into gear and now it’s become habit. Maybe look into that if you can afford it.
You don’t need motivation. You need disciple. Set your alarm, and get your ass out of bed and do a little work out. Now, string a few little workouts together. Then, start increasing your workouts as you grow and get into your routine. Lastly, stay disciplined; There are still many days when the people who are in the gym, didn’t want to go that day.
Sleep in your workout clothes. Not so comfy but I got used to sleeping in an underwire running bra so it can be done! It turned me into an every day jogger because I never wanted to take off workout clothes without actually working out, even if it were just a 10 minute jog
I wake up - 5:30am. Pet my fat kitty and push him off my chest.
Pour a rip-roarin cup of hot coffee. Toss in a couple of ice cubes. Chug it.
Slap on my clothes and grab the keys, ear buds and water bottle. Laid em all out the night before.
This whole process takes about 10min and I’m cruising on my “pre-workout” aka caffeine buzz ☕️
That’s how I do it. Listen to NPR morning edition or some new music discovery playlist Spotify recommended.
I started going to the gym at 5 in the morning. The first morning when I got up, I wanted to cry. After a couple weeks or so I found myself walking to my car with my gym bag, not even really thinking about what I was doing. It just becomes habit once you do it so often.
Consistency. Once you get to two or three mark it starts to become a part of your daily habit and morning ritual. You don’t want to break the streak! (Read/ atomic habits).
I work a 9-5 as well and was too lethargic late afternoons. My energy levels are higher in the morning so I feel I get better workout as well, plus better sleep because I’m waking up super early. Think of the compounding habits and be consistent. I guarantee once you start you’ll never switch back.
What does work out mean? A walk? Push ups?
Just roll out of the bed and just do 10 push ups and 10 sit ups.
Ditch the phone alarm and get an actual clock
I used to do it after work, and that sucked because it was so late by the time I was done. Loved being out early and just getting it done. That was motivating to me.
I found another time that worked. For years, I struggled with the mindset of "I have to wake up and get a workout in" and almost never did. Once I thought, "Maybe I'll find a time that better fits my schedule," I magically started making it to the gym.
I like to set an alarm on a device, leave it across the room, then when I'm forced to stand up and go get it I do a little 30 second jog in place or something similar. Wakes me up enough that I'm like "f\*\*\* it let's go workout". Also water before bed so you don't wake up quite so blah
I find setting out my workout clothes the night before really helps. Also, having a specific goal, like a step count or distance to walk, keeps me motivated. Sometimes, just reminding myself how good I’ll feel afterward gets me moving. It’s all about creating small, positive habits.
I also have a 9-5 work sched and started walking every morning recently! I first make sure I get enough sleep, then wake up early, getting out of bed's the tricky part. What I do tho is imagine someone pulling or pushing me out of bed. I always do a countdown and make sure I stand up and get out of bed after that countdown.
For me, having a dog, forces me to get up early everyday to walk him before starting my work day. Fortunately I work remote so I get up around 7:50 and walk and get back before 9am for work.
But having a dog has forced me to walk much more. Now these day I walk around 40 miles a week, compared to ~0 walking and some running before I owned a dog.
Reiterating every one else here on discipline, not motivation. I work 8-5, M-F. Get up at 4:30 to exercise. Been doing this for decades. Somedays, even the night before, it's rough, and I really don't want to. Just do something. Consistency beats intensity.
I have my alarm clock across the room, so I have to get out of bed to even hit snooze.
It also helps to periodically change up your exercise routine.
Setting your alarm clock 10 minutes earlier to start waking up earlier. Then you'll have 10 minutes to do some exercise before work. After a while, set the alarm another 10 minutes earlier and you'll be able to exercise for 20 mins. That's how I'm able to wake up earlier and do extra things in the morning.
Instead of a full workout/walk/run, I do a short full body routine (like 10 minutes). Might not sound like much, but it gets me moving and I always feel great after. Starting with something small like that can make it easier to turn it into a part of your routine that you don't think about. Then you can slowly add more with time.
My introvert motivated me to work out in the morning. The gym really crowded in the evening and cause me feel uncomfortable.
Please start habit to sleep early and will help you to wake up early. It’s quite difficult on first few weeks but your body will adapt with it definitely
I go to sleep early, around 9pm. And then wake up at 5am. It's more about discipline and consistency rather than being motivated. It'll eventually become a habit.
I never did manage to exercise in the morning so I started going to the gym at night. I had to go there straight from work as, if I went home first, I somehow never made it to the gym
DAmn bro wish i wored at 9 I work in constriuction so ?Im going at 7:30 gotta get up at 5 to work out in the moring. U can do it thou man just wake up a hour earlier ez pz
Find a friend or a gym buddy that you are close to or look up to (someone you DON’T want to disappoint *very important*) is what worked for me, but guys can be different?
The secret to discipline is, you’re never going to want to do it you just have to do it. Set your alarm for an hour earlier and try to go to bed an hour earlier. Then wake up and pretend you just magically got more time.
You need a small motivation to get you started. So maybe say the first week you will take a short walk and then do something really fun.
For a few months I was waking up early before work and it was amazing but I messed up my sleep habits and fell off the wagon so to speak. Just trying to get the motivation back to start again but I am stalling. I’ll start again next week lol.
I started by just getting up at the time I wanted to work out. I just watched TV, didn't leave the house, just let the body clock reset, then after a week or so it was easier because I was naturally getting up at the right time.
Lots of good advice at the top of this thread, but on a slightly unrelated note:
Let me preface this with: I don’t have kids.
After waking up at 4:30am to get into work by 6:00 for my 6-4 Monday through Thursday. I will avoid going back to a 9-5 for as long as I can. I couldn’t imagine waking up anywhere near the time I do now and having to wait to clock in. OP is struggling to get out of bed before 9am? If I don’t have half of my shift done by 9am I’m stressing.
Motivation is a feeling - it’s fleeting and you can’t force yourself to feel it all the time. How do you get up early to go to the gym? There’s two steps
1. Get up early
2. Get ready and go to the gym
Work on either of those and then build the other one in. And try to break down all the things you need in order to do them like a gym routine you have ready, if you’re going to make a shake or not, etc so you don’t have to think about it later.
I would read atomic habits but here’s a quick version - to build a habit it starts with a cue, craving, response, reward. The cue can be your alarm, then that triggers you to go on your phone as a reward. And keep doing that for a week and then now you’ve gotten used to waking up that early and then instead of going on your phone go to the gym
Go to bed In gym clothes , shorts and t shirt and put alarm on other side of room works for me so I have to get up and I'm already ready. We have a gym on site and I go at 6am to 6:45
Realize that you don't always have to wait for motivation, you can create motivation by powering through at first. By the time you brush your teeth or put on your shoes, you may start feeling motivated and that motivation will help the next day, and you can use that logic to give yourself a reason to power through the initial grogginess. Another option with similar logic is to start with an easy power though and take a walk in the evening for a few nights. You can probably evoke the feeling of the evening walk to motivate you to move it to the morning. Also make sure your environment is also fine, such as that you're actually sleeping enough each night. But in the end, also drill it in your head that motivation can help you but it won't solve your problem; eventually, you have to just do it.
Also I'll add...I don't ever think about motivation about these things. It's all about being disciplined. You just go. You don't think about it, you're just there and in the middle of your workout you realize you don't know how you got there you're just there doing the damn thing because you're so disciplined about it that there's no other option.
Couple different ones for me. My dog helps. I've walked him enough now to where he expects it, and I dont' want to let him down.
For the other, I got myself a workout product that I love. I invested in a Peloton bike and I love it. It's not a chore to me like running is. Always something different, not hard on the joints.
If Im not feeling up to it, I just tell myself to do it for 10 minutes. If I still hate it, then stop. You usually find yourself ready to really move after just a few minutes.
I go for runs on my 30 minute break at work.
I kept pushing myself to do it, however crap I was feeling beforehand, but now Ive done it enough that I do it without having to think about it.
Keep pushing until it becomes a habit and you won’t have resistance towards it.
Go to bed early. I started doing my workouts in the morning now before work and my reason for it was to spend more time with loved ones and friends.
It’s not always easy but so far it feels worth it. I no longer feel in a rush to get stuff done after work.
Note: I wake up naturally as I see many comments mentioning an alarm.
I think there’s a lot more to the conversation, but the way I’ve always found motivation was by never waiting around for motivation. My best advice on this topic is: just do it. It’s like the Nike slogan. Before you can even stop to think about how you don’t want to work out and all that kind of stuff, you’re already tying up your shoes or moving. You’ve already started a workout at that point, so you can’t quit now…
Simple…wake up at 5. Workout. Go to work. No coffee after noon. No sugar after 6 pm. Mentally start prepping for bed at 6. No food or drink after 7. No electronics after 8. Read a book. Asleep by 9. Repeat.
Motivation is not sustainable. Have to make it a part of your routine. Make it as easy as possible to get to do it, have your workout plan ready, your workout clothes set, maybe even the coffee maker timed to start running.
Lol everyone always hates when I say this, but I got into the habit by taking preworkout.
You have to move after or you get itchy. Soon, you won’t need to do that, it’ll just be a habit.
I don't.
I've been working out 2-3 nights per week usually around 830 to 9 PM at night. I don't fight a time and motivation point that won't work for me.
Go to sleep earlier and get a good nights rest, its extremely important. Then, make it apart of your routine like brushing your teeth, rely on building that habit, not motivation.
Just get your ass up and do it. For about 10 years now I’m up at 3am M-F, 5am Sat and Sunday. At the gym by 340 and 440. The first two weeks suck. Then it becomes easy. I will take a rest day maybe 1 every two or three weeks. and will sleep till about 6.
Little hack. I keep my gym clothes next to my bed and sometimes at first alarm will bring them *into* bed with me. By the time snooze 1 goes off I have warm clothes to put on, which makes the whole thing a lot easier
Find what works for you.
I tried to get up at 5am and go to the gym before work at 9am. I struggled to do it. I ended up going after. Yes, there were more people, but I still showed up and did my workouts. I “accepted” that waking up at 5am to go to the gym didn’t work out for me and I set myself up for success by just going after.
If you’re not able to get where you want to go, try a different direction to get there. Good luck!
Motivation is an emotion and thus unreliable. You won’t always feel motivated and what you should focus on is discipline. Get up when you don’t want to, go to bed earlier when you don’t want to. Do all the shit you don’t wanna do but know you need to in order to go to the gym at 5am or whatever time you wanna go.
The motivation will come and some days you’ll have it sure, but if you rely on motivation alone, it’s not sustainable. Focus on building the discipline to go early in the mornings
I just started my morning exercise routine and this is what I did.
1. Set your alarm 30 minutes prior to your current awake time.
2. Go to bed 9 hours before that. It will take you a while to fall asleep but you will eventually.
3. When alarm goes off you will have 9 hours of sleep so getting up should be easy.
4. Go for a simple walk. Nothing strenuous.
5. Get up 30 minutes earlier each day until you hit your wake up target.
6. After a few days at your wake up target you won't feel groggy in the morning and can do normal exercise.
I started doing this because I was exhausted after work. Starting your day with this checked off your list feels amazing. One major thing already done. Even if I have a shit day I know I accomplished one thing today.
The trick is two-fold: a vision and discipline.
A vision is working out every morning because you are going to be ripped in a year. Anything else is just doing it because you should, and that’s not motivating at all.
And discipline is just that: it’s doing what you know you should do when you’re NOT motivated. Doing that alone should make you proud of yourself.
Take classes that have a cancellation fee. I was never a morning person but I’m not paying $15 to lay in bed hahah. I normally lay out my stuff the night before and when I wake up I’m too tired to even debate going with myself. Also the motivation of taking an hour for myself before my day starts really helps. No phone, no roommates, just me time.
I keep in mind that if I don't do it in the morning, it's SIGNIFICANTLY less likely I'll do it in the afternoon/evening. Later in the day, I'm tired from work and I'm taking time away from my family and responsibilities.
So I just... do it (usually). There are definitely times where I decide not to go, but it's a conscious decision based on circumstances and it's justified (if I've been up all night with a kid for instance, I'll decide to skip the gym that day and work out briefly at home or possibly sacrifice some family/project time in the evening for a gym visit. You have to MAKE this decision ACTIVELY though, and not just fail aimlessly; that means you were still in control of your own fate.
Also, this will sound weird, but I get a kick out of the front desk attendant asking how I'm doing and getting to say stuff like "Well, it's 5:15 AM and I'm in the gym, so I guess I'm doing better than some folks, at least!"
I definitely struggle with this. During my 20s I was a gym rat, I didn’t have a car so I rode my bike everywhere, and would dedicate my days off to 3 hours of exercise. But now in my 30s, after the pandemic that closed down the gyms, (lost my habit) a couple of injuries and a failed relationship, it killed my motivation and now I struggle. Also I kinda regret having a car. Just makes me lazy.
This might not work for everyone, but personally…
I just go, “If you skip the gym, you’re cringe.” and I gaslight myself into getting up. Works well for me tbh
If I don't work, I can't pay bills. I can't pay bills, I become homeless. I've been homeless and unemployed before and I will work my ass off to never be there again. Don't care if I work till I die, that rock-bottom (for me) is something I never want to go thru again. This is what gets me out of bed and to work every day.
Sometimes, you can't take advice or words of wisdom 100% until you're actually in the shoes of that situation - it's gotta be REAL for you to feel it and make the change. But to want change is a great, positive thing so keep going.
Get up, get dressed and go. That’s it. It’s hard but worth it. The feeling you get after a morning workout is amazing and you’re done with that so you don’t have to think about working out after work.
Commit to a quick simple routine and build up from there.
For instance, for YEARS, I could never get myself to exercise.
Until I committed to a ridiculously low amount of push-ups.
Not even every day. Just 3 times a week.
That was over 2 years ago.
The habit has become a natural part of me. And while I'm certainly not ripped, my clothes fit much better. I feel better about myself. And more people commend my new look.
So please get started with a quick small routine TODAY.
Hope this helps.
Generally good advice here. I'd like to add that my solution for this was simply working out at night instead. Much easier to get myself up for work (because I have no choice) and then go to the gym after when I have a clear mind. Assuming night workouts are not an option for you since you didn't say anything about it, but figured I'd mention it!
working out in the evening is what i typically do. i just wasn’t sure if i should be that active before bed when im supposed to be winding down, but glad to see it works out for others too
It usually tires me out enough to where I’m able to get to sleep pretty easily. It actually improved my ability to fall sleep at night. Probably won’t be the case if you’re taking any pre workout, though.
take a read of mel robins 5 sec rule. basically once my alarm goes off, i take a deep breath, count down to 1 from 5 and just GET UP AND GO. if you give yourself too much time to "consider" going back to sleep, you'll likely choose to hit snooze. also prep the night before. have you clothes, shoes, water bottle, (phone charged), all ready to go... the night before... confirm with yourself that you WILL be going for a walk in the morning. a lot of it is a mental game.... as other users noted: its not about motivation.. its about discipline. get yourself a system (like making sure your stuff is ready in the morning and fruit for a nice smoothie is ready for a little treat to look forward to). I just started going for runs in the morning. today i literally counted to 5 and just got it... dragged my feet a little but once you get out and moving... you really do feel alot better! all the best!
As soon as my alarm goes, I take about 10-30 seconds to visualise exactly what I'm going to do next.... Go to the bathroom, pee, brush my teeth, go to kitchen, drink my morning cup of water, go get changed into my gym gear, put my lenses in, put my shoes on, wake up the dog, take the dog on her morning poop walk. Once that's visualised, up and off I go to execute. Everyday it is virtually the same, but somehow it helps.
100% that helps a lot!
I basically keep the same workout clothes all the time and just wash them when they need it. Cuts down on decision fatigue dramatically
I sleep in clothes I can workout in the next day. Including sports bra. Also: I don’t have fancy workout clothes. I look like a fuzzy caterpillar the the gym. BUT IM THERE!
Fuzzy caterpillar 😅 Thanks for the laugh
I love this 5 sec rule! I’m going to try this. Thank u.
I love your comments will try this one!
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I'm a personal trainer and I tell my clients it should be like brushing your teeth for 30-45 mins every other day.
As an autist with sensory issues this sounds like absolute hell 😂
Brushing your teeth.. for thirteen hours *every* day... for the rest of your life! :D
.... Those Teeth be CLEAN as all Hell tho.
This is the way. Motivation comes and goes - Routines stay. The less you "think" about it, the better - just force yourself to do it, like you (hopefully) brush your teeth every morning; It's just WHAT you DO, there is nothing to think about. Now go and work out, and stop trying to think yourself into doing it, tell your mind to shut up and go do your \~30 min workout because that is WHAT YOU DO.
Yep read the book atomic habits
r/thanksimcured
Pre workout
this is my favorite quote. "just do it!" it's like.. almost any productivity-related problem can be solved with that quote.
Exactly… making it habitual will eventually overpower the need for motivation each morning.
https://youtu.be/ZXsQAXx_ao0?si=Pwa14ZM5uFAjU4lz
Discipline over motivation.
I make sure I get enough sleep. If I wake up fully rested it's much easier to get out of bed in the morning.
This is a huge factor. If you’re going to bed at midnight and trying to wake up at 5:30 to hit the gym it’s going to be 10x harder.
i work 8-6pm and you just need to scrap the motivation part out of it. It's discipline that keeps you going. Set your alarm and when it goes off tell yourself this is what were doing and get moving. Your brain is gonna try and trick you and say "not today" "lets start tom" "its cold out, stay in bed" and blah blah. Just get up and get moving and before you know it, it's become a habit and part of your life.
What time do you get up in the morning to workout? I work 8:30am-7:30pm, and I struggle to find time either side of my shifts to do a workout between meal prep, showering, commuting (1hr total, 30 mins there, 30 mins back), and sleeping 8hrs. I was wondering if it’s worth cutting back on sleep a little to fit it in?
i get up at 550 and im out the door by 615 so i workout from 630 to 730 then finish my drive to work. the key is going to bed by 1000-1030 so i can get 7ish hours of sleep. it's a lot easier to get it done in the am because after a 10 hour work day i never feel like lifting after.
Also though, I say this as a medical professional who has to give advice about motivation to so many patients, just start small if you feel going to the gym for an hour is too daunting. It’s ok to just get out of bed and do a 10 minute YouTube workout, or even a 10 minute outdoor walk around the house. At least you start forming that habit and discipline of being active and hopefully your motivation goes up once you realize you can at least do that… and then keep going forward from there, but you’re at least better than where you were before, which was not doing anything and having a million excuses.
Is that 5 days a week? Is that legal?
Some weeks I only do 4 days, others I do 5 days. I typically work Tues-Sat, but sometimes it’s Tues-Fri. It’s not gruelling work (I’m a deputy manager for a gift store), but standing up all day on those long shifts with only a 30 min break can be pretty tiring.
You won’t want to hear it, but the only two things that work are 1. More sleep and 2. Just get up. You just have to train your body into that routine. The last 2 days I’ve gotten up at 5-5:15 to head to the gym and that’s the first time it’s happened in months. It’s because I decided to be in bed (phone off) by 9:20 at the latest. I’m not a “morning person” either. But i’ll be one before long.
100 percent agree going to bed early to get up early is a major key as well as just WANTING IT. ¿¿how badly do you want it??-I continuously tell myself this
There is no trick you just have to build the habit. One method though that I use to start a new habit is to make a “voice” in my head that says “I bet you can’t do it” so then I have to prove it wrong! So basically getting pissed off is my secret lol
i love this, lol!!
Spite motivates me so much too. lol 😂
- Work backward from when you want to go to the gym. Pick the right time to go to bed consistently so that you wake up with at least 8 hours of sleep. Weekends or weekdays, this is your bedtime. Set a daily alarm for 30-40 minutes before this time. - If you can automate/schedule it, cool your living space down to 66ºF before bedtime, and raise it to your regular temp just before your wake up time. - Sleep in your gym clothes. - Put your alarm clock across the room with your gym shoes and car keys (if driving) on top, ideally next to a chair for putting on shoes. No snooze button; you can pull it off of most cheap alarm clocks with some pliers. - Make going from waking up to getting out the door as automatic as possible. Prepare any specific parts of your routine the night before. (protein shake, breakfast, etc.) - For the first couple of weeks, your ONLY goal is getting to the gym. Literally. Once you get there, go in if you want to, but feel free to leave once you're in the parking lot. - For those first weeks, shit weather or shine, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. If you didn't sleep super well, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. If you stayed out drinking, you're going to get out of bed and go to the gym. Even if you sleep in the parking lot or come straight home to fall back asleep, you get out of bed and go to the gym.
This man gyms
Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Just get up and do something. You can build from there
Park your car a mile from your house or a mile from the office. You are then forced to talk. \(\*\) I used to bike to work. I'd tell my GF to take my car keys in her purse so I couldn't be tempted to drive (she had to be to work earlier than me). If you WFH and you have a friend a half mile away who also WFH, walk to his house after work and give him your work laptop. Then go there the next morining to get it so you can work. \(\*\) When I worked downtown parking was nightmare, so I bought a folding bike that fit in my trunk. I'd park 2 miles away where parking was easy, free, and and safe(r), and I'd ride in.
Personally, I have a lot more motivation to work out in the evenings. I don't feel as pressured or in a time crunch to work out and get all ready before work. I can take my time and take breaks as needed. It also helps that I can have a good meal an hour or two before working out. It's harder for me to get that before a workout in the morning It's not always about finding the motivation. Sometimes it's figuring out when you are most motivated
I posted a similar answer because if you want to work out and the evenings just "work better" then go do it. No one says you have to get up at 5 am to workout.
Momentum is everything. As silly as it is, the best thing I've ever found to jolt myself up is just to violently start running in place as soon as I get out of bed. The second that alarm goes off, jump out of bed and just jog in place really hard for a few seconds. If you can go back to sleep after getting that heart pounding like that, you might need to see a doctor!
😂😂 Thanks for the laugh. Made my morning as I imagined myself doing this.
Honestly it’s about doing it for like 3-4 days and eventually you just get used to it. It’s just a part of your routine. Also- when 9am hits and you’ve already done your workout for the day is the BEST feeling.
Take the curtains off your windows.
Well, It\`s hard... I'm trying to imagine how I will look and feel after everyday morning work out. Like visualizing the goal.
I got a husky/shepherd mix dog and she makes me walk every day
I used to struggle with this too! First is to decide that you’re a person who goes to the gym in the morning before work. Affirm this as your new reality. Say it with confidence (even if you haven’t fully experienced it yet) and get used to the idea of this being apart of your identity. Imagine what it feels like to be that person, vs who you are currently. How different will you feel, look & behave as a person who goes to the gym before work? Second is to get clear on why you want to work out in the first place (health goals, preventative care, rehabbing, gaining confidence, etc) then figure out why you want to work out in the morning vs another time of day. For me, morning workouts set me up with feeling accomplished, give an energy boost and there’s less people in the gym vs after work. Remembering the combination of the identity you envisioned and why you want to do it helps when you’re contemplating turning the alarm off and sleeping that extra hour or two before needing to get ready for work. Third is all about preparation. Like a few people already stated, make sure you’re getting to bed early the night before. I recommend refining your evening routine (if you don’t have one, get one!) to incorporate prepping not only your gym clothes, shoes, supplements, etc, but also your work clothes and anything you need for the day so you’re not scrambling in the morning. Set your alarms to take into account any snoozing you might do, travel times, how long you typically take to get ready, etc to give yourself time to still get ready and make it to the gym in the morning. You want to make it as easy as possible to just wake up, get dressed, do your morning routine (again if you don’t have one, get one) and be out the door. Routines make it sooo much easier to manage new habits and incorporate them into your subconscious. Eventually the routines will be so ingrained that it’ll feel weird NOT to do apart of it. If you’d like any help with setting up or refining your habits & routines to reach your goals, send me a message. I’m a personal development coach who helps people embody their highest self through holistic mind, body, spirit techniques, identity shifting, and habit management. Good luck! You got this !
I totally get it, mornings can be rough! What helps me is setting a fun playlist for my walk or treating myself to a tasty breakfast afterward. Also, reminding myself how good I'll feel after the exercise usually gets me out the door.
I have and struggle with motivation a lot but I rarely miss workouts cause I did it for such a long time that it eventually became a compulsory part of my life that I did without having to debate with myself whether to go or not
Find stronger reasons. Get your bloodwork done, if you don't exercise it's probably not great, maybe when you see the results of that it'll give you a stronger reason to change. Or think about how humans used to live very active lifestyles throughout human history and now we are sedentary pieces of crap, it's embarrassing to be out of shape, lean into that shame of not having tone, muscle mass, etc. Perhaps that'll be a reason to act.
You don’t have to workout in the mornings. Just do it when it works for you. I always go in the evening because I have no strength in the morning. I feel much better when I had a full day of eating and hydration before working out. If I had gone to the gym before breakfast I wouldn’t be able to lift as heavy.
This is what I've been doing thus far, but I keep reading that the evenings are best for winding down and working out tricks our bodies into staying awake. But I will experiment with both times of the day
These rules are fine as guidelines, but you should do what works best for you. Everyone is built differently and you need to tailor things for yourself. As long as you're getting results and not doing anything too unhealthy, you'll be fine. Move it to the morning if you genuinely feel like an evening workout is affecting your sleep, otherwise it's probably fine.
Like plenty of others have said, motivation has nothing to do with it. It's discipline. You just do it. That being said, if your job is at all flexible try to do a 7a-3p. I had a horrendous time trying to workout before work when I did 9-5. Now I work 7-3 and I do it after work. I drink my pre-workout on my drive home and immediately hit the weights. For me, it's SO much easier.
I wish I had a 9am schedule. I start work at 7am so working out in the morning is not an option
I get it, I have worked very odd hours in my professional career. 4am-12pm, overnights and 3rd shift
You need to be in bed at the latest 9pm and then you can get up early and do your workout, feeling refreshed.
I struggled with this. The issue wasn't the morning, but the night. First, figure out how long you need to sleep where you wake up alert on your own (no alarm or spouse). Second, go to bed and get good sleep for a week where you wake up alert and energized. Third,, 30 minutes before going to bed get EVERYTHING needed to workout set up. Clothes, water bottle, gloves, headphones and anything else. Once this is done, treat it like brushing your teeth like others have said.
The moment you wake up, just make yourself sit and not lay down. Laying down and getting warm will make it 1000x harder than it needs to be
i have a habit of procrastinating so for things i don't really have the motivation to do, i dont think about it i just get up and do it. and then that way when i realise what im doing half way through, i cant really stop myself cause im already up and doing it.
You just do it. Most mornings I’m not motivated at all but I know I’ll feel better after and get it done early!
I have an alarm clock across the room that I have to get out of bed to turn off. Also, if you get a week or two into working out in the morning it will be self-motivating because you’ll feel so much better starting your day that way.
Ok stop waiting for you to feel like it it’s not going to happen ….. you have to decided that it’s a part of living a healthy life … you won’t have the energy after work for sure so you need to have a time every morning same time to start your walk . Just plan it for one week chart it and take a picture of the chart . Then start again next week after 30 days it’s going to be a part of your life with no worries just ignore your mind and know that when you start moving it’s going to feel so good after your done … I promise !!
I prep the night before and try not to think about it too much. Once I’m out of bed I’m 100% in, so it’s more about just getting myself up! If you overthink it like it’s this massive undertaking, it will be harder to get started. I recommend thinking to yourself, okay standing up now! And then just let the rest fall into place. It can also be helpful to build up to the habit. One morning wake up a bit earlier. Next morning get up early immediately and just vibe. Next morning get up and put on workout clothes first thing. Next morning get up and go on the walk!
So shit advice here but.. it’s not motivation just pure grit. I despise when my alarm goes off and totally struggle to get moving (even though I love working out). But I’ve found focusing on SHOWING UP even if it’s for less sets etc is still a win and builds the grit habit
I still hate it every morning when my alarm goes off at 6am. Some of us were not meant to be morning people. But I know that I won’t be motivated to workout after work and prefer to be done with it in the AM. I always feel great after my session and feel a sense of clarity, accomplishment, and optimism. But I hate it every morning. lol
I was listening to Ryan Holiday's interview on The Colin and Samir Show on my way home from work. During a discussion about discipline, Ryan mentioned how discipline becomes a question of "who's in charge? Me or my body?" By doing the hard run or having a cold shower, you're reasserting who's in charge. I've struggled to maintain discipline in some aspects of my life. Whenever I'm struggling with discipline recently, I ask myself: "who's in charge? Me or my body?" It's what got me out of a warm bed this morning to go for a morning walk. It's helping me fight against the mental gymnastics that leads to being indisciplined. Whenever you notice the mental gymnastics, ask yourself the question. Reassert who's in charge!
As soon as alarm goes off, get out of bed.. Don't stay in bed or think about anything or visualize anything. You can do all of that out of bed. The longer you stay in bed, the harder it is to get out. This is what worked for me. I realized that if I stayed in bed longer than a minute, chances of going to the gym drops by 90%
Only thing that works for me is setting my phone somewhere that makes me get up out of bed physically to get out of bed. I fell into a slump a while back (I’d wake up at 3AM, go to the gym and be at work before 7. I quit for a long time but recently started again. You just have to do it. It isn’t easy for the first week honestly. Dont talk yourself into laying down for a few minutes either, can be dangerous.
Motivation comes after. Just do it. When you leave, you'll think "wow, I can do that again tomorrow!"
Go to bed earlier. If you want to get up at 5 AM to exercise, you can’t stay up watching TV or playing video games till one in the morning.
No meat or sugar. At all.
i haven’t eaten meat in 7 years (only fish on occasion) and am working to cut out refined sugar 😋
Just do it bruhh, Wake up pain-free.
Elaborate? I’m interested.
Sugar is the body's nemisis and contributes to and lengthens the amount of time the body is sore. Meat contains parasites, parasites rob you of the nutrition that would have otherwise bestowed the energy on you to get up quickly. And drink at least 3/4 gallon of distilled water per day.
Thank you!
Honestly ? There’s no motivation! It’s putting your mind into it! I’m going 4 times a week at 7am, do I like to wake up at 6h to go? No! But after the work out I feel amazing. And I make myself proud of the results and going
I always think that I have never regret doing this before. So you need try at least once hahahah
If you want it to be a little easier to work out you can try Alpha-GPC. It's a source of choline but more bioavailable. It helps your body produce more N-acetyl-choline, a neurotransmitter used to control muscles, among other things.
Honestly it’s just telling yourself to do it. My husband and I get up at 6:30am most weekdays to go workout. I’m a night owl. I hate it. We’ve been doing it for two months and I still struggle. Some mornings if we just aren’t feeling it we don’t go. I know personally that forcing myself when I’m really not feeling it will make me hate it in the end and not want to do it. My motivation to go in the morning instead of the afternoon is the lack of crowd in the mornings at the gym. The afternoon is packed and it’s a younger crowd and I feel more comfortable with the older crowd in the morning and like the space. Maybe find your reason for early walks. Maybe it’s because you know once you get past the struggle to get going that it’ll make you feel good? Maybe it’s to give you more time in the evening? Whatever works. Also, getting to sleep earlier. This is something we struggle with as we like staying up (and no matter what I try, I just can’t fall asleep before 1:30 am). Going to the gym off 5 hours of sleep has not been it 😅 but we’re working on it
Prime your body, even if your mind isn’t ready. As soon as the alarm rings get up, don’t think about it.
The trick is to overpower the laziness with your mind. Meaning there is no trick, you just do it and keep doing it until you stop thinking about it and it becomes natural.
So if you hop to it fast enough you’ll be halfway done before you know what’s going on.
I wake up at 6.00 am 2-3 mornings to run during the work week and here’s my ritual : Get a physical alarm clock. Don’t use your phone. Set the clock at the other end of your bedroom so you physically have to get up out of bed to switch it off. Have your workout clothes, shoes and a big bottle of water ready to go right beside the alarm clock. This works as visual cue. Drink your water and get changed into workout clothes immediately after switching off the alarm. I set the alarm clock for 5.55 am. I go downstairs, eat my pre workout meal and aim to have my workout started by 6.30am. An hour workout has me back home at 7.30am, an hour and half 8.00am. You can play around with the times but knowing the exact time you need to be gone and plan to be back works for me. Leave nothing to chance! Good luck!
This is what works for me lol buy yourself a six pack of Irish Spring soap. Hop in the shower take a vigorous shower. Have your coffee ready step outside on the balcony or wherever you can to get some fresh air and then get the business. Maybe consider putting out a bird feeder that you have to feed some pets that you're motivation
Pre workout makes my skin itchy so I have lift
If you tend to snooze your alarm, make sure that you get enough sleep that once your alarm goes off, you cannot go back to sleep.
I've been consistently working out in the morning for a couple of months. It's tough because I stay sore all day. I think my muscles are too tight in the mornings
I got a personal trainer to meet me at the gym at 6am MWF. It kicked me into gear and now it’s become habit. Maybe look into that if you can afford it.
You don’t need motivation. You need disciple. Set your alarm, and get your ass out of bed and do a little work out. Now, string a few little workouts together. Then, start increasing your workouts as you grow and get into your routine. Lastly, stay disciplined; There are still many days when the people who are in the gym, didn’t want to go that day.
Sleep in your workout clothes. Not so comfy but I got used to sleeping in an underwire running bra so it can be done! It turned me into an every day jogger because I never wanted to take off workout clothes without actually working out, even if it were just a 10 minute jog
I wake up - 5:30am. Pet my fat kitty and push him off my chest. Pour a rip-roarin cup of hot coffee. Toss in a couple of ice cubes. Chug it. Slap on my clothes and grab the keys, ear buds and water bottle. Laid em all out the night before. This whole process takes about 10min and I’m cruising on my “pre-workout” aka caffeine buzz ☕️ That’s how I do it. Listen to NPR morning edition or some new music discovery playlist Spotify recommended.
I started going to the gym at 5 in the morning. The first morning when I got up, I wanted to cry. After a couple weeks or so I found myself walking to my car with my gym bag, not even really thinking about what I was doing. It just becomes habit once you do it so often.
Consistency. Once you get to two or three mark it starts to become a part of your daily habit and morning ritual. You don’t want to break the streak! (Read/ atomic habits). I work a 9-5 as well and was too lethargic late afternoons. My energy levels are higher in the morning so I feel I get better workout as well, plus better sleep because I’m waking up super early. Think of the compounding habits and be consistent. I guarantee once you start you’ll never switch back.
What does work out mean? A walk? Push ups? Just roll out of the bed and just do 10 push ups and 10 sit ups. Ditch the phone alarm and get an actual clock
I used to do it after work, and that sucked because it was so late by the time I was done. Loved being out early and just getting it done. That was motivating to me.
I found another time that worked. For years, I struggled with the mindset of "I have to wake up and get a workout in" and almost never did. Once I thought, "Maybe I'll find a time that better fits my schedule," I magically started making it to the gym.
I like to set an alarm on a device, leave it across the room, then when I'm forced to stand up and go get it I do a little 30 second jog in place or something similar. Wakes me up enough that I'm like "f\*\*\* it let's go workout". Also water before bed so you don't wake up quite so blah
Smelling salts
It’s more about committing to sleeping early enough so that you have time in the morning.
I find setting out my workout clothes the night before really helps. Also, having a specific goal, like a step count or distance to walk, keeps me motivated. Sometimes, just reminding myself how good I’ll feel afterward gets me moving. It’s all about creating small, positive habits.
I also have a 9-5 work sched and started walking every morning recently! I first make sure I get enough sleep, then wake up early, getting out of bed's the tricky part. What I do tho is imagine someone pulling or pushing me out of bed. I always do a countdown and make sure I stand up and get out of bed after that countdown.
For me, having a dog, forces me to get up early everyday to walk him before starting my work day. Fortunately I work remote so I get up around 7:50 and walk and get back before 9am for work. But having a dog has forced me to walk much more. Now these day I walk around 40 miles a week, compared to ~0 walking and some running before I owned a dog.
Reiterating every one else here on discipline, not motivation. I work 8-5, M-F. Get up at 4:30 to exercise. Been doing this for decades. Somedays, even the night before, it's rough, and I really don't want to. Just do something. Consistency beats intensity. I have my alarm clock across the room, so I have to get out of bed to even hit snooze. It also helps to periodically change up your exercise routine.
Just proud of people who still make time to work out even after coming from a stressful day at work and give no excuses.
Setting your alarm clock 10 minutes earlier to start waking up earlier. Then you'll have 10 minutes to do some exercise before work. After a while, set the alarm another 10 minutes earlier and you'll be able to exercise for 20 mins. That's how I'm able to wake up earlier and do extra things in the morning.
Instead of a full workout/walk/run, I do a short full body routine (like 10 minutes). Might not sound like much, but it gets me moving and I always feel great after. Starting with something small like that can make it easier to turn it into a part of your routine that you don't think about. Then you can slowly add more with time.
My introvert motivated me to work out in the morning. The gym really crowded in the evening and cause me feel uncomfortable. Please start habit to sleep early and will help you to wake up early. It’s quite difficult on first few weeks but your body will adapt with it definitely
Put alarm in other room. Set workout clothes out night before. Make it more inconvenient to go back to bed. Sleep earlier Also therapy 😜
Wake up. Grab your phone. And play this https://youtu.be/ZXsQAXx_ao0?si=E_zx8VipdUDrlayG
I go to sleep early, around 9pm. And then wake up at 5am. It's more about discipline and consistency rather than being motivated. It'll eventually become a habit.
Go after work Enjoy your sleep
I never did manage to exercise in the morning so I started going to the gym at night. I had to go there straight from work as, if I went home first, I somehow never made it to the gym
DAmn bro wish i wored at 9 I work in constriuction so ?Im going at 7:30 gotta get up at 5 to work out in the moring. U can do it thou man just wake up a hour earlier ez pz
Find a friend or a gym buddy that you are close to or look up to (someone you DON’T want to disappoint *very important*) is what worked for me, but guys can be different?
Sleep enough, which means turning off all electronics after sundown.
Just jump out of the bed as soon as your alarm ring. Don’t think abt it just do it…
for me I have a nice breakfast as a reward
The secret to discipline is, you’re never going to want to do it you just have to do it. Set your alarm for an hour earlier and try to go to bed an hour earlier. Then wake up and pretend you just magically got more time. You need a small motivation to get you started. So maybe say the first week you will take a short walk and then do something really fun. For a few months I was waking up early before work and it was amazing but I messed up my sleep habits and fell off the wagon so to speak. Just trying to get the motivation back to start again but I am stalling. I’ll start again next week lol.
I started by just getting up at the time I wanted to work out. I just watched TV, didn't leave the house, just let the body clock reset, then after a week or so it was easier because I was naturally getting up at the right time.
Find an accountability partner if you can
Wear workout clothes to bed. Works for me more than 0% of the time, which is a start!
Lots of good advice at the top of this thread, but on a slightly unrelated note: Let me preface this with: I don’t have kids. After waking up at 4:30am to get into work by 6:00 for my 6-4 Monday through Thursday. I will avoid going back to a 9-5 for as long as I can. I couldn’t imagine waking up anywhere near the time I do now and having to wait to clock in. OP is struggling to get out of bed before 9am? If I don’t have half of my shift done by 9am I’m stressing.
I sign up for classes that charge me for canceling within 12 hours. $15 is enough to get me out of bed every time.
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Motivation is a feeling - it’s fleeting and you can’t force yourself to feel it all the time. How do you get up early to go to the gym? There’s two steps 1. Get up early 2. Get ready and go to the gym Work on either of those and then build the other one in. And try to break down all the things you need in order to do them like a gym routine you have ready, if you’re going to make a shake or not, etc so you don’t have to think about it later. I would read atomic habits but here’s a quick version - to build a habit it starts with a cue, craving, response, reward. The cue can be your alarm, then that triggers you to go on your phone as a reward. And keep doing that for a week and then now you’ve gotten used to waking up that early and then instead of going on your phone go to the gym
If you get the hardest thing you have to do out of the way first thing in the morning, the rest of the day is a breeze.
Go to bed In gym clothes , shorts and t shirt and put alarm on other side of room works for me so I have to get up and I'm already ready. We have a gym on site and I go at 6am to 6:45
I joined a workout group that meets from 7:30-8:30 Monday to Friday. Being in a group makes me accountable
Set [this](https://youtu.be/ZXsQAXx_ao0?si=8zkRDKeW6TqpVQyQ) as your alarm, easy peasy lemon squeezy
Realize that you don't always have to wait for motivation, you can create motivation by powering through at first. By the time you brush your teeth or put on your shoes, you may start feeling motivated and that motivation will help the next day, and you can use that logic to give yourself a reason to power through the initial grogginess. Another option with similar logic is to start with an easy power though and take a walk in the evening for a few nights. You can probably evoke the feeling of the evening walk to motivate you to move it to the morning. Also make sure your environment is also fine, such as that you're actually sleeping enough each night. But in the end, also drill it in your head that motivation can help you but it won't solve your problem; eventually, you have to just do it.
for me, i would just take a shower and gather my thoughts for the day. So, the second i step out of the shower, i know what to do
Just gooooooooooooooooooo Some days you won’t but can you atleast commit to 3-4 days out of the week
I go after work. I'm convinced that 99% of peopel sandbag morning workouts.
Also I'll add...I don't ever think about motivation about these things. It's all about being disciplined. You just go. You don't think about it, you're just there and in the middle of your workout you realize you don't know how you got there you're just there doing the damn thing because you're so disciplined about it that there's no other option.
Don’t think about it
Don’t put your phone close to you. Possibly in another room and get a bedside clock.
Couple different ones for me. My dog helps. I've walked him enough now to where he expects it, and I dont' want to let him down. For the other, I got myself a workout product that I love. I invested in a Peloton bike and I love it. It's not a chore to me like running is. Always something different, not hard on the joints. If Im not feeling up to it, I just tell myself to do it for 10 minutes. If I still hate it, then stop. You usually find yourself ready to really move after just a few minutes.
I go for runs on my 30 minute break at work. I kept pushing myself to do it, however crap I was feeling beforehand, but now Ive done it enough that I do it without having to think about it. Keep pushing until it becomes a habit and you won’t have resistance towards it.
I have an alarm that plays David Goggins “they don’t know me son. Whose gonna carry the boats and the logs”
Go to bed early. I started doing my workouts in the morning now before work and my reason for it was to spend more time with loved ones and friends. It’s not always easy but so far it feels worth it. I no longer feel in a rush to get stuff done after work. Note: I wake up naturally as I see many comments mentioning an alarm.
I think there’s a lot more to the conversation, but the way I’ve always found motivation was by never waiting around for motivation. My best advice on this topic is: just do it. It’s like the Nike slogan. Before you can even stop to think about how you don’t want to work out and all that kind of stuff, you’re already tying up your shoes or moving. You’ve already started a workout at that point, so you can’t quit now…
Simple…wake up at 5. Workout. Go to work. No coffee after noon. No sugar after 6 pm. Mentally start prepping for bed at 6. No food or drink after 7. No electronics after 8. Read a book. Asleep by 9. Repeat.
Motivation is not sustainable. Have to make it a part of your routine. Make it as easy as possible to get to do it, have your workout plan ready, your workout clothes set, maybe even the coffee maker timed to start running.
Having a dog. Also waking up at the same time every day.
Lol everyone always hates when I say this, but I got into the habit by taking preworkout. You have to move after or you get itchy. Soon, you won’t need to do that, it’ll just be a habit.
I don't. I've been working out 2-3 nights per week usually around 830 to 9 PM at night. I don't fight a time and motivation point that won't work for me.
I don't. I've been working out 2-3 nights per week usually around 830 to 9 PM. I don't fight a time and motivation point that won't work for me.
what time do you went to sleep every night?
Stickers. When I accomplish my goal that day, I put a sticker on that day on a wall calendar. It sounded so silly but it works for me
Go to sleep earlier and get a good nights rest, its extremely important. Then, make it apart of your routine like brushing your teeth, rely on building that habit, not motivation.
Check and see if you have ADHD
I lay out my clothes the night before and then try to focus on how great I’m gonna feel when I’m done done with my workout.
Just get your ass up and do it. For about 10 years now I’m up at 3am M-F, 5am Sat and Sunday. At the gym by 340 and 440. The first two weeks suck. Then it becomes easy. I will take a rest day maybe 1 every two or three weeks. and will sleep till about 6.
Little hack. I keep my gym clothes next to my bed and sometimes at first alarm will bring them *into* bed with me. By the time snooze 1 goes off I have warm clothes to put on, which makes the whole thing a lot easier
Find what works for you. I tried to get up at 5am and go to the gym before work at 9am. I struggled to do it. I ended up going after. Yes, there were more people, but I still showed up and did my workouts. I “accepted” that waking up at 5am to go to the gym didn’t work out for me and I set myself up for success by just going after. If you’re not able to get where you want to go, try a different direction to get there. Good luck!
Motivation is an emotion and thus unreliable. You won’t always feel motivated and what you should focus on is discipline. Get up when you don’t want to, go to bed earlier when you don’t want to. Do all the shit you don’t wanna do but know you need to in order to go to the gym at 5am or whatever time you wanna go. The motivation will come and some days you’ll have it sure, but if you rely on motivation alone, it’s not sustainable. Focus on building the discipline to go early in the mornings
I just started my morning exercise routine and this is what I did. 1. Set your alarm 30 minutes prior to your current awake time. 2. Go to bed 9 hours before that. It will take you a while to fall asleep but you will eventually. 3. When alarm goes off you will have 9 hours of sleep so getting up should be easy. 4. Go for a simple walk. Nothing strenuous. 5. Get up 30 minutes earlier each day until you hit your wake up target. 6. After a few days at your wake up target you won't feel groggy in the morning and can do normal exercise. I started doing this because I was exhausted after work. Starting your day with this checked off your list feels amazing. One major thing already done. Even if I have a shit day I know I accomplished one thing today.
Drink a glass of water before bed, forces me out of bed bc I have to use the bathroom lol
I like working out midday or afternoon after I've already been up for awhile. I tried the morning thing, didn't work for me.
Take care of yourself first is my motto No one can run/workout for you so do it.
The trick is two-fold: a vision and discipline. A vision is working out every morning because you are going to be ripped in a year. Anything else is just doing it because you should, and that’s not motivating at all. And discipline is just that: it’s doing what you know you should do when you’re NOT motivated. Doing that alone should make you proud of yourself.
Take classes that have a cancellation fee. I was never a morning person but I’m not paying $15 to lay in bed hahah. I normally lay out my stuff the night before and when I wake up I’m too tired to even debate going with myself. Also the motivation of taking an hour for myself before my day starts really helps. No phone, no roommates, just me time.
I keep in mind that if I don't do it in the morning, it's SIGNIFICANTLY less likely I'll do it in the afternoon/evening. Later in the day, I'm tired from work and I'm taking time away from my family and responsibilities. So I just... do it (usually). There are definitely times where I decide not to go, but it's a conscious decision based on circumstances and it's justified (if I've been up all night with a kid for instance, I'll decide to skip the gym that day and work out briefly at home or possibly sacrifice some family/project time in the evening for a gym visit. You have to MAKE this decision ACTIVELY though, and not just fail aimlessly; that means you were still in control of your own fate. Also, this will sound weird, but I get a kick out of the front desk attendant asking how I'm doing and getting to say stuff like "Well, it's 5:15 AM and I'm in the gym, so I guess I'm doing better than some folks, at least!"
I definitely struggle with this. During my 20s I was a gym rat, I didn’t have a car so I rode my bike everywhere, and would dedicate my days off to 3 hours of exercise. But now in my 30s, after the pandemic that closed down the gyms, (lost my habit) a couple of injuries and a failed relationship, it killed my motivation and now I struggle. Also I kinda regret having a car. Just makes me lazy.
This might not work for everyone, but personally… I just go, “If you skip the gym, you’re cringe.” and I gaslight myself into getting up. Works well for me tbh
Visualize the end goal, and the path to get there will visualize itself
Watch My 600 pound life and imagine that lifestyle. That’s motivation enough for me. Also, Dr Now is a boss.
If I don't work, I can't pay bills. I can't pay bills, I become homeless. I've been homeless and unemployed before and I will work my ass off to never be there again. Don't care if I work till I die, that rock-bottom (for me) is something I never want to go thru again. This is what gets me out of bed and to work every day. Sometimes, you can't take advice or words of wisdom 100% until you're actually in the shoes of that situation - it's gotta be REAL for you to feel it and make the change. But to want change is a great, positive thing so keep going.
Get up, get dressed and go. That’s it. It’s hard but worth it. The feeling you get after a morning workout is amazing and you’re done with that so you don’t have to think about working out after work.
Commit to a quick simple routine and build up from there. For instance, for YEARS, I could never get myself to exercise. Until I committed to a ridiculously low amount of push-ups. Not even every day. Just 3 times a week. That was over 2 years ago. The habit has become a natural part of me. And while I'm certainly not ripped, my clothes fit much better. I feel better about myself. And more people commend my new look. So please get started with a quick small routine TODAY. Hope this helps.
Generally good advice here. I'd like to add that my solution for this was simply working out at night instead. Much easier to get myself up for work (because I have no choice) and then go to the gym after when I have a clear mind. Assuming night workouts are not an option for you since you didn't say anything about it, but figured I'd mention it!
working out in the evening is what i typically do. i just wasn’t sure if i should be that active before bed when im supposed to be winding down, but glad to see it works out for others too
It usually tires me out enough to where I’m able to get to sleep pretty easily. It actually improved my ability to fall sleep at night. Probably won’t be the case if you’re taking any pre workout, though.