Today was another day for going to the gym. Actually, I had to get up early with my lovely wife, since we had to pick my Jeep up from the shop (on Monday, it decided that it really didn't want to have a rear driveshaft anymore). So, she set the alarm for 5:30.
I know! I didn't even realize there was a 5:30 in the morning!
But still, just to be safe, I set my alarm for 5:45. And it's probably pretty good that I did. Her alarm went off, she fumbled around and turned it off, and we both just laid there. Doing nothing. Not at all motivated to get up. And both our backs were hurting, for some reason -- but that's not really part of the story. After my alarm went off, I started moving around, resigned to the fact that (a) I had to go to the gym, and (2) I still wanted to, anyway. Now, bear in mind that it was lovely wife who wanted to start going to the gym in the morning in the first place. and we finally got moving. At 5:53. Out the door at 6:20. Oh, yeah... we're quick.
So, I did my workout -- no running. 10 minutes on the elliptical, weight machines, and then 15 more minutes on the elliptical. And it mostly felt good. The leg is still pretty tight, so I think I'm going to try to go running tomorrow. Nothing big... just a mile or two. I need to try it out on the road (which I haven't tried since mid-April).
However, I have come to one conclusion. As much as I don't like getting up, working out in the morning really is better. First off, it gives you a kick in the pants before your day starts. There's all the stuff about releasing endorphins and such before getting to work. It's significantly cooler here in Florida in the morning (even if it's still 74 at 5AM) than it is in the evening. And, I think most importantly, it's much more likely not to get canceled because of everything else that pops up during the day. Working late can not, by definition, mess up a morning workout.
Has anybody really been able to make afternoon workouts work for the long haul? If so, what's the secret?
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2 comments:
I used to be all about working out in the mornings. Then I moved to Calgary and I now have to get up at 5 am if I want to leave for work early enough to get a parking spot at the train station. I am not willing to get up any earlier than 5 am.....so I am now forced to make afternoons work. But on days when I know I have something coming up I'll reschedule or get a run in over lunch. You can do it though - those morning workouts are great!
I am a morning workout girl, as your wife can attest to while we talk all day at work.
For me, the key is just consistency - having your routine pretty much set, and not staying up too late all the time. My alarm goes off at 5:35 Mon-Thu mornings, I allow myself one snooze (to 5:43), then I get up and get moving. It usually puts me at the gym at 6:10 or so, and I aim for a good 75-90 minutes of exercise.
The other benefit of the morning workout? No matter what else happens the rest of the day, you've accomplished something healthy for yourself. It helps.
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