How to Get Out of Bed... And Exercise???

[Golightly01]

Hi folks!

So this is my first venture into the WISH board -- usually I'm poking my nose around the budget, attractions and resort boards. But I dragged my cursor down farther than usual today and was pleasantly surprised to find this area on health and fitness! Just when I need it most...

So here's the question that haunts me:
What gets you out of bed in the morning to exercise? What motivates you to pull back the warm covers and haul your groggy rear off of that cozy mattress to pant, sweat and groan?

I'm tired of being overweight but haven't been able to keep the exercise motivation going. And goodness knows I need it! I'm a former dancer who never thought about exercise as it just used to be part of my day. But now at 39 and at a 9am-6pm (7pm, 8pm, depending on the day) desk job, I've grown to an unhealthy weight. I've developed high blood pressure, am tired and out of breath during seemingly normal tasks, and am sick of not being able to see my feet below my ever-growing gut. My "tummy apron" is annoying and unsightly -- and I haven't even had a child to blame it on. My husband and I eat fairly healthy and watch our portion size. It's exercise that's the missing piece of my equation...

So please share...what goes through your head to keep you exercising, when you'd rather not???

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

First of all, Welcome to WISH!

I'm so glad you've found us.

I'll start out with something to answer your question.

What gets you out of bed in the morning to exercise? What motivates you to pull back the warm covers and haul your groggy rear off of that cozy mattress to pant, sweat and groan?

Accountability.

That's it. If you can find a way to be accountable. It is not easy that IS for sure. I'd start by joining up with one of the activities going on here. Or, feel free to start something to see if it takes wings. That is helpful to get some accoutability going. Once you've declared you will do something, I'll bet you will do a lot to get it done.

I'm hoping you will get more ideas here too.

 

[FireDancer]

Welcome Gina. I'm glad to hear you are looking to get healthier.

I will echo Lily and say that the best motivation has to be yourself. If you do it for any other reason you are setting yourself up to fail. I don't do a lot or morning exercise unless it is a Saturday or Sunday morning race. I go to the gym on the way home after work and do my running in the evening or after dark. If that is an option and makes it easier for you maybe that will work.

Do you remember that Dunkin' Doughnuts commercial from about 10 years ago? The old guy gets out of bed when it is still dark and just keeps telling himself "Time to make the doughnuts". He doesn't want to get out of bed but he knows he has to. When I don't want to do a run or head to the gym I just tell myself "Time to make the doughnuts".

Good luck.

 

[pjlla]

Do you remember that Dunkin' Doughnuts commercial from about 10 years ago? The old guy gets out of bed when it is still dark and just keeps telling himself "Time to make the doughnuts". He doesn't want to get out of bed but he knows he has to. When I don't want to do a run or head to the gym I just tell myself "Time to make the doughnuts".

Good luck.

Or maybe.... "It's time to LOSE the doughtnuts!!" I love your analogy!

I'm not sure what keeps me moving. There have been a few days when the alarm went off and I just CRINGED! But the more I exercise, the more I am seeing the results and I LOVE the results. So I just have to tell myself how much I will LOVE myself on weigh-in day if I just get moving NOW. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I am a bit of a morning person and I would far rather exercise at 5 am than at 8 pm. Maybe you are a night owl?? Nothing wrong with exercising in the evening if it works better for you.

I also find that exercising in the morning puts me in a better mind-set for the entire day, especially where my eating is concerned. I certainly don't want to "waste" that 5 am work out by eating crap later in the day. And admittedly, I feel a little bit smug about being done with my exercise before the rest of the family is even out of bed!........................P

 

[PaulaSue]

Welcome!

For me I do my best if I do it early in the morning. (I'm a SAHM and try do it after breakfast) By the time supper is here, DH and the girls are home It is too easy to do less or none at all.

I also wanted to say HI, I used to Nanny in SingSing (Dearfield) and I haven't thought of that city for a long time.

 

[C_leen]

On NPR yesterday there was a radio article about willpower and how it works in the brain. One MD interviewed stated those with the best results make exercise an appointment that can't be broken.

It is an investment of time in yourself. A lot of us have weight problems because we don't think we are worth investing time in ourselves.

Maybe you should start by making exercise little segments in your current day. Shorten your lunch period and walk 15 minutes. As the weather changes, take a 15 minute walk when you get home or park your car farther out in parking lots. Take the steps. For every half of TV you watch, make yourself do some sit ups and push ups. One thing I'm trying this spring is while my son is at soccer practice, I walk and jog around the fields for 30 minutes of his practice. You have to be willing to shoehorn the exercise into your life, so it has to be something you won't mind doing.

Best of luck!

 

[mom2aiden]

This probably isn't a "motivation" tip per se, but this helped me this morning.

I'm great at making excuses as to why I can't work out on a particular day. I decided that mornings would work best for me, having a young son (which makes evenings hectic and tiring). So, I set both my alarm clock and cell phone alarm this morning. I actually slept in my work out clothes w/ my shoes by the bed

My DH thought I was crazy...but I had no excuse to not get up this morning b/c I was already dressed for it! So, I'm proud to say I got up, ran 2 miles on the treadmill and was out of the shower before my DH or DS even opened their eyes.

I'm definitely going to keep doing this b/c while I"m not really a morning person, it's the best way to fit it in my schedule.

Good luck to you!

 

[lovetonap]

I don't exercise. I know that I should, but I absolutely hate it, so I will lose the 10 lbs. that I need to lose by diet alone.

However, my husband gets up and works out virtually every morning. (He makes me feel almost guilty as he gets up while I'm still fast asleep. Almost... ) He used to make himself get up because he knew that if he didn't, he wouldn't work out later. But now he actually likes getting up and doing it. I think he still likes that it is over and done and out of the way, but he says that it makes him feel better too (wish it worked that way for me ). There are so many things that can get in the way if you plan to work out later in the day that working out in the morning really seems to minimize the conflicts.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I actually just started getting up at 5 to do pilates and yoga before school today.
I didn't want to get up, but as soon as I jumped up and put a tape in, there was no reason to go back to bed. (Mostly because once I've walked around I can't sleep.)
If I feel like not getting up I'll start using the "No one has ever regretted working out." It's so true! I might regret going back to bed, but once I finish exercising, why would I regret it? It'd keep me motivated and accomplished.

Honestly sometimes I hate exercise, and sometimes I love it. But mostly it's the "I will feel so much better later on." that always pushes me.

Good Luck!

 

[saremca]

You just have to do it. Don't let yourself make excuses. I hate getting up early, but if I don't exercise early in the morning I will put it off and put it off and before you know it, it's time for bed and I haven't done diddly.

Getting started is the hardest part. Once I get going I'm always glad that I did and I feel better all day long.

 

[TennisGirl80]

So here's the question that haunts me:
What gets you out of bed in the morning to exercise?

Well... what motovates you to get out of bed at all? Why don't you just lay there all day, every day? You said that you have a job - obviously that is motovation enough for you to get out of bed - but why... because if you don't, the repo man will come and take your car, your house, your cozy bed!

Use the same line of thinking, but with your body. If you don't get out of bed and do your exercise, the "Hot Body Repo Man" will come and not take stuff away from you, but add it to you!!

I know it sounds kinda stupid, but its actually pretty logical.... really, it is! You just have to want it - when you do, you will do it. Good luck!