How to Become an Early-Morning Exerciser? Six Night Owls Answer Our Question

I asked my Remix AM clients how and why they became early-morning exercisers.
Their answers were full of wisdom and tips. Many clients tried for years to fit it all in a day. Here are their tried and true tricks for success!

N. said:
“I am a night owl but learned quickly the value of getting my workout done early. I also learned, by trying, that I have a better day when I've started it with exercise. And since I roll out of bed and go straight to class, I don't have time to come up with excuses like I would if I waited until after work.
To help me be successful, I lay out all of my clothes the night before and place them right by my bed (sometimes I even sleep in them). I make sure my weights and mat are by the front door or already in the car. Carpooling is another motivator - making me accountable to someone else.”

W. said:
“I became an early exerciser because that was the only way to guarantee nothing got in the way of me getting a workout. If I could get out of bed - which is something I could control - nothing else got in the way - no traffic or late work appointment or kid after school thing... After a while, it became something I don't really think about, I just do it, unless of course, I don't - there is always that danger of slipping lurking in the background! That is where your leadership and the camaraderie of the class make the difference!”

L. said:
“As a full-time working mom, I had to find non-family and work time to exercise.”

P. said:
“I always considered myself a night owl, but couldn’t get on a regular exercise schedule. I started taking a 6 am yoga class probably 8 years ago and after about two years my body got used to getting up early to exercise. Of course things change as you age, but now I easily wake up to exercise and it is part of my routine. For me I seldom wake up and think –“oh I just want to sleep in” because it is important to me and I feel better – even if I am tired.”

F. said:
“Why in the world did this night owl start waking up at 6AM to exercise? Well, it came down to children, home and volunteer duties taking over my days and even when I wanted to exercise (either on my own or at gym/studio), I always let something else take priority. Exercising in the morning didn’t allow me (as many) excuses. Nights before class, I even get to bed a little bit earlier which has also proved to be beneficial. Who says Night Owls can’t learn new tricks?”

Q said:
“I exercise early because I have a commitment with the other ladies to carpool. I exercise early because by the time we are finished I am fully awake and ready for the day. I am not an early person by nature but once I'm up I love the mornings. I continue to come to class because I see results. (First, I discovered I had calf muscles, then the waist shrunk a little, then the first 10 lbs I had been battling stayed off, then my pants started falling down, then I went down a size, then I realized I could fit into pants that were too tight when I was 15 lbs lighter, now pants in my new size are starting to feel loose, and I found new muscles in my back. So I keep going because I want to see what will change next.)”

From these testimonials, it seems like one of the best way to become an early-morning exerciser is to create a new habit.
What if you want to do it alone? Without a class, without the commitment to others (carpool duty or an instructor). What if you only have 30 minutes? Or 15 minutes? What if you are the “most unmotivated” person in the morning? How do you create a sustainable early-morning exercise habit when you are on your own? We will discuss this topic in our next blog post.