How to wake up early for workout if you already wake up early/evenings don't work??

[souljo]

@zeke4110 I have the same problem. I get in random sets of pushups or rows whenever I can. I also try to include my kids in the early evening after work in a little workout. I put some painters tape on the floor and we did some plyometric games. That worked a few times. I feel my body aging, it's tough!

 

[iamhope]

@zeke4110 Hey, personal trainer and coach here.

Give yourself some credit for being a kick ass parent and being there for your daughter, taking care of your responsibilities, etc. That shows your commitment to your family.

Ok, onto the juicy stuff:

First, environment. Take a look at what things you can possible automate or gain back time by paying someone or a service to get it done. Laundry service, dishwasher, use paper dishes and plastic cutlery instead of regular plates to save time on dishes, etc. See if there is even one thing you can take off your plate to gain back some time.

If you only have 30 minutes, do what you can at home, that is plenty of time to give your body a good stimulus. if you can get some weights to have at home and train with those that could be an idea to explore (think kettlebells, resistance bands, dumbbells.etc). Plenty you can do with that.

If you are working out everyday, try dialing down to 3-4 times per week instead of 6 days because with the amount of sleep you are getting that is going to lead to a lot of fatigue over time. This is counter productive to your health in all aspects.

Lastly, Sleep/Recovery is as important as the training.

If you need help or need any more ideas, reach out. I am on a mission to help as many people as possible. Best of luck and happy training!

 

[nezsruiz]

@zeke4110 I'd recommend trying a way to make your workout feel like "decompression time". So maybe you only need 30 minutes at night, and then the 30 minutes in the morning. Yoga, pilates, etc can be a huge mental break and therefore be double duty.

Also - it might be worth an experiment to take a 20 minute walk with your daughter together after dinner. You both get some exercise -- and that extra movement may be just enough to help tire her out and make the bedroom routine a little smoother.

 

[fishscientist]

@zeke4110 It gets way easier once you’ve established a routine. Establishing the routine is the hard part, and it is definitely tough and takes will power. But once you’ve been dedicated to it for a few weeks/months, it becomes just what you do. I wake up very early (~4:45) to work out, and at first waking up that early was ROUGH and I didn’t think I could do it. But eventually it became routine, and you don’t even think twice about staying in bed when the alarm goes off.

 

[positivityn2018]

@zeke4110 Do it four or five days in a row and you’ll be shocked how quickly you get used to it. I did it for two years and after a while I didn’t even need an alarm clock I was up around 4:45-5 every day

 

[hakim]

@zeke4110 From your schedule I will suggest Friday evening and the weekends. That’s a solids 3x weekly

 

[hosea1316]

@zeke4110 Lift Your Kid!

 

[charles15]

@zeke4110 This is what I do: I make my preworkout the night before and have it on my night stand. I have an alarm at 4am to drink my preworkout, then I 'sleep' until my second alarm at 4:30. Then I work out

 

[dawn16]

@zeke4110 Couldn’t tell from the post, but do you have a partner or family to help with kiddo, lunches, etc.? I simply can’t work out in the am - I’m a slow riser and need a quiet start to the day. After years of feeling like I had to help with everything at home I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself. I was so unhealthy, strung out and just spent. I had to do something and lo and behold my wife was super supportive of giving me 1 hour after work (5:30 to 6:30) for the gym. I had just never asked, and felt that it was so selfish of me to take an hour for me. But that one hour energizes me for the rest of the night. I feel better, and am better, by working out. For me the answer was cutting that hour normally spent at home and replacing it with fitness. There just wasn’t a way to add a workout to my already full schedule. I don’t know if this is an option for you … But if you’re like me maybe you feel like you’re being a bad parent or spouse if you step away from everything for a workout. I felt that way for a long time, and I regret not being “selfish” sooner.

 

[karenwnc]

@zeke4110 Do what you know you can manage, if that's waking up at 5, good! If not, anything you do is beneficial.

Change your Perspective and break it up. Instead of saying all the reasons it doesn't fit, look for little pockets of time to make it fit because it's important to you.

If you have a rigid block and miss it, you might miss altogether that day. If you can do 20 minutes of cardio, and later on work on something else. Squats and lunges can be done everywhere. I keep dumbbells in the laundry room and do upper body while waiting for kids to finish something. Physical activity happens on every lunch break, even 15 minutes is helpful.

Sometimes late at night I do a quick mile of cardio or core and Pilates right before bed because lying down is relaxing to begin with. It all adds up throughout the day.

 

[johnab12]

@zeke4110 When I had a desk job I kept some dumbbells in my office and a yoga mat. If I had a conference call I put the phone on speaker and did push ups, sit ups, weighted lunges, ect. Also took long walks on my lunch breaks when the weather was nice.

 

[dwd467]

@zeke4110 I have had times where I only had 30 min or less and did body weight squats, lunges, push-ups, and an entire a circuit at home during Covid. And my abs really popped.

 

[godisamazing21]

@zeke4110 Sounds like you need a small home gym. Idk your strength level but you can do a lot with some adjustable dumbbells, adjustable bench, and a pull up bar