First of all, whaaat?? Why would I do that to myself!!! That was my first thought, but let me start from the beginning.
The whole last year I was struggling to do any kind of sports after work to ease my weightloss journey. I work in an office where I sit behind my desk from 9 to 5. I couldn’t force myself to do sports after work. In the morning I was motivated and ready but when the time came I didn’t have the mood and energy. Not only was I tired but also, I just wanted to go home, have some dinner and read a book. I was devastated as I didn’t see any other option.
Everything started to change when I went on a business trip to Romania last Summer. I have met there an inspiring woman who told me that she wakes up every day at 5:20 in the morning and goes to the gym for two hours before her office job. At first, I though it is crazy and that I couldn’t do that, she is probably a morning person, so it is easy for her to say. I asked her some more questions and it turned out she was never a morning person, she loves her morning sleep, but she makes herself get up, because she loves to go home straight after work more. That got me thinking.
When I came back home from the trip, I started the whole I-have-an-excuse cruise: “I don’t start my work so late”, “I don’t want to leave work so late” and all that jazz. After much consideration though, I decided to do that for a test. I changed my schedule at work to start each day at 9, and I decided to go to the gym for one hour, starting at 7. This would give me plenty of time for sport the a shower, make up before going to the office.
I made that decision in September 2018 and I couldn’t be more happy about that. At first, it was hard, mainly because I was getting up when it was still dark outside (hello Winter!) But, that didn’t stop me. Right now, I can’t imagine not going to the gym before work. I wouldn’t sleep much longer anyway. I have my endorfins pumping in my veins thoughout the whole day, and, I can go home straight after work without feeling guilty.
I have to say, I feel proud that I have tried it. I never new that waking up at 5:30 from Monday-Friday will be such a nice thing. I have Saturday and Sunday off from sports, to relax after a hard working week. The best result is in fact, that I am loosing more weight. The time here does not have the say here, but I am exercising without any excuses 5 times a week – that is huge 🙂
It’s almost six months now, that I go to the gym in the morning, and I can say that my mindset has changed a lot. What I have noticed, is that now I wake up every morning before my alarm clock. This makes me feel like I am more rested (I wake up naturally). Also, I wake up earlier at the weekend, which may seem scary but I have a longer morning and it feels like my day is longer.
Now, I can’t say that you should all do that from now on. This is not for everybody. What I can suggest, is to try it at least. Have a month’s challange to get up earlier and see if it is for you. Who knows, maybe it will change your life, as it did with mine. Maybe you will say, that you hated it – but at least you tried. You can say that you made an effort, but no thank you.
I’m not saying that you have to go to the gym in the morning, I would like to stress that. Maybe getting up a bit earlier might give you more opportunities. My mum, for instance, gets up before my dad just to have a nice cup of coffee in peace. I go to the gym before work. Maybe you will find an inspiring reason to get up in the morning 🙂
