European Union Forums

[Billie78]

Im always mega tired but i need to get up and swim before work to get healthy!

Pool opens at 7:am, i usually get up at about 8:am. Would need to get up at 6:30am to get to pool for 7 to swim for 2 hours before work.

Arrgh i just cant get the motivation my bed is always so comfy and warm!!

How can i find some motivation, how can i be less tired?

[Sukey]

why don;t you go swimming after work instead?

[Lettie]

Get an alarm clock and set it for what ever time. Over time you will eventually find the motivation to and will not want to stay in bed every morning. But for the first few weeks you may want to try having a cold shower when you wake up just to wake you up.

[Minnie]

i set my alarm away from the bed so i cant just reach over and turn it off. so i have to get out to turn it off else it drives me crazy! and if, like me you use your phone as an alarm, find the most annoyin alarm tone u can and set it to that!
then just dont get back in to bed! its really hard some mornings but good luck!

[Jaz34]

If you can swim for two hours, you're already healthy ). Try starting in smaller increments. For the first week, just go three days and swim for 20 minutes. Instead of waking up at 6:30, you can wake up at 7:30, and you're still getting a workout in.

The next week, mix it up! Swim for 25 minutes one day, do a 30 minute walk/jog another day, and do 20-25 minutes on a bike the third day. No one, not even Michael Phelps, has the mental stamina to do the same workout for two hours a day every day of the week. It's boring, and it won't be too long until you start to swim very efficiently and don't get much out of the workout anyway.

Make sure you throw some load-bearing exercises in there. Walk, jog, or lift weights at least two times per week. I read once about a 40 year old cyclist who always rode his bike to work out. He had the heart of a 22 year-old, but the bones of a 70 year-old because he didn't do any load-bearing or impact exercises.

But, none of those tips are really motivating, so try these:
1. Find a friend who will work out with you. If you're supposed to meet someone at the gym the odds of you going are much higher.
2. Reward yourself. Even if it's something that sounds stupid like making a star chart. Have boxes for every day of the week, and give yourself a star for every day you work out. If you have five stars at the end of the week, get those earrings you liked, or go to that movie you wanted to see. You can also have two boxes a day and give yourself a star for every day you eat right. Then, if you have ten stars at the end of the week, do something nice for yourself.
3. Write down your goals and keep them some place you will see them every day (like on the refrigerator or television). Do you want to get into that dress for your friend's wedding? Do you want to have enough energy to keep up with your kids or nieces and nephews? Do you want to climb the stairs at the beginning of the day without huffing and puffing at the top? Writing your goals down and reading them every day will help you stay on track.
4. Find ways of working out that you really enjoy. Learn to play volleyball, basketball, racquetball, golf, disc golf (the last three are especially good b/c you don't need to gather a bunch of people to do them). Take a yoga, spin, tai-chi, or step aerobics class. Go outside dressed for running but with the intention of going for a walk. Walk around, enjoy the outdoors, and when you feel like jogging, jog for a few seconds. When you feel like walking, walk. If you look forward to moving, you'll do it a whole lot more.

Good luck! And enjoy getting healthy!

[Sadie]

Hi Han87,

Ironically, the way to wake up less tired with more energy, is to exercise!

Motivation is doing what you want, regardless if it is detrimental to your goals. For example, the olympic runner, training at 4am, is just as motivated as the fat slob on the couch, watching TV for 12 hrs a day. They are both doing what they want to do, at least subconciously.

The secret to starting to do what you want, is to identify WHY you want to do it. Why do you want to swim 2 hrs before work. Make a list. For example:

1. You want more energy.
2. You want the endorphin rush that comes from exercise to keep you in a great mood all day.
3. You want to improve your fitness.
4. You want a better body.
5. You want to spend your time more productivly.
6. You want to increase you lung capacity.
7. You want to be seen as a highly diciplined person by your friends.
etc.

Once you have your list, you need to write yourself emotionally charged paragraphs that go deeper into each of these reasons. Really go to town, and whip yourself into an emotional state. If you do it proprely, you'll want to go swimming, RIGHT NOW!.

Another thing you can do is work to fix your sleeping patterns. Technically, the human body shouldn't need an alarm clock to wake up. Our bodies have our own internal alarm clocks (Cercadium Rhythms), which tell us when we should sleep, and when we should be awake. Most people have such atrocious sleeping patterns, that they are constantly fighting this natural response, hence why they are always tired.

Try going to sleep earlier, in a dark, quiet room. Don't watch televison or go on the computer for at least 1 hr before bed. You will find yourself waking up earlier, and more alert, which of course, will make exercising that much easier.

My biggest advice is to put your alarm clock on the other side of the room. You will have to get out of bed to turn it off! Once you are out of bed, your reasons for wanting to swim in the first place will be that much stronger. You've already done the hard part, waking up, so why not exercise.

Good luck!