This is what it looks like in our back yard at 6 am. The sun isn’t quite up yet, but it’s on its way. How do I know this? Because I’ve finally decided that there is hardly ever going to be a time when I feel like exercising after I get home from work at night. I tried fooling myself into thinking that after work was the best time for me to do it (since I am so not a morning person), but it just meant that I’d come home, not exercise, and feel slightly guilty the rest of the evening.
So, I heard about the Fitbit and thought maybe that would help. If someone says I’m supposed to walk 10,000 steps a day and do 10 flights of stairs, then those are the numbers I try to hit. And since I started getting up early in the morning to walk for an hour, it has been working. I do like getting it out of the way before work. And I get to see pretty scenes like this (finally – the sun is up above the horizon.):
And this (I love seeing mountains first thing every morning.):
These things have helped me stick to this routine for a couple of months now:
1. Personally, I need to do it every single day of the week. I do take Saturdays and Sundays off, but I’m just about ready to throw at least Saturday into the mix, too. Mondays are a bugger when 6 am rolls around again.
2. I listen to audiobooks. It makes the hour of walking pass by really quickly.
3. I fool my brain. I tell myself that I’m going to walk for 30 minutes (in one direction, away from my house) and then I’ll just walk home. That equals an hour, but the last part of it is just “walking home”. 🙂
The downside? I am tired too early in the evening. It’s affecting my knitting, FPS. Somehow I need to learn to be a morning person AND a night person. Is that possible?? I need to finish my Camp Loopy Project Three this weekend. (I’m making a Derecho out of the Loopy Solid Series. So many fun colors to choose from.)
Today’s blog contest question: Are you a night person or a morning person? (And while we’re at it, do you have any tips about sticking to an exercise routine?) Leave a comment below and I’ll draw names for two more skeins of Wollmeise Lace next week.
We do have winners from last week’s blog contest! I’m sending a skein of Wollmeise Lace to Linda in IL and Amber in IN. Congratulations to you two!
Sheri 9162stepssofarfortoday.
Mustwalkbackandforthintheshopafewmoretimes….
Always been a morning person. Used to get in trouble when I was a kid since I would sneak downstairs and watch cartoons on TV. I’ve been a runner for a long time, although some days it is hard to get out there, you get to a point where you can’t imagine a day without it. I run in the morning now before it gets hot although in the past I have run after work to avoid traffic or run at lunch to clear my brain. It helps when you need to stay in shape for other things you love like hiking or xc-skiing. Good luck with it!
Night bird, here, no question. As for exercise, I need to find something, too. I say that as I don’t run to the refrigerator, why would I run anywhere else. My husband is a runner and trys every year to get me to go wth him. But at 5 AM, FPS. No way!
Off subject, when does the DIC club start? Soon? 🙂
I’m a night person. Is knitting an exercise?
I have no idea if I’m a night person or a morning person since I go to sleep early and wake up late. I need at least 8 hours to function and sometimes I don’t sleep through the night. I get up cranky and need to sleep early because I’m so tired. I used to be a night owl when I was younger, but I have since lost this desire to stay awake at all hours.
On the exercise thing, I seem to do a lot better if I have a partner to exercise with. My friend lets me run with her while she’s getting ready to run a 5k and I let her work out with me at the gym. We have coordinated our schedules so that we run 3 times a week and lift weights twice. It seems to be working since we push each other to keep up. I hope you keep at it. The audio books also help. Make sure you reward yourself for goals that you give yourself each week. When you finish a project, do you reward yourself with yarn? When you finish a week with the amount of time you want to exercise, you should reward yourself with a little something. New shoes, workout clothes, dinner out, etc.
I am definitely a night person now because that is the time when all the kids are asleep and I can get things done!
Totally a morning person – – – exercise person . . . not so much. I have to “bribe” myself to do it. Note to self: you really need to get going in this department!
Salam wa sa’aadah
I’m so NOT a morning person! Born a night owl, will always be a night owl, and have a list of every excuse in the book for not exercising. Guilty as charged.
I am definitely not a morning person so I guess I would be more of an evening person. I wish I had some exercise tips, but alas I can’t seem to find time to exercise much. I have been walking at night, but have not managed to do even that every night. I do have good intentions if I get any credit for that. 🙂
I am most definitely a night person. I just cannot sleep when anyone else in the house is awake and love the quiet when all have settled down. Occassionally I see an early sunrise, but that just means I’ve become busy with something and forgotten to go to bed! Oops!
I used to be a morning person but in my 40’s became a night owl. I have to put exercise somewhere on the schedule every day or it won’t happen! I love water aerobics classes – they’re very social – and walking while listening to 80’s music. I also will ride a bike or run on an elliptical at the gym — and I tell myself it’s a treat because I get time to read a book.
Definitely a morning person, and I HAVE to get my exercise in in the morning. I just don’t get to it in the evening. Sometimes I try to add some strength training while watching tv in the evening but that cuts into the knitting!!!
I’ve always been a morning person and used to exercise early in the day. But I seem to be transitioning to more of an evening person. I even switched my exercise (now Pilates) to later. I go 3-4 times a week right after work. This works great for me because then once I’m home, I can rest guilt free….with knitting in hand, of course. 🙂
I’m a night person! I do all my best work when it’s dark out. I’d be fully nocturnal if I didn’t have to work.
I am definitely a morning person. I like to exercise at the gym in the late afternoon with my husband as by then I’ve done all the important things that I like to do. We try and force ourselves to go Monday through Friday so we can skip the weekends! You can do it!!
I go back and forth, I’m more productive in the morning, but I love staying up late. And as far as exercise goes it’s much easier to keep to it when you’re doing something you like.
I’m a night person, but because I have to be at work early I don’t get to stay up late or I’m sleepy all day at work, which isn’t fun. As for exercise I walk about a half a mile in the mornings to work most days and sometimes I go for a walk at lunch if it’s not too hot.
I am a night person for sure! I even work nights. As for sticking to an exersice routine I am eager to get some good ideas from others in the comments.
I’m a night person, hate getting up before 8am but have to to get the boys ready for school. As for exercise, I’m unfortunately really terrible at this, I need to and know I need to but there always seems to be more important stuff to do like knitting and spinning.
Definately a morning person! I can go to be late yet I’m still up by 5. I am proud of myself when I can sleep in until 7! And it does impact the knitting-especially in summer when it is light for so long…
I am a morning person. My tip would have been audio books! I have been known to walk around the block an extra time or two when by book was getting good.
I am really interested in the Fitbit. I have always used a pedometer but this sounds like it might be a better motivator!
Morning and even at that, I don’t seem to get enough sleep. And naps leave me dis-oriented so up at 5AM, on a very good morning, up at 6AM Today was a great morning. I try to exercise at the gym, reading a book on the treadmill but I seem to fail having a regular schedule. Sunday’s are flea market days for my son and myself and if the flea is large enough it is good for an hours outdoor walk around.
I’m definitely not a morning person, but I still have to get up at 6am because of work. I kind of like early mornings when I’m awake, I just don’t like the getting out of bed part! And I wish I had some excercise routine tips; the guilt seems to be the only thing that keeps me doing it. I’ve been told so many times that I just need to find some form of exercise that’s fun to do, but I’m still looking.
Maybe we switch as we get older? One way to get up earlier is have a dog, they do not take weekends off. Your body is still adjusting, keep at it! My exercise tip sounds like a cop out, take advantage of every moment: walk the hallway faster concentrating on your muscles, pull knees to your chest while waiting for the shower to great up, stretch side to side as you cook, focus on pulling in stomach muscles throughout the day, etc.
Totally a morning person… I like the early quiet in the world.
My best work out routine was step aerobics with a friend.
I think we were more commited because neither of us wanted to be the one to cancel. Since it was a class we had show up at a set time we could not push it back. I miss those days.
I’m kind of in the middle — when I get up in the morning I’m up and alert and happy (I used to teach first period classes and the kids would give me grief because I was so chirpy)– but when I’m working on something I enjoy the evening.
I have pretty bad arthritis (one knee replacement , the other complaining) but I work with a personal trainer twice a week — she keeps me working hard. I walk, use a recumbent exercise bike (hate it!!!!) , swim in the pond, and I just bought a new bike to ride the Shining Sea Bike Path. I still find myself sitting more than I should. When I worked, I was on my feet moving around all day — now I sit and knit.
I love books on tape both for knitting and exercising.
I am a night person. I found that the best time for me to exercise is during lunch. I know I won’t do it when I get home. Taking a walk allows me a short break away from work.
Totally a morning person. It’s quiet, no one else is up and I can do whatever I want to in the morning. I usually do emails, plan scout meetins, and knit all before work.
Morning. Very, VERY, Morning. I like to get in my exercise and spend some time savoring the possibilities of a new day. The downside is that I work from 2-10pm and it takes me a good 2 hours to “come down” from the excitement of work so my mornings are hard to get up and enjoy but somehow I do it and feel great!
Morning person and I love Fitbit….there is something about seeing the number of steps that actually help me get up every morning and walk my two miles.
I’m a night person by nature, but since I have to be at work at insanely early hours – 4, 5, or 6 AM depending on which position I’m working – I’m forced to be a “morning” person. As for exercise, I’ll take any advice anyone can give me. I’m exhausted after being on my feet for 8 hours a day at work, and while I can consider all the walking there to be exercise that’s kind of cheating.
I’m a morning person, but not a “get up before dark” person. I like to wake up naturally because it’s light outside and not because an alarm clock rang. Luckily I work from home and can get away with this. I used to wake up earlier, go for a run and get my exercise for the day over with, but now I get most of my exercise with evening walks. A nice long walk around 7:30 pm and then settle down on the couch to watch TV and knit until bedtime – not very exciting, but after the years of driving kids to hockey practice, swiming, piano lessons, etc, it works for me.
I am an afternoon person, but even tempered all around 🙂 I like to exercise after work so that I have energy when I get home. When I do it in the morning I need a nap lol
I’m definitely a night person! One way I keep up my exercise is put star stickers on my calendar on the days I exercise. It’s simple, but it helps me see when I’m slacking, and also motivates me to see two or three weeks in a row with 4 or 5 stars each!
I’m a middle of the day person but lean towards early morning.
Definitely a night person. Exercising lately, umm, not so much.
Definitely a night owl. And as for exercising, if you pay for a class, you’re more likely to do it b/c now you’ve got money invested.
When I don’t have to work, I’m a night person. I don’t mind getting up early during the summer, but dang it’s difficult hauling my butt out of bed when it’s still dark outside.
To make walking/jogging a little more fun (and put it in perspective), I set a “virtual” destination for myself. I figure out how many miles it will take me to get to a certain city/landmark. Then I keep track of how many miles I walk/jog each month. My last destination/stop was Walnut Grove, MN (b/c I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie). Eventually I plan to “walk” to Yellowstone. Each “stop” gets me a little closer. Some days it’s difficult to get started, but I feel much better afterwards.
I have always been a morning person – but then again, I’ve been in the workforce for over 40 years and forced to do alot in the wee hours. I think if left to my own devices, I would rather stay up late. While I may get up between 5:00 and 6:00 every day, I get MUCH more done in the evening.
In my mind – there’s no such thing as a bad time to walk (or knit)!
I am such a night owl if the option is there. But being that I have to be a responsible adult, I wake up early and stagger to work and exercise flees the mind.
Y’know, I brought gym clothes with me and gone straight to the gym after work. It means no excuses and I feel better than if I took a nap or watched tv. 🙂
Morning! The air is fresh, dew on the grass, birds are singing. The whole day is still ahead. All the possibilities for creation and joy.
After having to get up at 4-5 AM for 20 years as a teacher, I am now a morning person, though I do excercise after work as school begins at 7 and it’s not enough time to do a work out.
Do you have a gym nearby? A 1/2 hour on a bike or an elliptical would beat walking for cardio.
(Me, walking does de nada, can’t get my heartrate up when walking to do any good)
I’m a morning person for sure!! My body seems to function really well on a schedule, so I get up and go to bed at the same time each day – workdays and weekends! Exercising is the same – as long as I keep it on schedule, it works out great!!
I’m definitely a night person, but since the kids have gone back to school, I find myself not minding mornings quite so much. I’ve also started a goal of having my to-do list for the day finished by noon so I can have some knitting time before they come home.
I find the best way to stick to an exercise routine is to choose one that is realistic for YOU, not for someone else. If you know that you can walk 30 minutes in the morning and that’s it, go for it. After awhile you’ll find that adding an extra 15 minutes is doable because the 30 is already a habit, then you can eventually go up to 60 if that’s your goal. For me, I know that I won’t workout at home, so I either go out and walk, or have a membership to a gym.
I am not a morning person that’s for sure! But I do try to get up an hour early to knit with my coffee before the day starts. I’m teaching morning classes this semester, so that hour early is a little hard to get used to. I used to save my favorite TV shows and watch them on the treadmill, but after knee surgery my doc suggested the pool was a better place for me. I’ve found a really fun water boot camp class, so I actually look forward to getting out of the office and into the pool these days!
I’m a night owl for SURE. Getting up early kills me. Coffee always makes things semi-better, but I have found sometimes it’s a positive attitude that gets me out the door. I went from almost NEVER exercising to getting on the treadmill for at least 45 minutes three times a week, teaching kids yoga twice a week, and doing a cardio hip hop class once a week. It was a rough transition and still can be rough, but having someone do it with you helps. I also use an app called Zombies, Run! when I get on the treadmill. It uses augmented reality to put you right in the middle of a story that involves the zombie apocalypse and encourages you to run for your life! As the story goes on you start to learn more and more about the township you live in, the people around you, and why on Earth the undead are back. It’s compelling stuff. Sometimes I hit the gym just to find out what happens next. The app is for both Andriod and iPhone and I’m addicted!
morning. and you definitely should keep doing it first thing in the am, as otherwise it is too easy to say “I’ll do it later” and then it’s bedtime.
Morning person. I like to be in bed by 8ish. 9 at the latest!
I got a Fitbit this summer, too! It certainly inspires me to climb ALL the flights of stairs at work every day. I am, by nature, a night person, but with the kids’ school times being what they are, I have to get up early. I will say, though, that I have found again and again that if I don’t exercise in the morning, I don’t get it done – I just can’t seem to make myself do it at night. So twice a week, I get up (far too) early to swim, and I walk on the other mornings.
I’m a night owl. I love the quietness of the house after everyone else has gone to bed.
i am both! i don’t know what has happened the last few years, but i don’t sleep as much… and so i have become both…
as for exercise, i tell myself that i will be so glad that i did it AFTER i do it. and that is true – always. i also try to reward myself with something that is a treat but is not bad for me. a smoothie – the all fruit ones. or a latte – skim plain or with sugar-free vanilla. frozen yogurt (just a bit), etc… doesn’t make it easy or great, but i can usually talk myself into doing it!