This is my why. This is my blog post about why I get out of bed at 4:05am to workout. This post is dedicated to explaining the purpose behind my crazy schedule and how I attempt to fit as much into my day as possible, even on the weekends.
Before I had my first child, I would get up before work around 6am and get a run or workout in before I needed to leave. If I was feeling a bit sluggish when the alarm went off, I would just re-set it for a later time and fit my workout in after work. Then came my first child. After I returned to work, I had to fit my workout in before I left for the day. I, also, needed to consider my husbands schedule to make sure I was home before he needed to leave. This meant that I needed to get up at 5am. That isn’t a horrible hour of the morning, I could do that a few days a week.
Then baby number 2 came along. I completely lost my desire to workout simply because I was too tired to do just about anything outside of my normal routine. Wake up, get kids ready, take them to grandparents by 7:30am, go to work, pick up kids, make dinner, put kids to bed by 7:30pm, clean up dinner or other household tasks. I wanted my children to have consistency and schedules. Children function much better when they know how the daily routine is going to progress. This left little time for me to get a workout in before 8pm or I would have to start getting up at 4am.
I tried the 8pm workouts. I found more ways to cancel on myself than one could believe. “I ate a donut for breakfast, the day is already shot, you can skip the run tonight. Oh, the diaper laundry needs done, forget a workout tonight.” If there was a way to cancel on myself, I did. This left me unmotivated and feeling very discouraged.
One thing I have learned, and my husband has learned, is that if I don’t workout consistently, I will live in a depressed state. I want to sleep a lot more than my body really needs. I will seclude myself from the people around me. I cut off communication with my husband. Therefore, I need to workout. I need to run. I need to commit to myself so that I can commit to others on a meaningful level. Lucky for me, my husband completely understands that I need to do this as well.
So, I now get up at 4:05am to meet with a group of crazy runners at 5am three days a week. On the days that I don’t run with the group, I still get up at 4:20am to head down to the home gym my husband so graciously remodeled recently. I am able to get a positive physical and mental health start every single day. I am able to still do the same daily routine mentioned above to maintain consistency for my family. My children still go to bed by 7:30pm, but now I am able to be a better presence in their play when we are home. I am a better me because of my 4am wake up.
Until next time, be confident, be fit, be you!
confidentandfitmom 