Changing My Spots
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:00AM 
I am a night owl. A 1,000,000% committed night owl of the most unadulterated lineage. My dad is a night owl. My mom is a night owl. Every single one of my siblings is a night owl. No exceptions! Being a night owl, and hence, NOT a morning person, creates serious issues in my work/gym/social balance.
I have a hiatus from work every summer. This means two months of devil-may-care-stay-up-all-night-reading-computing-moviewatching. Every time I go BACK to work... I kind of send my body into Supershock. During my summer vacation, I generally don't go to bed until between midnight to 3am. Hence, getting back on a "normal person" schedule is pretty tough. Guess what? I go back to work on Monday. Mr. Totally Unhelpful Nocturnal Sleeping Schedule, don't screw me. Thanks!
As far as working out goes... in the past I've worked out in the evening, after work. This doesn't really bode super success for me. Nighttime workouts mean I don't get home until around 8:30p/9p, at which time I need to draw, blog, socialize, eat dinner, and get ready for the next day. It also means that workouts can suffer because I hurry through them, or skip them entirely because I really want to get coffee with one of my girlyfriends. Working out at night ruins my social life for sure.
SO, my personal prescription is to start working out BEFORE work. That is to say... in the morning. The Bible says a leopard can't change its spots (Jeremiah 13:23) but... I'm just going to have to do it. I am a little doubtful (but hopeful!) as to my potential for success...
What about you? When do you workout? Do any of you fellow night owls work out mornings? Please give me your tips!
Life, Working Out
Reader Comments (4)
You're singing my song, sista. I hate mornings. But because of the oppressive heat this summer, I've had no choice but to switch my runs to the morning. I actually wrote a post about how I eased my way into getting up early. Here ya go: http://fattyfile.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/but-im-not-a-morning-person/
Total night owl here as well! I try to work out in the morning, but a lot of times don't make it :(
That was super helpful! I am going to try the idea about making my alarm clock earlier each morning. Andddd, sidebar I do love Nike Temp shorts. I'm so sad I missed the sale!
@Serena - Story of my life. I am entrenched into a 3a bedtime right now, and it's ruining my life!
I effing hate mornings. That is, unless they are promised with pastries and mimosas, not very often then. ;) Currently, I'm also in the middle of a long break for summer from college. That means LOTS of staying up late. Surprisingly, I'm one of those night owls that doesn't want to be one. I get in the swing of things when my body needs to, but when it's able, it goes right back into night owl schedule. Unfortunately, the only way I can deal with it is to shock my body as well. Then my body grows tired and falls asleep at a decent hour at night after a long and early day.