Why I Work Out at 5 a.m.

Back when Zach and I were in negotiations regarding the logistics of starting a 90-day fitness regimen, I reluctantly agreed that we would work out together at 5 in the morning.

Now I'm as much a morning person as the next gal; that is, not at all. But with two young kids, Zach's full-time (and then some) job, and a million other things to do, it quickly became apparent that 5 a.m. was just about the only time no one would be crying, calling, or catching up on paperwork.

Before the 5 a.m. workout habit started, I used to lay in bed with a pillow over my head, trying to ignore the lights and shower as Zach got ready for work. Then my then three-year-old would open his door and come wandering in the room saying, "Mama. Mama. Mama! Mama! MAMA! I want bweckfast." And I would literally moan, groan, and berate my son for his inability to sleep past 6:15. What a way to start the day! Instead of coffee, I was starting my day with a big 'ol cup of negativity.

Then P90X arrived in the mail, and we set the alarm for 5:00. Day in, and day out, I surprised Zach as I actually got up, dressed, and out the door to start working out by 5:10 or so. And a funny thing happened. Even though I was "losing" an hour or more sleep a night, I was happier and more energetic. When my kids woke up, I was able to greet them cheerfully. I had worked out, showered, dressed, and felt like a human being by 6:30 a.m., which was not something I could say pre-P90X.

And even though we aren't necessarily talking, the hour that Zach and I spend working out together in the morning has meant the world to our relationship. His job as a principal means many extra curricular events after school and late and night, and many days that hour is the only time we see each other in the day. This shared goal and experience helps keep me sane when I'm spending long hours alone with the kids.

All the warm fuzzy stuff aside, I will tell you that I hate life from 5:00 until 5:04. I pile my workout clothes next to the bed so that all I have to do is swing my legs out of bed and pull clothes on. And I make no illusions that Zach is the motivator around here. He jokes that in two years of doing this, I've been the one coaxing him out of bed approximately two times. If he says, "let's sleep in," I'm game. Unlucky enough for me, I can't think of any times he's done that.

Early rising did mean we had to adjust our bedtime. I feel pretty geriatric when I refuse to start watching a show that starts at 9 p.m. "because that's just too late to start a show!" But I know that if I don't get 7 to 8 hours of sleep 5 a.m. feels a heckuva lot worse than usual.

So for the foreseeable future, I'll be hitting our "gym" way before the sun rises. I think it was Ben Franklin that said, "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." I don't know about the wealthy and wise, but at least I've got the healthy part covered.