Life has many challenges. Some of them last for years at a time, while others only take minutes to conquer. Working out in the morning is certainly challenging, there’s hiding it. But those who stick to an early morning workout routine often claim that it changes their life.

We all know at least one person who is crazy enough to wake up before the sun every single day. By the time they arrive at the office, they’ve already completed an entire workout and somehow still have energy left to go around.

Seeing these people often makes us wonder if we are missing something.

Is working out in the morning worth the struggle?

Are early morning workouts realistic for my lifestyle?

Well, after experimenting on my own with early morning workouts for years, I’ve discovered a few answers to those questions.

Here is what no one tells you about working out in the morning – and 9 things you need to know before committing.

9 Things No One Tells You About Early Morning Workouts

Working out early is hard – even if you’re a morning person.

When we try something that others have found success with and discover it to be more difficult than expected, it’s easy to assume that there is something we are missing.

Trying to workout in the morning is difficult for everyone. So difficult, in fact, that we often find ourselves coming up with excuses for why we cannot be successful. [Everyone else must be a morning person, so it’s easier for them to wake up early].

However, maintaining an early morning workout routine is difficult for everyone – even morning people. While it may be a bit easier for some to wake up early than others, the actual act of getting moving and working out early in the morning is just as challenging.

Accepting the fact that everyone who works out in the morning faces difficulties will help overcome excuses to quit.

A morning workout routine takes commitment – even once the habit is formed.

There’s another myth that waking up early to workout gets easier the more often you do it. The idea is that once it becomes a habit, working out in the morning will feel second nature.

While the first few days of an early morning workout routine are undoubtedly the most challenging, the actual act of waking up early certainly never becomes easy.

Creating a successful morning workout routine takes commitment – it is not for the faint of heart. It is certainly a possibility for any of us, but if you are not 100% committed and ready to persevere through a few daily challenges, working out in the morning will eventual feel like a task that is insurmountable.

The only way to truly set yourself up for success when working out in the morning is to fully commit.

Failing to prepare for your workout means preparing to fail.

Early morning workouts require quite a bit more planning and preparation than those you complete at the end of the day. Most people are limited with time in the morning, meaning that they can’t afford to waste much trying to get everything together at the start of each workout.

Failing to prepare to workout in the morning might mean that you end up missing your workout entirely.

Even just 5 extra minutes spent looking for your workout clothes could mean that you are unable to fit in your shower or breakfast before heading off to work.

The key to success with early morning workouts is preparation. Waking up early is challenging enough as it is, so set yourself up to succeed by preparing all of your gear, clothes, equipment and food the night before.

You will actually have more energy, even after waking up early.

More often than not, we find ourselves dragging a bit on days where we wake up extra early. However, working out in the morning is a bit different.

Starting your day off being active and productive helps get those endorphins flowing and sets you up for long-lasting energy throughout the day.

Many people assume that the time they save by waking up early to workout will be lost to an afternoon nap or lull in their day. However, once you begin working out in the morning, you might be surprised to find that you spend the entire day feeling more energized than usual.

It only takes a few minutes to actually feel awake.

There’s no denying it: the moment your alarm goes off and you roll out of bed feels like torture. Leaving those warm, comfy sheets when it’s dark and cold in your house really never feels easy. Those first few moments of wakefulness are filled with doubt and thoughts of skipping your workout all together.

Luckily, as you continue to wake up for early morning workouts, you’ll likely discover that those initial moments of dread and dreariness only last a few minutes.

By the time you are out of bed and moving around, you’ll probably start to feel surprisingly awake and alert.

It’s no secret: getting up early stinks. But take comfort in the fact that the worst part only lasts a few minutes at most.

Working out in the morning inspires productivity throughout the day.

Starting your day off with an early morning workout will leave you feeling accomplished and productive before you even leave the house.

These feelings of productivity often inspire more, and you might find that you accomplish the most on days when you workout in the morning.

If you’re struggling to make progress and get things done each day, mixing up your routine to include a morning workout might be all you need to start getting things done.

Related: 20 Morning Routine Ideas for Health and Success

It’s much harder to workout in the morning without a support system.

Like we’ve said before – waking up early is hard. It’s even harder to get out of bed when you see your spouse or family members peacefully sleeping away without guilt.

As you begin to workout in the morning, set yourself up for success by creating a support system. While it’s certainly possible to create an early morning workout habit all on your own, doing so is a lot easier with the help of others.

If possible, convince a few family members or friends to join you and help keep you accountable. If no one is willing to get up early with you, at least make sure your family and friends are aware of your efforts so you can fill them in on your progress.

Sometimes just telling another person that you are going to workout in the morning is all it takes to give you that little push to get out of bed in the morning.

Creating a morning workout habit takes more than 21 days.

It’s often said that it takes 21 days to create a habit. And while this may be true to a certain extent, getting comfortable working out in the morning certainly takes more than 21 days.

Creating an early morning workout routine involves consistency. Missing a few days, like weekends, can really derail your progress (especially in the beginning). Each day definitely gets easier, but it really takes time before early morning workouts begin to feel second nature.

Just like waking up early is never truly easy, sticking to a morning workout routine will always require will-power and commitment, even once the habit has been established.

Try to avoid holding yourself to the 21 day standard, because you will likely feel mighty disappointed when you discover that morning workouts still don’t feel like sunshine and roses after 3 weeks.

Early morning workouts can turn your entire day around.

If you’re looking to improve your life, increase happiness, productivity and overall health, creating a morning workout routine is a great place to start.

Early morning workouts take an incredible amount of discipline, but once you are able to conquer them, your entire perspective will change.

We are all capable of anything we put our minds to – the key is committing and following through. Some of the best things for us are often the hardest, which is what makes the reward that much better.

Working out in the morning is no different than anything else in life. But if you are able to persevere and discipline yourself well enough to stick with it, you are setting yourself up for the ultimate success.

More morning workout tips:

• 20 Ways to Become an Early Morning Runner
• What Happened When I Worked Out Every Morning at 4:30 am
• How to Create a Successful Morning Workout Routine