When do you exercise?

DawnieB1977

I have 2 young kids, I work part time as a teacher, and my husband does shift work (one week of earlies, one week of lates). On his earlies week I usually do an evening class so he can look after the kids, although on my days off I sometimes put the kids in the crèche for an our if there's a morning class I want to do.

At the weekend I tend to do a Sat and Sun morning class.

On my husband's lates week I do a Mon and a Tues morning class (these are my days off) and on my working days I go to the gym straight after work, before collecting the kids.

I usually have Wed as my day off exercise so I can come home and relax before collecting the kids.

My son starts school in Sept so my routine will have to change a bit as I'll be collecting him straight away after work.

momzeeee

I'm a sahm so my schedule is pretty open-I usually do my strength training in the afternoon and then my walk/run at night, when husband is at home and can watch the kids. On the weekends I just do the walk/run and usually do that early in the morning, before everyone wakes up

caramelgyrlk

There is nothing like working out first thing in the morning. Before my work scheduled changed, I went to the gym to work out at 5 a.m. or took boot camp at 6 a.m. You are refreshed, renewed and you go to work very energized. At the end of the day you do not have to worry about exercise as you have already taken care of your fitness activity for the day.

Now I am back to working out in the evening. Instead of getting dressed at home in the morning to workout, I now put my gym bag in the car and change into my gym clothes after work.

My preference; A.M.

Tasha_Fat2Fit

Monday thru Friday 5:30-6:30pm (this works best for our family) My husband goes to the gym from 4:30-5:30pm 5 days a week. Luckily the YMCA has child watch so the kiddos get to play for 2 hours a day

Saturday I do Zumba for an hour and Sunday is the day of rest (in exercise that is).

gretchenynguanzo

I usually work out during lunch at work. I'm lucky and have a gym right next to the building I work in. I had a hard time being consistent in the mornings or evenings, but when I used my lunch hour it became more of a routine. If you can take a class, that may also help you stay consistent--especially if you have to sign up for it. I schedule daily classes up to 2 weeks in advance.

Tasha_Fat2Fit

I usually work out during lunch at work. I'm lucky and have a gym right next to the building I work in. I had a hard time being consistent in the mornings or evenings, but when I used my lunch hour it became more of a routine. If you can take a class, that may also help you stay consistent--especially if you have to sign up for it. I schedule daily classes up to 2 weeks in advance.

Agreed! Classes are one of the only ways I keep myself accountable. Plus the trainers work me out alot harder than I would on my own.

JulieAnn72

What kind of time do people go to bed, who work out in the mornings? I am guessing that being fit and getting used to it will mean that I'd not feel tired after a while if I am going to bed at 10- 10.30 and waking at 5? Are there any morning workout people who really hated mornings before they got into it?

I hated mornings. I still hate mornings. I like to stay up late. But I've made it work. I go to bed around 11 most nights, and I'm up around 6:30 to work out. I only do 20-30 minutes of exercise each morning. That's how I make it work. If I tried to do an hour, I'd never get out of bed! I cannot imagine waking at 5. Is there a reason you have to get up that early if you just need to be out of the house at 8:30?

I will say that I'm more awake in the mornings (after working out) than I used to be. Working out in the morning gives me energy. I do get more tired earlier at night. But I still end up staying up until 11 most times.

No, I'd have to get up around 6.30, I must have had 5am on the brain when typing that, probably from shock haha! I wanted to get through the Ripped in 30 dvds, I would be so proud if I did so I am going to try and hold on to that, figure that by 7am I could have my exercise done for the day.

Its good to see a convert as it assures me that as a non morning person I can still do this!

That's exactly what got me started. I joined a group doing 30 Day Shred and started doing it from 6:30 - 7:00 every morning. Then moved on to Ripped in 30. Now I alternate what I do each morning, but still keep it to about 30 minutes so I don't have to get up any earlier!!

TruckersWifeTruckersLife

i try to do my exercises early afternoon myself before my 17 year old gets home cause he has this knack of annoying the hell out of me while i am trying to do them maybe i should annoy him while he is playing his ps3 but i mix my exercises up everyday so i am not doing the same thing so that depends on how it long will take me to do my exercises

itstartswithastep

I try and do something everyday, this might be going for a run (recently started) or an hour long walk, it varies day to day. A while back, one of the past unsuccessful times I have tried to lose weight I used to force myself to get up in the mornings, even on Sundays and exercise. I felt that if i didn't, I had 'failed' and usually I would end up eating rubbish the rest the day. On Monday of this week I changed up my exercise routine (began training for 5k taking place end of August). I now exercise between 7:30-8:30 PM if i am going running which is set at 5 days a week, then 1 day a week I go for a walk late afternoon between 3:30-5:00 and the other day I do whatever I feel like, an exercise video or take a class/go swimming and this is usually a saturday and once again late afternoon. I think it really depends person to person what time people prefer to exercise, but I find the evening/ late afternoon best for me

rainbow198

I workout first thing in the morning and sometimes at night a few hours after my last meal. I remember reading that working out fasted helps to burn more fat so that motivated me. At first it was tough but I got through it and now I'm used to it - I do drink a glass of water before exercising. Also I seem to get a burst of extra energy too for some reason that I didn't get when I ate before working out.

stl_redbirds5

I like to exercise immediately after work. I go home, change into my workout clothes, do a routine of stretches & situps, etc., and then go for a mile walk. I do this every weekday. I like to do it straight after work because I am done with everything by 6pm including showering. Then I still have the rest of my evening to do something fun, cook dinner or do errands.

djshari

My most consistent time is during my lunch hour. It's only 10-25 minutes of walking but I know it is better than nothing and it feels good to be out on a nice day and stretch my legs between two 4 hour work sessions.

After work we be second but I'm all over the place. Walking, swimming or once in awhile using the bikes at the gym or a youtube video.

FunSizedK

I have started working out after my kids go to bed between 8:30 to 10:00 pm

KimJohnsonsmile

For me, I have a hard time doing hard-core cardio 1st thing in the morning... I just don't/can't give it 100% that early. However, days that I lift and do my upper/lower/core workouts I have no problem doing them in the morning. I'm usually in bed by 9:30 and up at 5:00 when it's a morning workout day for me.

wmbrett

As a father of three, my only consistent option is in the morning. I usually wake up naturally around 5:00 a.m., and will be on the elliptical between 60 and 90 minutes. My wife is out the door @ 6:30 a.m. before the kids wake. Luckily I'm a morning person, I've always hated not being able to sleep in, but it definitely helps with weight loss once you make the mental jump to do activities, rather than just lie in bed. I treat / reward myself for getting out of bed by having a diet Snapple during my workout, and watching a TV series that I won't watch elsewhere - currently Mad Men on Netflix. It is about the only personal time during the day I get to myself, so I take advantage of it, and it has become habit. But it was a challenge to make the adjustment to exercise rather than stay in bed. For 2 months after my boys were out of their cribs (and into real beds) and able to walk into the bedroom in the a.m. and curl up in bed to watch TV without screaming / fighting - I knew I could make a better use of that time, and am glad I finally got off my *kitten* and started exercising (and was able to avoid watching Dora / Bubble Guppies for the 100th time).

toutmonpossible

I don't have anything approaching the scheduling problems of some people here, but I recently joined a gym that is cheap and new, but not super-convenient. I've been trying to go there early in the morning because I can't stand the hassle of waiting around for equipment. I also want to shower only once during the day. The gym opens at 5 during the week and at 7 during the weekends. The earliest I've gotten there is 7 and 8:30 respectively.

I'm so not a morning person. I keep telling myself to get organized the night before, but that hasn't happened. I have felt reasonably alert at the gym itself while exercising.

I hope that if I'm consistent I'll get into a routine. Of course that was my plan the last 30 times I started my gym program.

mlogantra76

When working(I'm off during the summer), I work out after work as I take classes at the gym. I go straight there after work. On saturday I work out first thing. During the summer, I love being able to work out right after breakfast. Since I'm a morning person, that is the time I prefer. Before knee issues, I was a runner. I ran pretty much 5 days a week and got up at 4:15 am and did it before work. It took me a while to adjust to working out after work but now that I have, it is doable.

iarelarry

In the morning, after work and in the evening.

norahwynn

I'm up in the morning at 4 am m-f. I'm working out by 4:15 (Zumba) and done by 4:45. I'm at work by 7am and complete my 2nd workout from 10am - 11am (usually the elliptical or arc trainer) at the gym at work. About 3-4 days a week, my fiance and I go to the driving range after I get off from work, and spend about 1/2 hr-45 minutes there. On the weekends, I'm usually up by 6 am and get a Zumba workout in, and then I go with my fiance to the gym for his 8am Spinning class. He Spins, I'm upstairs on the rowing machine, the elliptical, and the bike or Arc Trainer. After we're done at the gym, we usually go to the driving range for about a 1/2 hr or so. I am sooo not a morning person, but I do this because after 12pm, no matter what day it is, I don't want to even think about having to go and workout.

The only suggestion I have for you is to get up 1 hr earlier than you usually do and get your workout then. I am totally on the same page as you...I'm not wanting to workout in the evening, because I have dinner to make and I just want to relax, so I make it a point to get my workout done during the day. I do understand that many people don't have a gym at their workplace, and that's why I suggested that you get up an hour or so before you start getting everyone ready for the day.

Either way, good luck to you. You can make it work!!

Hezzietiger1

I run b4 breakfast and hit the gym 5 evenings a week

PepperWorm

5x a week, 1 hour at a time minimum, any time I possibly can.

An hour is 1/24 of your entire day. I think I can fit that in.

ClareWantsProgress

I need too much sleep to exercise in the morning, so for me it's right after work (about 6 p.m.) I also walk laps for 10-15 minutes during my lunch hour.

Ideally, like on a nice weekend, I would do my longer walks and weightlifting about 9 in the morning, but that happens maybe twice a year. Otherwise life gets in the way.

SimplyDenyse

I go during my lunch hour, it the only time I can truely dedicate to me. Sometimes there are meetings that get in the way but 80% of the time thats when it gets done.

I tried doing mornings but since im up at 4am to get to work at 6am that just wasn't happening, And working out in the evenings is always hit or miss with my kids schedules just just being exhausted at the end of the day.

Lmns218

I work out at night, usually between 8-10PM. I don't have any motivational tips, though, I just suck it up and do it. On nights when I don't want to, I try not to think about it. I just clear my mind, put my shoes on and start.

Yeah, basically I work out soon as I put my 3yo son to sleep at night, around 9pm...sometimes I will let him have the TV and I do my workouts in the dining room off my laptop.

A lot of days, yes I am tired...but like she said, I just suck it up....I start to look at exercise as my "me time" I used to spend the two hours after I put my son to bed (my me time) watching TV and perusing the internet....now I exercise. nothing to it but to do it. If it's something you really want, you will do it.

A friend of mine is a teacher, a coach, a student and a single mother to a 6yo. I figure if she can do it, I can do it too.

Coquette6

I do weights three times a week, Monday and Wednesday at 6 am, and Saturday at 8 pm, just to avoid crowds (I'm not self conscious, I just hate waiting for the power rack, haha). If Saturday's going to be busy, I move weights to Friday at 6 am. I run three times a week, Tuesday and Thursday after work, so around 4:30 pm, and Sunday whenever I feel like it. Though I'm starting to shift my Tuesday/Thursday runs to about 7 am. Going straight home from work is just so nice.

mumtoonegirl

my DH and I split it. He goes in the morning I go in the evenings after our daughter goes to sleep. Mornings are not an option for me since I run a home care and have children arriving early. I am not able to do a workout in the day (because of the children in my care). Once the house is cleaned, the paperwork is done, things are prepped for the next day I go to the gym. I go typically from 8-9 in the evening. Come home by 9:30, get the house prepped, watch a bit of TV and then crash in bed.

TheRunningGuppy

Whenever I can really. This morning I did yoga and zumba before work. Yesterday after work, with my 4 year old in a kid seat attached, I rode my bike for 12.4 miles. When hubby gets home from work tonight, I want to go for a run (hoping the rain stops, but if not, oh well, gonna run anyway).
I'm lucky in that I only work 3 days a week, so I do have a lot of time for exercise. Usually I make my kids a part of it (for running sometimes & bike rides) or I am doing fitness games on the wii & xbox.

Serenitytoo

When lived alone it was usually in the evenings after work but before dinner. Now I am living with my boyfriend I get 20 mins in first thing in the morning around 6:30am while he is in the shower and making his breakfast. I do want to incorporate afternoon workouts in again so I can get more than 20 mins in at once, we will have to see how that works out with 2 of us.

JamieM8168

I do nights from 6-8 ish

bethany41h

Mornings and evenings after work... and lunch if time will allow. I go in the morning every day and go to zumba 3 nights a week in addition. And mix in anything else I have time for