Morning workout or after work?

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stefaniemazz
stefaniemazz Posts: 179 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When do most people on here workout? I'm curious.

When I was in high school I had no problem getting up in the morning and doing a workout but now I just find it impossible. I'm way to tired and always find myself hitting the snooze button.

And sometimes after work, stuff comes up and I just don't the chase.

How does everybody fit in their workout, and any tips?
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Replies

  • Cueball55
    Cueball55 Posts: 152 Member
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    I personally like working out in the mornings. It does take some doing and no question it's hard, but it's worth it.
    A) it starts my day out great
    B) I find the same problem of busy and unpredictable evenings
    C) nice to get it out of the way

    It's usually hard for the first 3 to 5 mornings, but when I do get into the habit, it's not too bad.

    When I did work out in the evenings, I found the secret to making that work was I couldn't slow down from the work day. Meaning I would go straight from work to the gym, or if I went home, I wouldn't sit or turn the TV on... Just throw a shake together, get changed, and go.
  • cjazz72
    cjazz72 Posts: 80 Member
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    I am in the same boat. I tried mornings, afternoon and evening workouts times. So here is sort of my insight on each:

    Evening-
    Pro: Felt tired enough to fall asleep and didn't have to worry about too many people coming into the gym to workout.
    Con- Harder for me to keep from not slacking, like kept making excuses. Found I was too tired to make dinner just
    showered and went to bed.

    Afternoon-
    Pro: Sit all day at work and I drove directly to the gym. Workouts woke me up in the afternoon. no Naps!!
    Con: Gym was crowded with people, work made me sleepy so I made excuses not to go workout.

    Mornings(recent)
    Pro: I found I had more energy in the mornings after a workout. I would wake up easier get in the gym and just did my thing. Got it out of the way and then headed to work. I also found that when I was feeling rushed I workout harder.
    Con: Going to bed early to get up early. Having to pack the night before so that when you wake up you put your workout clothes and go. Also the problem you have of hitting the snooze button

    My Advice: Mix it up. I am going to try is splitting my workouts in the afternoon and mornings. Like my weight lifting I am going to do in the mornings on certain days and my cardio in the afternoon on certain days and see if that makes a difference. I mean try a week waking up early and working out. then the next week try the afternoon. If you hit the snooze put the alarm clock on the other side of the room that your force to get up to shut it off. That would be my advice.

    If you need more motivation feel free to add me =D.
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
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    Mornings. I set my alarm and put if far enough from my bed that in order to turn it off, I have to physically get up and move. Once I'm up, I generally have to use the restroom, so there's no excuse to just fall back into bed.

    That, and there is ALWAYS an excuse after work to NOT work out.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
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    Mornings. I know it won't happen in the evenings. It's hard, and I'm still trying to figure out hte motivation to set my alarm. Usually my daughter's up really early so I have no choice to be up anyway. But recently she's started to sleep longer and I'm finding it difficult to motivate myself to get up before she does.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    I sometimes take a lunch break and go do 30 min on the elliptical (something better than nothing) and Tuesday and Thursday and weekends I go after work... easier for me to be motivated because the fiancé comes with me. before he joined the gym it was harder cus I wanted to be home with him
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    after work for me everyday...

    I go home get changed and workout...or if I am starved (which can happen) I eat, let my food settle and workout.

    I am typically done by the very latest 7pm in the evening which leaves me lots of family time/computer time/me time/tv time etc.
  • Orion782
    Orion782 Posts: 391
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    Morning! Fasted training (in conjunction with IF) is a great way towards your weight loss goals, as your body utilized your FAT for energy!
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
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    I hit the gym after work and I arrange my schedule around that. I'm NOT a morning person so attempting a morning gym session most of the time is useless.
  • Spaghetti_Bender
    Spaghetti_Bender Posts: 509 Member
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    I recently started going to the gym in the AM before I go to work. I have more energy throughout the day, and i don't have to worry about trying to fit it in at night, since my wife goes too. I like the fact that i have all the equipment practically all to myself since it's pretty much empty at that time of the day.
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,318 Member
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    Sorry, I have always been an early-bird so getting up in the morning was not hard for me. Though I have upped the time last year to get in a bit more of a workout. It gets my day going on a more positve note.

    I find that when I workout in the evenings I may get right to sleep but I don't get a restful sleep.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    As much as it would be nice to wake up at 5am and workout so I had the evening after work to do other stuff around the house .... I just like my sleep & with an hour commute....I am not wanting to wake up at ungodly times! Just me though :)

    I try to work out ASAP when I get home...that way I cannot talk my way out of it :)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    Morning when possible - less excuses get in the way. After work for scheduled classes since they don't have them early enough to do before work.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    I'm not a morning person. Even after having 2 kids, I still hate the mornings. Getting out of bed earlier isn't an option for me.

    I work out in the evenings. I take a Fitness/TKD class from 8-9:15 twice a week and from 7-8:15 on Sundays. My other workouts are usually done when the kids go to bed (by 8).
  • stefaniemazz
    stefaniemazz Posts: 179 Member
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    As much as it would be nice to wake up at 5am and workout so I had the evening after work to do other stuff around the house .... I just like my sleep & with an hour commute....I am not wanting to wake up at ungodly times! Just me though :)

    I try to work out ASAP when I get home...that way I cannot talk my way out of it :)

    That's my issue as well. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to work and I start at 8.
    I leave the house at 7, I would have to get up at 4 am just to workout...and I'm not willing to do that LOL. I like sleep way to much
  • RunConquerCelebrate
    RunConquerCelebrate Posts: 956 Member
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    after work, I work out at night after I have put my kids to bed. I have never been a morning person, so trying to get up in the AM has always failed for me.
    I know that at night I have to do it or else it will not get done, plus if I go over my cals during the day than I know how hard I need to work out to get out of the red.
  • brad2021hk
    brad2021hk Posts: 46
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    Desire for family time makes after work a no-go for me. This would be my preference if I didn't have a daughter that goes to bed at 7:30. It was what I did before she was born. Evening is a complete non-starter. After a full day and dinner, I'm not going to start a workout. Afternoon during work is hard to do consistently. I don't feel right scheduling my companies time for a workout over work. I would go hit the gym if I have time, but it's just not going to be consistent.

    It's the morning for me. A few things that have helped so far. First, I try to get up at the same time every morning. Whether there is a workout or not. Consistency helps. Might push out to 7am on the weekends. Second, go to bed early. We're in bed around 9:30. Get plenty of sleep and it's easier to get up at 6am or earlier.

    So far, I've done 24 days out of 28 getting up early to workout for 30-40 minutes.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    For me, whenever. Most of the time in the evening after work. On the weekends/holidays/days off, in the mornings. If I work 1/2 day or leave early from work, which I do if I have evening plans, then I work out in the afternoon.
  • Sbolinger37
    Sbolinger37 Posts: 2
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    I work out at lunch ever day at 12. I work 8-5. Before I had a job though I always worked out at 9am. I have tried after work a couple of times and just had no energy. Im a morning person though. I think it depends on your energy level and your situauation. :smile:
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
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    Lately I've been doing both - cross training class in the morning before work, and then back afterwork for whatever else I have planned that day. I'm finding that I cannot sustain the morning workout for more than a few weeks. I'm just not a morning person.

    I wouldn't make my afternoon workout if I went home first. I make sure I have my bag ready before work, and then I go straight to the gym after. If I went home first to change or do anything else, I'd never make it.
  • shellywelly123
    shellywelly123 Posts: 159 Member
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    I normally do mine in the morning. I find it gets me set up for the day. Being on maternity makes it easier my son is happy to amuse himself first thing in the morning so gives me an hour to get a quick burn in! When I go back to work i'm not sure how i'm going to fit it in. Will probably go to the evening when my son's in bed and the other half at work.

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