When Do YOU Exercise?

agataarchangel

Just out of curiosity; When, in your opinion, is the best time to exercise... morning or evening? And when do you exercise?

Myself, I prefer morning workouts- after breakfast, of course- because it helps get you going in the morning and energizes you. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment you get and continue to feel for the rest of the day. I find morning workouts are more effective too, as you have much more of it than after a full day's work or whatever- and you haven't had time yet to make up excuses for yourself as to why you shouldn't workout.

Working a full-time job, however, prevents me from doing am workouts and so I'm stuck going right after work or in the evening- and I find I never get as-good of a workout because you've got the whole day behind you already, and motivation along with energy is lower than it is in the mornings. But, this leaves you to workout following most of the day's meals...and so, is it more effective for toning up or weight loss because of that?

Just curious. Let me know what you guys think!

ktbug1186

the only time i get to workout is getting up at 5:45 am every morning...its pure hell since Im SO not a morning person. But after its done, i feel alot better and I always used to say i would do it after work, and never did! I was always too tired. So morning works for me!

Fineraziel

Well... Im at home (maternity break). hihi! ;D So I can workout anytime. Usually, I prefer doing it late in the morning, so I can have my lunch right after.

I used to workout (a few years ago...) when I was a full-time student (8 to 4pm). At the time, I splitted my workouts in 2. So I was doing about 30 minutes in the morning (as soon as I get up) and then again 30 minutes in the afternoon (as soon as I get home).

MissAnjy

I have 2 young kids so I prefer to workout at night after they are in bed sleeping (after 8-9pm) that way I can maximize the time. I could workout until midnight if i liked with no interruptions!!! However, I also have a husband who I have to make time for lol. When my husband works days, I workout only during the kids nap in the afternoon (1.5-2 hours) and we do family time at night. When he works nights, I workout after 8-9 and when he works a mid day shift, sometimes my kids will visit with the grandparents so i can have a few uninterrupted hours during the afternoon.

I do whatever I can with the time that I'm given pretty much. I work with what I have. lol

ladybug91254

I do AM before work...out of necessity. So I too get up at 5:30...or 5:15 depending on what is going on that day. I hate getting up so early but I feel lots better all day...and I'm not so sure I could do an evening one...I'm usually mentally wiped out at the end of the day.

justwannaplay

I workout at 5 am before work, otherwise I know I won't do it at all! I didn't used to be a morning person, but I have to admit that working out puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day:bigsmile: PLUS I know how many extra calories I get to eat:bigsmile:

rstuartcpa

If I don't do it first thing in the morning, I most likely will skip that day. I'm up at 5:45 AM and stationary bike in front of the TV for forty minutes. It feels great after I'm done.

amycal

I like to work out in the morning but I only do so on the days I don't work or don't work until later. I work 2 part-time jobs so my schedule varies. On days I work starting in morning I go to club around 4:00. Occasionally I go later but now in the winter when it is so dark and cold I don't really like to do that.

avalonfloyd

As I am currently unemployed after graduating college, the day is my oyster and I can exercise whenever I want. I used to split my routine into two, or really just do 2 routines a day, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon. Now I just do a morning workout. I try to make sure I'm on either our elliptical or our stationary bike by 9 or 10am at the latest. I was getting up at 7.30 every morning, eating breakfast and working out by 8.30, but the holidays have pushed me back a little, I've been sleeping later, but I'm still usually working out by 10.

Meganne1982

I get up, have a cup of coffee while I write in my journal and then I HAVE to workout before I do anything else in the day or I know I won't work out at all. I'm lucky though, and don't have to go off to work in the morning, so I can be a little leisurely about it. When I was working early mornings I just had to make myself get up all the more early.

msbanana

10 years ago I woke up at 5am everyday and worked out- it was a routine from high school I managed to keep through college and it was easy. I broke the habit and haven't been able to consistently get up enough motivation to do it everyday. I have the best excuses in the morning, snooze buttons, breakfast, snooze buttons, coffee, snooze buttons...

I do find I have plenty of energy after work and because I'm not rushed (in the morning I only have about an hour) I can get a good solid workout in and I'm not skipping anything. I take away all my excuses by packing my gym bag in the morning and I head straight to the gym. I plug in the music and do work.

If I had my way (which I don't because I gotta work to afford the gym membership) I would go mid morning. I like the energy I have an hour or two after breakfast and I like being able to follow the work out with a good lunch... BUUUT that's a pleasure I only get on the weekends. :ohwell:

SHBoss1673

I work out on my lunch hour, we have a nice, free, gym at my office building, so I use it. Sometimes I'll work out at home, we have a couple of spin bikes, a gym quality stepper, and some weights in our basement, I'll use them, if I didn't get to work out at the office and/or on the weekends in the winter. You can find great deals on gym quality equipment if you look around. we found these 2 spin bikes for 50 bucks because they were rusty, but otherwise they were in good working order, I sanded off the rust, repainted with radiator paint, replaced the pads, and put in new pedal foot straps, and they were like new. Total cost per bike, about 90 bucks, total cost of a new gym quality spin bike of the same caliber, about 900 to 1500 bucks. Same deal with the stepper, it was gym quality, cost me $150, to buy one new is about 1500 to 2000 dollars, I replaced a 15 dollar spring and it was as good as new. Took about 5 minutes to replace it, they sell them at almost every hardware store.

dom300186

I do mine about 7 in the morning I'm a stay at home mum and I do 30 mins then 30 mins in the evening. Just works for me:)

AKosky585

Right now my work schedule is not consistent so it just depends on when I work that day. If I work at 11 or later, then I get up around 7, have breakfast and then start my workout around 8. If I work early in the day, then I do it usually when I get home or after dinner. If it is a day off, then usually mid-morning. It would be nice to have a set routine, but I just have to fit it in whenever I can and hope for the best.

PJilly

I work from home, so I have the luxury of having a pretty flexible schedule. I usually do my workouts an hour or two after breakfast.

jmijares

I'm a late afternoon/early evening workout person, mostly because it's my way of relieving stress at the end of the day. I work an early shift in the office, starting at 6:45am, so the earlier I get in and the earlier I leave, the smoother my commute will be. I've tried working out early in the morning while on business trips, but the late afternoon/early evening workouts help ease me into the night and I can sleep better.

fasttrack27

Mostly mornings. Up @ 4:45, arrive @ gym 5:15, usually do a class from 5:30-6:15, then another 1/2 hour on my own (abs and/or some weight). Quick trip to sauna, then home by 7:15-7:30. Can still help get kids on school bus, grab breakfast, and be in my home office by 8am. I made myself do this enough that now I can go to sleep a little earlier and its easier to get up that early. But it sucks on weekends when the internal clock wakes you up.....

glfprncs2

I prefer 10:00 a.m., however, since I have a full-time job, that doesn't work so well! I have to leave the house for work at 6:15, so if I workout in the a.m., I'd have to start at 4:15. NOT going to happen (though I did do 2 mornings per week for 2 months last year during my P90X doubles rotation). For me, since I get home at 3:30, I chill until 4:15 then get my workout on. I usually walk my dogs first for 45-60 minutes then hit my strength or cardio workout afterwards.

maureak

I work out every other day, always in the morning at 5:00 (40 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of weights). I've tried in the past to work out every day and would get mad at myself if I missed a day. Now I never miss a work out.

Working out in the morning is mandatory for me; I would never get in a workout if I waited until the evening. Plus - I get to see how many extra calories I have for the day, if I need them.

TaneeisFitforLife

I have two set water aerobic classes a day at 8:30am & 5:30pm that I teach Monday-Thursday and I'm about to pick up two more on Fridays....when I'm not doing those I like working out right before lunch (when the kids are in school).

AdamATGATT

The best time to workout is anytime that you can! Morning, mid-day, afternoon, evening...whichever it can be sqeezed into. Just get up and move at some point!

I have no time in the mornings. I could do it at mid-day, but my lunch period does not allow me to fit in my full workout, clean up, and get back to work in time. I usually use my afternoons for other chores and preparing dinner, so that's out.

Guess that leaves evening for me! I workout six days a week, 3 strength training, and three cardio workouts. Between 40 - 50 minutes per workout. I've been doing this schedule since November 2nd and I haven't missed a single workout so far, even while traveling and through the holidays. Edit: All of this has been at home...not at a gym.

countjackula

Just out of curiosity; When, in your opinion, is the best time to exercise... morning or evening? And when do you exercise?

Myself, I prefer morning workouts- after breakfast, of course- because it helps get you going in the morning and energizes you. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment you get and continue to feel for the rest of the day. I find morning workouts are more effective too, as you have much more of it than after a full day's work or whatever- and you haven't had time yet to make up excuses for yourself as to why you shouldn't workout.

Working a full-time job, however, prevents me from doing am workouts and so I'm stuck going right after work or in the evening- and I find I never get as-good of a workout because you've got the whole day behind you already, and motivation along with energy is lower than it is in the mornings. But, this leaves you to workout following most of the day's meals...and so, is it more effective for toning up or weight loss because of that?

Just curious. Let me know what you guys think!

I see advantages and disadvantages to both. Working out in the morning (which I've done) is good because it forces you to get your workout done -- you can't use being tired after work as an excuse! The downside is that I always feel more rushed because I'm on a stricter schedule.

I usually workout in the evenings after work/before bed. You are right; the motivation is definitely an issue but I just drag myself there and I've found that I've NEVER regretted going to the gym. Afterwards, I head home, drink a light protein shake and have some cottage cheese and call it a night.

As for your second question, I believe studies have shown that when you workout has little to no effect on how much fat is burned or how much muscle is built -- providing that you workout just as hard.

edorice

The best time to exercise is when you can fit it into your schedule and it becomes habit.
I work out mostly in the morning before work.

Shirley61

Since I work during the day, evenings are
the only alternative. I am going to (3) days
a week starting next week and looking
forward to morning exercising. Actually
looking forward to more exercising and
meditation too.

Cristy_AZ

I work out early, or I won't do it at all. Right now we are up at 4:30 am and I work out as soon as my husband leaves for work about 5:00 am. Worked out from 5:00 to 6:00 am this morning!

Mindful_Trent

The best time to exercise is when you can fit it into your schedule and it becomes habit.

I totally agree!!! Great way to put it.

Personally, I prefer working out in the evenings - it's a great way to end my day - leaves me feeling accomplished and I can work out any frustrations I have in a productive way. It's become habit for me to go after dinner - the gym usually isn't too crowded if I wait until 7:30 or 8. Plus, I'm NOT a morning person, and although I would love to be able to get up early and workout in the mornings before work, I enjoy my evening time, and there are only so many hours in a day!

Rondaks

I am a lucky one in that I am a stay at home mom and student. My schedule is really flexible, but I like to exercise the same time every day. So Monday - Friday I workout right after I take my son to school. I go straight to the gym from there. On Saturdays and Sundays I am always the first one awake, so I go as soon as I get up. I like having a gym to go to. We have a treadmill at home, but at the gym, I am only there for one reason. There is nothing stopping me from working out (like the laundry, making breakfast, getting the kid ready for school, doing the dishes, etc.). If something messes up my schedule, like having to go to a meeting or an appointment of some kind, then it really messes up my routine. I can sometimes get my workout in the evening when that happens, but it is more of a struggle to get myself there if that happens.

Buttsmom

Sometime after midnight when everything else is done for the day and everyone else is in bed here.

edorice

I am a lucky one in that I am a stay at home mom and student. My schedule is really flexible, but I like to exercise the same time every day. So Monday - Friday I workout right after I take my son to school. I go straight to the gym from there. On Saturdays and Sundays I am always the first one awake, so I go as soon as I get up. I like having a gym to go to. We have a treadmill at home, but at the gym, I am only there for one reason. There is nothing stopping me from working out (like the laundry, making breakfast, getting the kid ready for school, doing the dishes, etc.). If something messes up my schedule, like having to go to a meeting or an appointment of some kind, then it really messes up my routine. I can sometimes get my workout in the evening when that happens, but it is more of a struggle to get myself there if that happens.

Even though I'm focused on my home workouts. If there are dishes in the sink or laundry to be done, sometimes my mind is on that. If I didn't fill and start the dishwasher at night, there have been times that I've done it right before starting my workout. My workouts are very important to me, but we still have housework to do.

RunConquerCelebrate

I work out at night, I have a full time job two little ones at home so the only time I have left is night when they go to bed. I would love to work out in the AM but honestly I am not a morning person so it is hard to get up at 5 am to start working out.

cardbucfan

I am a lucky one in that I am a stay at home mom and student. My schedule is really flexible, but I like to exercise the same time every day. So Monday - Friday I workout right after I take my son to school. I go straight to the gym from there. On Saturdays and Sundays I am always the first one awake, so I go as soon as I get up. I like having a gym to go to. We have a treadmill at home, but at the gym, I am only there for one reason. There is nothing stopping me from working out (like the laundry, making breakfast, getting the kid ready for school, doing the dishes, etc.). If something messes up my schedule, like having to go to a meeting or an appointment of some kind, then it really messes up my routine. I can sometimes get my workout in the evening when that happens, but it is more of a struggle to get myself there if that happens.

This is me (except the student part). If I don't go straight to the gym after school drop off, it doesn't happen. My kids are old enough that I can leave them alone during breaks, but I need that push out the door in the morning. On Saturdays I take my son to swim practice and go straight to the gym then. I don't workout well at home. Besides all the distractions that are around that need to be done, I can always find something else I'd rather be doing (even if it's just spending time on here!).