Morning or Evening?

Melroxsox

Is it better to work out in the morning before you eat breakfast or in the evening after your workday? I've heard that it's better in the morning because it boosts your metabolism throughout the day. Just wondering if anyone had info on this subject. Thanx!

Melroxsox

Is it better to work out in the morning before you eat breakfast or in the evening after your workday? I've heard that it's better in the morning because it boosts your metabolism throughout the day. Just wondering if anyone had info on this subject. Thanx!

Shannon023

Morning is best for me. I don't have the energy in the evening. :embarassed:

smadag1

I asked this same question yesterday. Here are the responses I got




http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/47500-morning-workout

willywonka

I have tried both but honestly the only time I started doing it and stuck with it, is first thing in the morning. It sets the tone for the whole day now and I feel so accomplished. It really boosts your energy and you don't have to worry about hitting the gym after a long day at work

Dave198lbs

Is it better to work out in the morning before you eat breakfast or in the evening after your workday? I've heard that it's better in the morning because it boosts your metabolism throughout the day. Just wondering if anyone had info on this subject. Thanx!

I do cardio first thing in the morning after only 16 oz of water and 2 cups of black coffee

weights in the afternoon while posting amazing inciteful tidbits here

doing cardio first thing gets me amped up and feelin good right away which is nice

give it a go

nickelmel

I choose after work because I can't get my butt out of bed in the morning. But I think any time is good as long as you're getting in some exercise!

strawberry25shortcake

It's gonna depend because every individual is different. Mid-day is best for me. I guess you can try different times and listen to your body- then decide what time works best for you!

hiddensecant

They say your metabolism is highest in the mornings.

I have my hardest workout first thing in the morning after some water, then at least one easier workout in the afternoon.

Melroxsox

What about eating before and after , say, an hour of cardio in the morning? Is it okay to eat before or should you wait until after you're finished?

Dave198lbs

What about eating before and after , say, an hour of cardio in the morning? Is it okay to eat before or should you wait until after you're finished?

after my cardio
I eat breakfast

b/4 weights I have half a protein shake with blueberries and the other half after

jojo52610

My trainer told me always to have something in your stomach when doing cardio

I used to eat a pear and some protien

Melroxsox

Whenever I lose weight I seem to have the hardest time losing it right around my belly area....is there anything other than crunches and situps that I can do? Maybe something different in my diet that would help more with belly fat?

fitnessperfection

Eat after cardio...this will allow you to utilize stored energy as opposed to the energy you just swallowed. Good Luck!

MisoSoup79

It depends on you and your own body... some people love working out in the mornings, and others can only do it in the evenings. It truly doesn't make a difference when you do it, as long as you do it.

That said, if you're going to work out in the morning, you should eat a small meal or a snack first. It is unwise to work out on a completely empty stomach because you 1) won't have as much available energy and therefore 2) won't workout to your maximum capacity. Your body needs some blood sugar to run on.

It can be a piece of fruit, a cereal bar, a breakfast shake or whatever.

And if you workout in the evening, you also need to eat afterward. If you don't replenish your energy, your muscles have difficulty repairing and you'll end up feeling fatigued and sore.

MisoSoup79

Whenever I lose weight I seem to have the hardest time losing it right around my belly area....is there anything other than crunches and situps that I can do? Maybe something different in my diet that would help more with belly fat?

Only cardio is going to help you lose that extra fluff in your belly. You can't spot reduce fat. Do lots of cardio and eventually you will lose it there, too.

Melroxsox

thanx for all the great advice everyone!!!!

cattiemac

It is better to work out in the morning because it boosts your metabolism, burns more fat during the day (because if you go in the evening the "prime" fat burning time is while you're sleeping) and typically you make better food choices throughout the day because you don't want to ruin all your hard work. It is recommended to eat something before working out.

As for your abs, I find the biggest change happened when I eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet. I noticed my lower abs were more defined and I got rid of excess fat. For exercises, the plank and other other exercises that target the lower abs are good. Check out some exercises on www.self.com or http://www.womenshealthmag.com. I find they have great exercises and tutorials.

Dave198lbs

It depends on you and your own body... some people love working out in the mornings, and others can only do it in the evenings. It truly doesn't make a difference when you do it, as long as you do it.

That said, if you're going to work out in the morning, you should eat a small meal or a snack first. It is unwise to work out on a completely empty stomach because you 1) won't have as much available energy and therefore 2) won't workout to your maximum capacity. Your body needs some blood sugar to run on.

It can be a piece of fruit, a cereal bar, a breakfast shake or whatever.

And if you workout in the evening, you also need to eat afterward. If you don't replenish your energy, your muscles have difficulty repairing and you'll end up feeling fatigued and sore.

I resepctfully diasgree with eating before am cardio,,,,you have food in you from yesterday unless it has been more than 16 hours or so....you want your am cardio to use what you have already stored...
anyway that is what has worked for me so far

Melroxsox

gluten would include carbs such as breads, flours, starches?

Shannon023

It depends on you and your own body... some people love working out in the mornings, and others can only do it in the evenings. It truly doesn't make a difference when you do it, as long as you do it.

That said, if you're going to work out in the morning, you should eat a small meal or a snack first. It is unwise to work out on a completely empty stomach because you 1) won't have as much available energy and therefore 2) won't workout to your maximum capacity. Your body needs some blood sugar to run on.

It can be a piece of fruit, a cereal bar, a breakfast shake or whatever.

And if you workout in the evening, you also need to eat afterward. If you don't replenish your energy, your muscles have difficulty repairing and you'll end up feeling fatigued and sore.

I resepctfully diasgree with eating before am cardio,,,,you have food in you from yesterday unless it has been more than 16 hours or so....you want your am cardio to use what you have already stored...
anyway that is what has worked for me so far

The only cardio I do is running (I know..I know..) and I can't eat before I run because I get side stitches.

Melro - is your schedule flexible enough to workout at different times?

tayner

i dont know much about this (just learning, 2 weeks here now) but I am at the gym every morning at 5 when they open and I do my cardio. Some mornings I do 30 minutes, some I can push myself for 60, it just depends on the sleep I got, the day before, etc... but I can always do 30 minutes, and i get to the gym before my brain has a chance to wake up and convince me that I dont really want to go

Then, on days my work isnt too heavy, etc, I have the option of going back in the evenings again. I usually make it back 2-3 days a week in the evenings, depending on my schedule, and this is when I fit in some weights.

The weekends are hit and miss. I try to take saturday off to take care of things around my house, errands, etc, and to let my body rest... and then I try to make it one time mid-day sunday for something light just to keep my "mind in the game" so to speak.

as for eating, in the mornings I usually do my cardio first, then come home and eat a banana. the weights I usually do in the evenings a couple hours after dinner when I consume the majority of my protein.

I have no idea if this is the "correct" way, but so far, 2 weeks in, it seems to be working for me. Hopefully this formula will continue to work.

Melroxsox

It depends on you and your own body... some people love working out in the mornings, and others can only do it in the evenings. It truly doesn't make a difference when you do it, as long as you do it.

That said, if you're going to work out in the morning, you should eat a small meal or a snack first. It is unwise to work out on a completely empty stomach because you 1) won't have as much available energy and therefore 2) won't workout to your maximum capacity. Your body needs some blood sugar to run on.

It can be a piece of fruit, a cereal bar, a breakfast shake or whatever.

And if you workout in the evening, you also need to eat afterward. If you don't replenish your energy, your muscles have difficulty repairing and you'll end up feeling fatigued and sore.

I resepctfully diasgree with eating before am cardio,,,,you have food in you from yesterday unless it has been more than 16 hours or so....you want your am cardio to use what you have already stored...
anyway that is what has worked for me so far

The only cardio I do is running (I know..I know..) and I can't eat before I run because I get side stitches.

Melro - is your schedule flexible enough to workout at different times?

Not very flexible.....it seems to be that the ONLY time I have to regularly work out is early in the morning, before the sun comes up! lol

MisoSoup79

It depends on you and your own body... some people love working out in the mornings, and others can only do it in the evenings. It truly doesn't make a difference when you do it, as long as you do it.

That said, if you're going to work out in the morning, you should eat a small meal or a snack first. It is unwise to work out on a completely empty stomach because you 1) won't have as much available energy and therefore 2) won't workout to your maximum capacity. Your body needs some blood sugar to run on.

It can be a piece of fruit, a cereal bar, a breakfast shake or whatever.

And if you workout in the evening, you also need to eat afterward. If you don't replenish your energy, your muscles have difficulty repairing and you'll end up feeling fatigued and sore.

I resepctfully diasgree with eating before am cardio,,,,you have food in you from yesterday unless it has been more than 16 hours or so....you want your am cardio to use what you have already stored...
anyway that is what has worked for me so far

You can disagree if you want to... but what you like to do and what's generally recommended aren't exactly the same. I know from experience that I don't perform as well on a completely empty stomach as I do with some food... Plus, when my workout is done, my blood sugar is so low that I can't stop myself from shaking...

Here's an article from MSN Health and Fitness Expert Advice:

Eating Before Morning Workouts
by Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Q: I attend a 60-minute workout class early in the morning. I don't have time to make a full breakfast beforehand and am not usually hungry, anyway. But my energy level crashes afterward. What types of quick, pre-workout foods should I eat?

A: It’s normal to wake up and not be hungry in the morning. Depending on when you last ate the night before, your body has gone from six to 12 hours without food. Since your body still burns calories while you sleep, many of the carbohydrates stored in your liver are metabolized throughout the night to provide this energy. This can put you in a mild state of ketosis when you wake up in the morning (a slightly higher ratio of fat is being converted to blood sugar). One of the side effects of this state is a diminished appetite.

But don’t be fooled. Just because you don’t feel famished, does not mean that your body does not need fuel to enter the day. In fact, if you jump straight into strenuous exercise, you absolutely need food to power you through it. The fact that you feel so depleted after the workout is proof.

Of course, a common conundrum for many early exercisers is how to drag themselves out of bed early enough to have the time to make, eat and digest a meal before a tough workout. It’s not easy.

It’s unrealistic to assume that you will have the time (or motivation) to go the full-on omelet with-toast-and-oatmeal route. But you can still fuel up.

First, choose easily digested foods so that you can eat just prior to exercising without feeling abdominal discomfort. High-glycemic index foods, such as fruit, toast and juice, are perfect. Whatever you do eat, make sure to chew thoroughly to aid the digestive process.

Next, consume some calories during your workout. You can do this most easily by drinking a sports drink like Gatorade or Vitamin Water. Or drink diluted juice (put one-quarter juice and three-quarters water into a bottle).

Eat within 30 minutes to two hours after a long, tough workout, choosing carbs with a little protein (nuts, yogurt and fruit, peanut butter on a bagel, oatmeal, etc.). The enzymes that help replenish the carbs in your muscles that are depleted during a workout are at their highest post-workout. So eating soon after ensures that your energy reserves will be well-stocked for the next morning’s session.

ronkswife2000

Last season of biggest loser Bob said that it doesn't matter if you workout in the evening or in the morning, he did say that he liked doing it in the morning just to get it done and over with, less excuses not to do it throughout the day...

Mireille

Personally, I get up at 4:30am and I'm gone and out the house at 4:45. I do not have time to eat nor do I want to. I seem to have a better cardio session on an empty stomach.

You may be different. You'll find out pretty quickly if you can work out early with or without food before hand.

Everyone is different and different things work for different people. Try one week with food before hand and the next week without. See which one works for you. :flowerforyou:

lessertess

There is no perfect, scientific answer....do what works for you. I personally can't even consider working out on workday mornings. Even if there were reams of evidence telling me that I should, I wouldn't....so it's meaningless.

I work in the mornings for weekends, and I generally have a very light snack, not a full breakfast before I work out. During the week, I do evenings.

Works for me. One of my friends is exactly the opposite. She works out mornings and won't even consider the after work options.....

arewethereyet

I eat a 1/2 banana and 1 tbls of peanut butter 1 hour before I workout.

I was told to do this by a trainer, who sent me home when I told her I had not eaten yet today.

I found I had no energy to workout w/o food and really was able to kick butt with gas in my fuel tank.

Just my humble opinion. :flowerforyou:

sbennett23

I walk for an hour at lunch. This is a great tool to relieve stress and get your exercise. Then in the evening if I feel up to it I walk again for as long as I feel like it. If I'm too tired I don't have to worry about it!

I think everyone just has to figure out what works best for them.

SHBoss1673

there was a really long debate over this about 8 months ago on here.

Finally, I went to my trusty New England Journal of Medicine and found a study done on it.

I can't link the study (because it's a pay site, and that would just fail, and I'm not allowed to copy their studies) but if I have time, I can do a search on here for the post.

Basically the study concluded that while yes, exercising will increase your metabolism for much of the day if you do it in the morning, it's increased by such a miniscule amount that it doesn't matter.

What mattered far more in the study is how comfortable people felt when exercising. I.E. some people are morning people and love working out at 5 am, some aren't and prefer to work in the evening, yet others (like myself) prefer to have their lunch while working and use their lunchtime to work out instead.
The conclusion was, whenever you can create a routine that makes you happy is the best time to work out, because forcing yourself to workout when you don't want to, is a recipe for failure.

stef_e_b

I can't not eat in the morning, my stomach usually wakes me up with angry hungry sounds. I can't workout directly after a meal either. I like working out right before dinner that way I am famished and feel good about myself for exercising so I make better choices.