when to exercise?

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When is the best time to exercise? After or before eating? How long after I eat should I wait before exercising? Is morning or night time better? Is it bad to exercise late at night? Before sleeping?

I am having trouble finding a time to exercise, I work 8:30am-5pm Monday through Friday. When I get home I am usually very hungry to the point of shaking a bit. Maybe if I have a snack then exercise I would be OK?

Basically, in a nutshell, I am trying to figure out the best time to get the most effective exercise possible.

Replies

  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
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    Whatever works best for you and your schedule. Some people can eat then workout some eat after. Some wait 30 mins before working out, some an hour.
  • bluechip777
    bluechip777 Posts: 160 Member
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    do what you like! i do morning workouts for the most part, not because they are far superior, but because i am far superior in the morning. i workout like a machine in the morn, but totally eff around at night. when are you most efficient?
  • mommymeryl
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    I don't think any time is better than another - other than what works for YOU. While I prefer to go to Zumba then do other things, I prefer to go early in the morning to get the workout over with before I have 9000000 distractions at the end of the day. So, I try to be at gym by 6:15 - 6:30 and I am home and in shower by 7:45 and ready to take my daughter to school by 8:30. . .that works for me.
  • o2bADyer
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    I don't get home from work until late, so I have a snack before I leave work...then change and go to the gym after work. If I put my butt on the couch, I'm done and won't make it to the gym. I hope you find a routine that works for you so you can stick with it! :happy:
  • RobynBourgeois
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    I agree with above. Find the time that is best for you! I do things right after work, as said above, I sit & I am done! Hubby has adjusted to the schedule of not counting on me for at least an hour after work. We have fallen into a routine. Just find your groove!
  • butterflyfairy2
    butterflyfairy2 Posts: 96 Member
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    I work out 3 times a day (Most days) and I find that Im best to do my hardest workout in the am and my lightest in the evening because I find that if I do a heavy workout at night I can't sleep.
    You have to play around and see what works best for you.
  • angusmike
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    Twenty-four years in a green uniform got me used to doing exercise in at O'dark:30. However, after retiring I go at about 9am when all the work and school traffic has past.

    You may need to steel yourself into getting up eariler in the morning to accomplish your workout. Scheduling is always a problem. I could always think of reasons not to exercise. Now with Type 2 diabetes, I'm forced into doing my power walk (death march) at least 5 days a week.

    Its very important. Force yourself into making it a habit before another healt crisis makes the decision for you. That's what happened to me.

    :happy:
  • DreamerZenko
    DreamerZenko Posts: 59 Member
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    Hi guys. Thanks for the responses! This is great to know. I am more active in the afternoon, then evening, then morning (I am dead in the morning). And knowing I should at least wait an hour is a big help, or snack then exercise :)