Do you exercise before or after work?

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so_losin_it
so_losin_it Posts: 25 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not a morning person, so it's hard to get motivated to exercise before work. I'm a teacher and have to be at school at 8am. However, once I get home at night around 5:30-6pm, I'm so hungry and tired from my day...I know it's an excuse, but fatigue is a reality. How you do find the motivation, and do you work out in the morning or evening?
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Replies

  • Lconsla
    Lconsla Posts: 226 Member
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    I'm not really a morning person either, but if I work out in the morning, i just feel to hot, sweaty and tired all day, even with a shower. Try eating a light snack after work to take the edge off, work out, then eat. Seems to be working for me atleast....good luck!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Normally I like to run early in the morning (around 5:00AM) but with my current training schedule I find myself doing both 3 or 4 days a week.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    I always workout before work...up at 5am, get ready, walk dog and then run. Home, eat, and get ready for work.
    I find that if I don't do it early in the morning, it don't get done. That's my motivation.
  • GemskiB
    GemskiB Posts: 95 Member
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    Generally I exercise straight after work, in my way home. I have to walk past the gym which helps but it does mean being organised. And normally I have a snack around 330/4 to make sure I'm not ravenous by the time I get in. As for morning exercising... Never really done it but I'm about to this week. Booked in for some early gym classes do will see how that goes!!
  • Nalazirk
    Nalazirk Posts: 23
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    Running before work, then, if i'm feeling the right vibes, a yoga or krav class in the eve.... weekdays only.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    I always work out in the morning, even though I am not a morning person. If I don't, I won't get it done, not with a full time job and two kids. Up at 4:30, get to the gym by 5:15, back home at 6:15, leave for work at 7am. :)
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
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    Always before work. Up at 4:30 if I go to the gym, at 5:30 if I just run on the treadmill at home.
  • thranowski
    thranowski Posts: 16 Member
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    I work out in the evening. There's no way in hell I roll out of bed any sooner than I have to in the morning!

    Regarding motivation, I read online that we set goals for ourselves that may not be extreme (such as "I'm going to exercise for 30 minutes every day!") but they are daunting. As in, 30 minutes is not that bad, but thinking about it makes you want to vomit. So instead, decide that you are going to exercise for just 5 minutes every day. You'll find that most of the time, you'll end up doing it for more than five minutes. I have a stationary bike at home, and I've found that for the past couple weeks, it's been much easier to think about getting on it for five minutes, and most of the time I stay on it for nearly 30. Sometimes 15, sometimes 20, but I do it every day and it makes me feel great about myself!

    I hope that helps.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I would never get my butt out of bed and have enough time to get to work if I exercised in the morning. I plan to exercise and dinner to coordinate. I use a Jillian Michael dvd, then take my dog for a walk. When I get back, I chop vegetables and put dinner in the oven or on the stove while I cool down. Then I shower and dress while it's cooking and am out in time to finish everything up and am ready to eat.
  • CDeRuyter
    CDeRuyter Posts: 75 Member
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    Definitely morning. I can't talk myself out of it. I have one evening class and it is always a battle of wills to make myself go.
  • Graceious1
    Graceious1 Posts: 716 Member
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    In the week I work out in the evening and at the weekends I do it in the morning. In the week I like to sleep and have to get myself and my son ready to go to work/school. In the evening I work out any stresses of the day and at the weekend I am much more relaxed.
  • brookea87
    brookea87 Posts: 47 Member
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    I hardly exercise in the morning other than some intense stretching. Normally I go to the gym after work. I've always made the excuse that I just didn't have time but I drive by the gym on the way home so there is no reason not to go. Now I feel guilty passing it on days I don't end up going. I get off work at 5 so I'm usually home by about 7:30. Not too bad.
  • Jamie2007
    Jamie2007 Posts: 169
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    Both! Not a morning person either, but it's honestly all about routine. I get up to do 40 minutes of Low intensity steady state cardio in the morning, and then in the evening I do my weight training workout. It's all about routine and regiment. Best of luck!
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
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    The last two weeks, I've been working out in the morning. I kind of took advantage of that 'extra' hour and decided to not alter my sleeping schedule, but it just means that I'm in bed at 9:30 (went to bed at 10:30 before the time change) and up at 5:30. One of the biggest keys to getting up early is going to bed early. You work out when you're fresh so you don't have to fight that 'I'm hungry, I want to eat and then just relax.' feeling that I know *I* always have at the end of the day. I'm at the gym by 6 and done with my workout by a quarter to 7. That gives me time to come back home, shower, and eat before I go to work; but if I had to, I could eat before I left, shower at the gym and then go strait from the gym to work. I'd just need to make sure that I packed my lunch and snacks to get me through the day the night before so I could just grab the stuff and go.

    Sleeping in your workout clothes, or having your gym bag right by the door so all you do is fumble out of bed and fall into your car is another way to get going before your brain realizes what you're doing. By the time it catches up, it's too late and you might as well work out anyway.

    Having clear cut, written goals has also been a major help for me. Knowing the 'what' and the 'why' helps me with the 'how.' Every time I think 'I'll just hit the snooze," another thought of, "well then you won't get any closer to achieving that Lance Armstrong physique you want," and that gets me out the door.
  • Treuthiness
    Treuthiness Posts: 22 Member
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    Morning. I get up at 6 (tomorrow I'll have to get up at 5, though), eat, gym, and then shower. I love feeling like I have a head start on the day, while my community is still sleeping. It's like I haven't wasted any time and once I start my day productive, I feel motivated for the rest of the day. Getting up just takes training; you just don't let yourself hit the snooze. It's like the Nike slogan, "Just do it," though it sounds like a zombie mantra when I say it to myself as I get out of bed.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
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    Mostly in the evenings after dinner but i have work second shift three times a week. So saturdays i go in the morning beforework.
  • Cheryl1018
    Cheryl1018 Posts: 59
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    Definately after work. I am lucky I can get myself up and out the door on time, not an early morning person!
  • chopzgurl05
    chopzgurl05 Posts: 84 Member
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    Before. Not because I am a morning person but because I don't want to have any excuses :)
  • SweetLillyM
    SweetLillyM Posts: 58
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    I hate getting up earlier than I have to. I tried morning workouts and only made it 2 days before I stopped. I'd much rather do it after work. Seems to be working for me! :)
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
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    Definitely after work for me (getting ready to go for a run now), just not a morning person. On the weekends I might do late morning\early afternoon. You have to plan what works for you. If you know you aren't a morning person and always up with just enough time to get to work (like me), plan to go after. I agree that you should try to eat something an hour or so before you workout in the evening to take the edge off. I find once I do workout, I'm usually not hungry for a bit after, and then I'm starving. :smile:

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