Exercise - Morning or Evening?

brook97378
brook97378 Posts: 38 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have seen several people on these boards saying they exercise in the mornings, like 4 or 5:00 am. I have been exercising in the evenings, but would be curious to see how it would be to exercise that early in the morning. It would probably also free up my evenings and work out a little better for my schedule. If you exercise early in the mornings, what do you like about it? What time do you go to bed each night in order to be able to get up that early? Do you eat breakfast first or just wake up and jump right into working out?
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Replies

  • pegasus925
    pegasus925 Posts: 42 Member
    I tried the mornings for about 2 weeks, hated it. Went back to evenings.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    both

    I go to bed at 10:30, about 45 minutes after my evening workout. I get up at 5:15 and hit the gym by about 6:00.

    I have "breakfast" after - usually just a protein shake, fiber and vitamins. Not much for eating in the morning.

    Evening workout is about will be 45 minutes to an hour after dinner.
  • muziclver
    muziclver Posts: 145 Member
    MUST BE EVENING!!
  • misscherie13
    misscherie13 Posts: 7
    I heard exercising in the morning makes your metabolism burn faster....is it true?
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I usually fall asleep 10-10:30 wake up at 4am run 5k. Go to work, bust my *kitten*, go to gym or bike ride 10-20 miles. Weekends I run 10-15k each day. I prefer to exercise in mornings, it just gets my body warmed up for work which is physically demanding.
  • Tat2dDom0105
    Tat2dDom0105 Posts: 661
    I've recently went back to working out in the morning. 4am is when i get things going...............but my martial arts classes are at night during the week ,and 10am on saturdays.
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    I work 12-9 so I workout after my kids get on the bus around 8.

    I could never be one of those people who workout at 4 a.m.

    I need my coffee to kick in first.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I'm sleeping at 4 or 5 AM, but I exercise in the AM. I have tried at night and was too exhausted to do much. I like the AM because it's done, I can't come up with other things to do instead, and it helps chill me out before the workday. I get up, have a cup (or 10) of coffee and go. I run and get a bad belly ache if I don't run on an empty stomach. I gave up watching the news in the AM and run instead.
  • scjl132
    scjl132 Posts: 85 Member
    Up at 5:30 am and at the gym by 5:55. I work very part time and could go later in the day but I like the fact that there are fewer people at the gym that early in the morning. I can get my 90-120 minutes of cardio in without much disruption in the routine I like because I seldom have to wait for a machine. I am usually in bed between 8 and 9:30 just depending on how tired I am. My gym clothes are in the bathroom ready to put on and my keys, water, key card, and ear buds are on the kitchen table ready to grab. I am not, and I mean not, a morning person so I have to have my ducks in a row. Because I work out as long as I do I like to get there early and have it done. Later in the day and I am competing with too many people for too few machines.
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    Up at 4:30 and on the treadmill by 4:45 for a 3 mile run, some push-ups and pull-ups every morning. Take some cottage cheese to work for breakfast (or a protein drink if I'm feeling lazy). I find that exercising first thing in the morning eliminates the excuses of every day life. Besides, I like the feel of going through the day with worked muscles.
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
    LOVE morning workouts. Have time to do whatever you have planned for the rest of the day after, and feeling good is awesome!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Afternoons here... mornings, I'm a zombie and fairly irritable.. evenings are when I want to wind down from my day. That works for me, there's really no BETTER time to workout other than what works for YOU.
  • SavingFaith65
    SavingFaith65 Posts: 72 Member
    I've done both, I work 12 hour days so after work I have no desire to do anything but take a shower and get ready for bed.

    I use to go to the gym at 5 in the morning. Since I work 8am-8pm I would get up at 4:45 put clothes on and go...take a shower and get ready there then head to work. I'd try to get an hour and a half two hour workout in. It helped me get through my long work shift.

    I ate after the workout on my way to work or when I got to work.

    It's different for everyone, whatever fits your schedule and lifestyle best.

    Goodluck!
  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
    I wake up on my own between 4:30-5 am, I usually eat a banana and have a latte(4oz espresso 1/2 cup 2% milk) and log some computer time before heading to a 6 am yoga class. I run in the afternoon/evening when I get home from work. I usually eat a snack before I run as well. I just can not workout on an empty stomach.

    Oh and I'm usually in bed by 8 pm.
  • JusticeGirl25
    JusticeGirl25 Posts: 703 Member
    Most of the time, it's in the morning.
  • vkw1
    vkw1 Posts: 88
    usually evening or when ever I feel like it but never before 9 am
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I heard exercising in the morning makes your metabolism burn faster....is it true?

    No.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    I'm doing both and it's great! I roll out of bed and do 30 day shred level 1, literally, not even coffee first. Then when I come home from work, after dinner, I do some kettlebell and my stationary bike. the great thing about the morning routine is that if I can't fit in an evening session, it's ok, I'm good, and also, that way I start my day off with extra calories to eat back if I need to.
  • m76b
    m76b Posts: 1,498 Member
    always in the morning! 6 am... sometimes an extra workout in the evening..
  • medaud10
    medaud10 Posts: 20
    I get up at 545 and go to the gym. It frees up my evenings so I can spend time with my husband, cook a decent meal, and get some work done. I also feel better starting the day with exercise. when I get off work I am done!! In the summer I get outside in the evening and work on the yard a bit and that adds more exercise but at home.
  • Ninguneado73
    Ninguneado73 Posts: 832
    It just fits better in my schedule. After doing it for a while it will feel strange to change it to evenings.
  • aberc
    aberc Posts: 98
    I find when I work out within 1-4 hours of waking up (ie. mornings) I get tired twice as quickly.
    I worked out this morning and was exhausted after an hour. I couldnt lift anymore. When I work out in the afternoon (around 1pm) or evenings (7-9pm), I can go on for two hours no problem.

    Evenings work best for me.
  • sierra_12
    sierra_12 Posts: 249 Member
    i do my first workout after my classes are done (between1 and 3, depending on the day)
    and my second one is after dinner (between 7 and 8)
    I've been thinking about trying to do mornings and evenings instead of afternoons and evenings, but i don't know if i could get my butt out of bed that early!
  • MommyBea
    MommyBea Posts: 84
    I've done both, I work 12 hour days so after work I have no desire to do anything but take a shower and get ready for bed.

    I use to go to the gym at 5 in the morning. Since I work 8am-8pm I would get up at 4:45 put clothes on and go...take a shower and get ready there then head to work. I'd try to get an hour and a half two hour workout in. It helped me get through my long work shift.

    I ate after the workout on my way to work or when I got to work.

    It's different for everyone, whatever fits your schedule and lifestyle best.

    Goodluck!

    I work 12 hour shifts aswell so if i dont get it in before work once im home at 8pm i just wanna chill..also i do nights so when i do them i sleep all day and workout in the evening...it really is just doing what works for you!!
  • ursus_maritimus
    ursus_maritimus Posts: 19
    My preference is to work out in the morning because I find I don't have enough energy after I get home from work and take care of the other stuff I have to do. I also was not a fan of getting up before the crack of dawn to go across town to the gym and I was using that as an excuse not to go. For me the answer was to build a gym in our house. We just finished it a week ago and so far I am loving it. The other thing I find is that if I work out in the morning it gives me that much more motivation to stay on track with my food during the day because I don't want to waste the effort I made in the morning. :)
  • JessicaHeathfield
    JessicaHeathfield Posts: 64 Member
    Definitely morning, I'm not a morning person at all but I find it way better to do it in the morning. It gets you pumped for the day and feeling great! I might also do some in the night if I'm feeling up to it. But if I leave it till later I more than likely wouldn't do it at all lol
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    Mornings. Has to be. 6am.

    I drink beer in the evenings, so... that wouldn't really work.
  • carleighsmama
    carleighsmama Posts: 29 Member
    Evening.

    I'm not fully functioning in the morning. I'd end up with some ridiculous injury if I worked out in the morning hours.
  • goldmay
    goldmay Posts: 258 Member
    I run a few times a week starting around 6:30 am (eating breakfast before), and do my at-home strength training workouts on other days by 10 am. I wake up everyday at 5:30 and usually go to sleep around 10.

    I just feel more tired when working out at night. I also usually make excuses and skip night workouts when I've had a bad day. Morning workouts put me in a better mood for the rest of the day because I can start off the day having accomplished something. And with runs, I feel safer outdoors alone in daylight than at night, and mornings are usually cooler than noon/afternoons in my area.
  • dez_yaoichan
    dez_yaoichan Posts: 454
    I work out about 30 minutes after I wake up in the morning. this gives me time to use the restroom, check facebook, weigh myself, etc. after my work out I cook my breakfast and then get ready for work.

    I find if I workout in the morning, I am set up for the day. otherwise I eat more then I should because I tell myself i'll workout and then get too lazy and go right to sleep after work.

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