Is late night workout as effective as a morning one?

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  • Lady_Chilli
    Lady_Chilli Posts: 161 Member
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    About half the time it gets done after I get all the kids to bed (after 10 pm). If all I do is shower and go to sleep after my workout, Is my workout being as effective as if I had done it at 10:00 in the morning?

    Sure. Time does not exist in the real world. It's a man-made concept that is of no significance to the biological process.

    This ^^ I do my workouts at night anywhere between 7pm and 10pm at the gym, I just lost 6lbs this week so I can assure you it really doesn't make a difference :)
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
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    My night workout is much more effective than my morning workout because I actually do it.

    The only reason why I do workouts earlier now instead of after 11pm like before is because I feel so amazing after a workout I want to feel like that all day! But I still rarely work out any earlier than 3pm haha
  • debralekicsummers
    debralekicsummers Posts: 56 Member
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    I prefer a morning workout , it is more of a mind thing for me, because if i leave it for the afternoon i tend to be more inclined to skip it. But any workout is better than none. So you fit it in whenever or however you can. Good luck !
  • twinkfran
    twinkfran Posts: 54 Member
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    I can’t work put on an empty stomach either– I just can’t push myself as much and feel sick.

    I tend to work out early morning but have a small snack (cereal bar, nuts, fruit) to break the fast

    I’m no expert but I am sure that working out late at night is a million times better than not working out at all so if that is when you can fit it/prefer to work out in just do it
  • lj8576
    lj8576 Posts: 156
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    I work nights so on my nights off I go to my 24 hr gym. I love it. During the week I go when I get up about 4pm. It works out nice
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
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    My body cares that I workout. Not about the time. I do the 10:30 after the kids are asleep and chores are done workout all the time. And II'm much smaller and healthier in the 6 months I've been doing so.
  • AmandaReimer1
    AmandaReimer1 Posts: 235 Member
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    I'm more of a night person than a day person. It's a chore to get up in the mornings (now if it was like, say I just got up at 10:30am, then I probably would). So my workouts are in the afternoons during naptime for my toddler or after he goes to bed.

    Do what works for you! :)
  • kfitz85
    kfitz85 Posts: 19 Member
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    Your workouts will be most effective if you do them on an empty stomach. The longer you've gone without eating, the more effective your workout will be. For most people, the longest they fast is while they're sleeping, so their morning workout is most effective.

    This has been debunked over and over again.

    Sort of. However, seemingly whenever it comes to diet and fitness, there are always multiple "correct" ways of doing things with professionals and experts on both sides saying the other point of view is a myth.

    I've found that I can work out just as hard and often harder after a period of fasting than I can if I snack an hour before hand.

    I hit my weight loss goal, continued following a traditional healthy diet and then decided to try intermittent fasting. I lost 10 more pounds, took 40 seconds off my mile time and increased my strict pull up max from 11 to 14. So it does work. It works for me, and it's worked for many other people.

    Is it better than a traditional diet? I don't know for sure; But I think it is, and it definitely is for me. Don't knock it 'til you try it for a month.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Your workouts will be most effective if you do them on an empty stomach. The longer you've gone without eating, the more effective your workout will be. For most people, the longest they fast is while they're sleeping, so their morning workout is most effective.

    This has been debunked over and over again.

    Sort of. However, seemingly whenever it comes to diet and fitness, there are always multiple "correct" ways of doing things with professionals and experts on both sides saying the other point of view is a myth.

    I've found that I can work out just as hard and often harder after a period of fasting than I can if I snack an hour before hand.

    I hit my weight loss goal, continued following a traditional healthy diet and then decided to try intermittent fasting. I lost 10 more pounds, took 40 seconds off my mile time and increased my strict pull up max from 11 to 14. So it does work. It works for me, and it's worked for many other people.

    Is it better than a traditional diet? I don't know for sure; But I think it is, and it definitely is for me. Don't knock it 'til you try it for a month.
    That's not because of meal timing. It's because you are in a deficit. IF doesn't give you magical powers.
  • PippiNe
    PippiNe Posts: 283 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your replies. I feel better now, I was afraid that I would have to squeeze my workouts into my already hectic daytimes. Now I know I can do my nighttime workouts without losing any of the benefits of doing my workout. I've only been doing this for 6 days, but I'm already feeling better and seeing the scale move (I know it's just water weight at this point) but it's encouraging nonetheless :o)
  • mtnstar
    mtnstar Posts: 125 Member
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    I was just thinking about this last night. I usually work out while kids are napping around 11am, but schedules have been a little wonky, so I didn't get to do it yesterday. I ended up working out at 9:30pm and found I had a little less energy and balance than I normally do. I then had a salad and went to bed. I usually don't eat that late either, so the whole thing was kind of weird.

    I can't work out on an empty stomach. I've usually had a small breakfast a couple of hours before my workout, but sometimes I have a little fruit, a handful of nuts, or a spoon of peanut butter before I start. Maybe this isn't the best idea, but I'm also nursing a 9 month old, so I need to listen when my body needs food or I get light headed.
  • akaivyleaf
    akaivyleaf Posts: 6
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    I've tried with NO success working out first thing in the AM. For one, I've found that I have to eat otherwise I'll pass out. Then working out immediately after eating, or in the space of time it takes me to get to the gym after eating causes me to regurgitate all that I've eaten and I'm sick again. Working out in the evening, strenuous cardio and weights, between 5 and 7 was the best time for me. Swimming even later, after dinner I can get my laps in around 8:30pm. Morning just wasn't a winner for me. I agree with what others said, time of day doesn't matter, time to participate and actually exercise is what matters most.
  • kfitz85
    kfitz85 Posts: 19 Member
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    Your workouts will be most effective if you do them on an empty stomach. The longer you've gone without eating, the more effective your workout will be. For most people, the longest they fast is while they're sleeping, so their morning workout is most effective.

    This has been debunked over and over again.

    Sort of. However, seemingly whenever it comes to diet and fitness, there are always multiple "correct" ways of doing things with professionals and experts on both sides saying the other point of view is a myth.

    I've found that I can work out just as hard and often harder after a period of fasting than I can if I snack an hour before hand.

    I hit my weight loss goal, continued following a traditional healthy diet and then decided to try intermittent fasting. I lost 10 more pounds, took 40 seconds off my mile time and increased my strict pull up max from 11 to 14. So it does work. It works for me, and it's worked for many other people.

    Is it better than a traditional diet? I don't know for sure; But I think it is, and it definitely is for me. Don't knock it 'til you try it for a month.
    That's not because of meal timing. It's because you are in a deficit. IF doesn't give you magical powers.

    I still eat 2200-2500 calories a day though, I just eat them all at once. I've been eating to maintain my weight, and I've been losing.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    The most effective workout is the one that you do, consistently. When you have unlimited time and no commitments other than exercise than you can start to worry about training timing. For all of us real people with lives, you just fit in training in the most convienient time, the one that you can get to.

    Whenever you do work out, just work hard and be consistent and you'll get the results
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    I always workout at night. Usually somewhere between the hours of 8 and 10PM. I wish I could be one of those people who get up and workout in the morning, but thus far I've been unsuccessful.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Your workouts will be most effective if you do them on an empty stomach. The longer you've gone without eating, the more effective your workout will be. For most people, the longest they fast is while they're sleeping, so their morning workout is most effective.

    This has been debunked over and over again.

    Sort of. However, seemingly whenever it comes to diet and fitness, there are always multiple "correct" ways of doing things with professionals and experts on both sides saying the other point of view is a myth.

    I've found that I can work out just as hard and often harder after a period of fasting than I can if I snack an hour before hand.

    I hit my weight loss goal, continued following a traditional healthy diet and then decided to try intermittent fasting. I lost 10 more pounds, took 40 seconds off my mile time and increased my strict pull up max from 11 to 14. So it does work. It works for me, and it's worked for many other people.

    Is it better than a traditional diet? I don't know for sure; But I think it is, and it definitely is for me. Don't knock it 'til you try it for a month.
    That's not because of meal timing. It's because you are in a deficit. IF doesn't give you magical powers.

    I still eat 2200-2500 calories a day though, I just eat them all at once. I've been eating to maintain my weight, and I've been losing.
    Ok? That's nice. However, that still doesn't change what I said.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    I have a theory that exercising late at night is better for fat burning due to HGH proteins. You produce HGH proteins during your sleep and when you exercise. So if you exercise and go straight to bed without a meal in between, then your HGH protein count should be extremely high. HGH proteins build muscles and burns fat. Eating lots of carbs will spike your insulin and stop hgh proteins from doing it's job.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I have a theory that exercising late at night is better for fat burning due to HGH proteins. You produce HGH proteins during your sleep and when you exercise. So if you exercise and go straight to bed without a meal in between, then your HGH protein count should be extremely high. HGH proteins build muscles and burns fat. Eating lots of carbs will spike your insulin and stop hgh proteins from doing it's job.
    No.
  • kfitz85
    kfitz85 Posts: 19 Member
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    Fitnesssocial, I don't really understand. If you're saying that I'm losing weight faster when I've fasted for 16 hours because I'm in a deficit... Isn't that exactly how intermittent fasting works? If not, then there's no deficit since I still meet/exceed recommended daily calorie intake.

    Not trying to argue or be a jerk, since I'm no expert. Just looking for clarification.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Fitnesssocial, I don't really understand. If you're saying that I'm losing weight faster when I've fasted for 16 hours because I'm in a deficit... Isn't that exactly how intermittent fasting works? If not, then there's no deficit since I still meet/exceed recommended daily calorie intake.

    Not trying to argue or be a jerk, since I'm no expert. Just looking for clarification.
    Doesn't matter if your eating window is 1 hour or 24 hours. As long as you're in a deficit you will lose weight.

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