Work out in the morning...or at night??
Brady_
Posts: 108 Member
Hey all!
Question, So i never been a big fan of working out in the morning, and i like working out at night because then i feel like i burned some of the calories off from that day, but when i work out in the morning i have a hard time cause then i get down when i eat 1,000 or more calories after working out so i feel like it cancels the work out, out. any one have any suggestions or like, does it matter when you work out? my schedule now is really tight, so some days mornings are needed and some days i only can at night? what do other people do or has anyone else thought like this? i feel like i wont loose as much weight with morning work outs than at night? but maybe its jus tthat im thinking wrong?
ALSO to add to this, should i be doing strength training/toning (like DVD's & weights and stuff) before or after cardio? (same day)
Thankks hope this isnt just a ramble and people get what im asking, im a little tired n tend to go on n on.
-SHannon
Question, So i never been a big fan of working out in the morning, and i like working out at night because then i feel like i burned some of the calories off from that day, but when i work out in the morning i have a hard time cause then i get down when i eat 1,000 or more calories after working out so i feel like it cancels the work out, out. any one have any suggestions or like, does it matter when you work out? my schedule now is really tight, so some days mornings are needed and some days i only can at night? what do other people do or has anyone else thought like this? i feel like i wont loose as much weight with morning work outs than at night? but maybe its jus tthat im thinking wrong?
ALSO to add to this, should i be doing strength training/toning (like DVD's & weights and stuff) before or after cardio? (same day)
Thankks hope this isnt just a ramble and people get what im asking, im a little tired n tend to go on n on.
-SHannon
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Replies
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In the morning when you first get up is the best time to workout, wether you like it or not, scientists have studied when the best time is, and the study found that since muscles are rested, they can work harder and burn more fat and calories. I LOVE doing exercise in the morning. It makes me wake up better. I only drink one cup of coffee instead of two, cuz I'm already awake. I know you hate morning workouts, but it's the best for you.0
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but when i work out in the morning i have a hard time cause then i get down when i eat 1,000 or more calories after working out so i feel like it cancels the work out, out.
If you eat breakfast and drink at least two glasses of water before your morning workout, you don't really have to worry about burning off what you ate, cuz you just burned off breakfast. I have no idea on the workout videos/DVD's. I'm new to this.0 -
hey there - i really don't think that it makes a difference when you work out. whichever coordinates best with your schedule is what you should stick with.
that being said, working out in the morning is a great way to set the tone for the choices you'll make throughout the rest of the day. also, there's been studies done that have suggested that fasted cardio (working out before breakfast) can burn slightly more fat. it's pretty controversial, though.
working out in the evening helps reduce appetite for some people, so before dinner, it can be a great tool. i would try to end your workout a few hours before you go to sleep, however; there are those who find it difficult to fall asleep when working out too close to bedtime.
all in all, provided your effort is the same, you'll probably get the same effects whether you work out in the morning or evening. doesn't matter when your meal times are, either. it will depend on when your focus is greatest and when your schedule allows. :]
i work out both in the mornings and nights depending on what the day's lineup has for me :]0 -
I work out in the evenings during the week since I work 8-5ish, and I work out in the mornings on the weekend. For me, I've found it doesn't really make a big difference when I work out, I'm still burning calories. Exercise increases your calorie deficit, and MFP has already set you at a deficit, so if you're eating back what you burned while exercising, you're still at a deficit. I've found that I could NEVER wake up and workout before work, I'm not a morning person at all and I don't like to shower in the morning. Evenings works because I know about how many calories I can eat during the day and about how many I'll be burning off so I can plan meals. And I do have less of an appetite after providing I eat a good dinner with my protein shake. I used to be such a late night snacker, and now I have dinner with my shake and one healthy snack around 9pm. Exercise definitely helps.0
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I read that you burn more fat if you work out in the morning before breakfast (empty stomach). Dunno if that helps you out at all.0
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Doesn't make any difference either way.
Some people find psychological benefits from working out in the morning -- "sets the tone for the day"; "gets it over with", etc.
Some people find they are looser in the afternoon/evening so they can work out harder and more effectively.
Same with "cardio or weights first" - do whatever suits you.
For the vast majority of people, even if any actual 'differences" did exist, they would be so small relative to the huge benefits of keeping to a consistently number of workouts per week, they would be unnoticeable.0 -
Personaly I think it depends on the individual. As for me, I am not a morning person so I like to work out afternoons or evenings. I am on the other hand, doing walks in the mornings, as I take my mother for her walk so figure I might as well get a nice walk in at the same time.0
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Watched this medical program today about workout schdule.Best time is AM,before eating breakfest,reason exercise uses stored fat and not calories eaten.[haven't had breakfest] Be sure after workout to eat carbs & protein for getting system moving and sets you up for the rest of the day.0
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I too have read that am workouts burn fat, while evening workouts burn calories....after you've fasted for 7-8hrs ( sleep) and you do your cardio in the morning, your body turns to the stored fat for fuel so I prefer am workouts. Many, many years ago when I used to train for figure and bodybuilding competitons, my trainer gave me no choice but to do my cardio in the am on an empty stomache...( at 430am eeek!) My current work schedule doesn't allow me to do am workout unless it's my days off...
Weights....I always lift weigths prior to cardio...again "they" ( the proverbial they) say that when you lift weights after cardio you lose anywhere between 10 to 15% of your strength and because muscle is so hard to put on; every little bit helps....
However comma none of that matters if you are not consistent....if you perfer to do cardio in the evening and you are consistent....then that's what you should do....every "body" is not the same, so what works for some, most or others doesn't work for all....do what you do regularly if that is not working after say 2 weeks try am workouts and see if it makes a difference ....
It's your body, you can test it and see what yields you the best reuslts
wishing you nothing but the best sister!0 -
The best time to work out is when you'll actually work out. There's no point in saying you'll work out in the morning if it's just not going to happen and if you don't enjoy it. And that is the advice I've seen in all major exercise magazines.0
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Scientifically AM workouts are proven to be more efficient. Having said that, it's not always possible to co-ordinate that in our busy schedules so when you get to the nitty gritty, it's far better to work out than not work out at all. I personally find that a morning workout energizes me and gets me really revved up for the day. It releases endorphins (a feel good chemical).
Don't worry about your calories. Eat 6 small meals (remember to add snacks to your diet) and drink lots of water. With all of this you should be fine and there really shouldn't be a huge difference if you choose to exercise in the Am or PM.
Strength training is very important. Building muscle will help you continuously burn calories over a longer period of time (so when you go to work or you watch TV etc, you will still be burning cal's after the workout). You can either choose to do a cardio/weight program together or you can do cardio (for example) 3 days per wekk and strength training on the other days. Lots of DVD's have great programs for women that blend the two and you don't need a lot of equipment to make it work.
Good Luck!0 -
I AGREE WITH WANNA B! I WORK 2 - 10, & WE W/O MON - FRI 2 1/2- 3 HRS. & WHEN I GO 2 WORK, I AM TOTALLY ENERGIZED. IT GIVES ME ENERGY 2 GET THROUGH A VERY HARD WORK DAY......0
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I'm sorry, don't want to be a pot stirrer but I see a lot of people saying that working out in the morning is "scientifically" proven. As a scientist myself (forensic toxicologist) and a degree in molecular biology people in the field usually get called out when they talk about studies or research. If there are references to any peer reviewed journal articles showing that an AM workout trumps a PM workout 9 times out of 10 can someone please post a link to it?
The pro AM crowd says working out in the morning "forces" the body to burn up fat because there is no food in the system to get fuel from, it energizes people to have them take on the day and exercising at night will get people so energized they won't be able to sleep well.
The pro PM crowd says that the muscles have been properly warmed up, hormone levels are in balance (whatever that means) and you have a good amount of energy to get the most out of your workout, something you don't have after waking up and on an empty stomach.
Seems everyone says it doesn't matter when you do it, as long as you do it. Today I didn't get my workout in at my usual 6:30 since my pals wanted to hang out. I just got home, ate dinner and my dessert and I'm contemplating grabbing a flashlight and going for a quick 30 min stroll in the dark to burn off some calories. I guess the advantage of an AM workout would be if you missed it you have the rest of the day to make it up. Where if I miss my PM workout I don't have that much time to make it up.
I never took a nutrition or physiology course in college, so most of my knowledge is from what I read. But I have to remember that this is the internet and anyone can say anything about any subject...and if it comes up first on google it can lead down a confusing path. With that said I'm going to put on my shoes and grab a flashlight, see the forums in 30.0 -
I don't know that morning or night matters in how much weight you'll lose. I would say work out whenever you feel best 'cause then you'll stick with it. For me it's the noon hour. I usually work afternoons/evenings so a noon step class is perfect timing for me, since I'm not a morning person, and by the time I get done with work the gym is closed.
As for the order of weights and cardio, I find that the most effective way is to mix it up and actually combine the two. Do some cardio to get warmed up - maybe 10 minutes or so on a treadmill or ellipse. Then go do 5 minutes of weights while your heart rate is still a bit elevated. Then go back and do another 5 minutes of cardio, and so on. My favorite class is my Friday step class because our instructor works in a lot of intervals of high intensity (jumping jacks) with the medium intensity step routine, and then even breaks it up a bit by adding hand weights to some of the moves, or barbells to the squats, and then a session of stretching and a core workout at the end (planks, push ups, and crunches).0 -
i too am not a morning person, never have been, but once i started being faithful and diligent to working out, mornings were best and it has helped so much. i've read and heard that when you work out (esp weight train) you are burning more calories ALL day because your resting heart rate is higher due to the workout you had. I also read that working out on an empty tummy on CARDIO only, not weight training, burns more fat. but i agree with most, its on you....its on the individual. what works best for you. what time of the day makes you push your HARDEST? which one keeps you more consistant and mindful? i find that working out in the morning helps me to monitor what i put in my mouth the rest of the day since i worked so hard to work it out.
as far as DVDS go, highly recommend p90x. both weight training and ardio, which we are suppose to have both in our routine to loose weight and keep it off......Jullian Michaels is good as well, just depends on your intensity level and commitment. p90x is hard, and has to be consistant, but well worth it, just gotta keep pressing play and not miss one....no excuses....
good luck!!0 -
I say do it when its best for you. I work nights, so I am usually awake by 7p, eat dinner with my better half and between 9 and 10p I work out. It fits my schedule and allows me more time with my better half. I know there have been a lot of studies and back and forth on the when. But, I did my own totally unscientific trial by moving my work out for 2 weeks to right when I woke up, before my shower and all. I found that those 2 weeks, I lost about a half a pound less than I did with my regular schedule. With that, I went back to what I had been doing... Like I said, totally unscientific, but you can try to work out at different times over a period of time and see what works best for you in terms of loss and schedule.0
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Working out in the morning is definitely better for you but I know the feeling of having just eaten a days worth of food and feeling stuffed at the end of the day is disheartening when on a diet.
Here's the secret, do your cardio in the morning, it's worth it and at some point you get used to the routine. When you feel like you have had too much to eat at night or missed your morning cardio do some simple strength exercises in the evening. Just 15-30 minutes of high rep low weight strength training will make you feel 10 times better in the morning, your metabolism will sky rocket and toning will take care of itself. Find some workouts you can do in your home with some cheap weights or one of those rubber bands you attach to your door. Hit all the basic muscle groups while watching a tv show, , even push ups and dips go a long way. Trust me, it's easy and the perfect compliment to morning cardio, try it once and notice how much better you feel in the morning.0 -
I do Insanity, I just finished the first round, now I just pick a DVD from the "book" and push play. I workout at 5:30 AM. I also run/walk on T-W-Th while my daughter is at soccer practice. That helps when I know I have gone over on my calories. :ohwell: I also try to get to a Muscle Fusion class on M/W right after work. Saturday mornings I go to a Turbokick class at 6:45AM.0
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I usually do any exercises i have to after eating in the morning.
A couple months ago in a Châtelaine magazine, i found an article by Dr Oz, he had this yoga workout to do every morning first thing, a 7 minute workout. I decided to go for it, since i usually lay in bed to listen to the news, it would get me going while i listened. I also added 20 crunches to it. But the quick 10 minute workout left me feeling nauseous, so i stopped doing it, and am now back to after breakfast.
For me, it is just better to work out on a full tummy.0 -
i am not a morning person at all so therefore all my energy is usually in the afternoons. so i find it best to do my workouts then. i always seem to do cardio first then weights but i have heard to do the opposite but the bottom line is if you do it and it gets done does it matter when and what order you did it???? i say congrats for just getting off your bum and being active!!!!0
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I hear people say that its better to work out in the morning, but I think the best time is what works for you. Some people are not morning people at all, so later in the day might be better for them. Only thing I would avoid is working out just before going to sleep.
I prefer working out in the morning, but I already wake up at 6am for work, I wouldnt want to get up at 4:30-5...0 -
WOW! thanks for all the feed back you guys! that was a lot of valid information that i will deffinitly try a little bit of everything! very interesting! Im going to try morning work outs this week, but i forgot to mention that i bartend also some wednesdays and thursdays, so sometimes i dont get to bed till 230-3am, so waking up at 8am to work out would be very difficult let alone unhealthy with the lack of sleep id be getting. so maybe on the days i bartend i will just work out before i go in early evening, then the other days go in the morning. or like everyone else said, whatever my schedule will allow me. I have 5 classes im taking, involved in two academic clubs, and work 2 jobs weekly, so my sched constantly changes, but i deff will take some of all your tips
feel free to add me to see how it all goes!! thanks again everyone! amazing response! 0 -
I work out at night because I have a hard enough time getting up for work in the morning let alone getting up an hour earlier. Also working out makes me tired so I sleep really good at night and when I wake up the next day I have so much energy0
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Mornings are the best time to work out I saw a show and it said that if you work out in the morning you burn more calories because afterwards your body is still burning calories after you workout... i workout in afternoon because i have school till 11am one day and 3pm the other day so i workout after class0
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I'm not a morning person either and I like to know what I need to burn off I personally like to exercise in the evenings0
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I'm not an expert and certainly not certain of which is the right time to exercise. All I know is that fact that you are working your body is awesome, especially for those of us that have never step foot in a gym. I would think that getting up early to work out in the AM would be essential. Even if you are not a morning person, weight loss is very difficult especially if you have a ton of weight to lose. Is more than just dieting and exercise. Its a way of life. Its about changing habits. So if you must force yourself to wake up then do it. Think about it this way, we all have busy lives (jobs, school, kids, husband/wife) we must tend to and honestly after a long day of work i don't want to come home work out and then have dinner. I would go to bed early to get a good amount of rest. I'm a college student with a part time job and I'm graduating and I have a ton of finals projects to turn in, I wouldn't want to work out in the evening when I'm beat from studying or dealing with clients. I don't have the strength to. So work out in the AM to gain energy so that you can go about your day with stamina. They say it take 21 days to create a habit and that i think this is one habit I want to keep.0
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I can't argue the science of it all but for me evening workouts are the best. I have a long commute and get up at 4:30 a.m. as it is just to get to the office on time. I don't know about anyone else, but a 3 a.m. workout does NOT set a good tone for my morning.
On the other hand, hitting the gym after work allows me to burn off the stress of the day as well as calories, then go home with that post-workout high and a minimal appetite. Add to that a nice relaxing shower and a good night's sleep is not a problem.
Granted, I don't have trouble sleeping and I don't have evenings full of family commitments. Everyone's different, workout when it works with your scheudle. If you can make a morning routine work, go for it.
I've just found, in my own experience, that trying to force something like that into an inflexible schedule, only gets me frustrated and I lose motivation. Don't let the perfect be your enemy -- just do it.0
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