Is it better to workout in the morning or evenings?

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FutureMrsEssman
FutureMrsEssman Posts: 81 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What time of day is it better for you workout? Does a morning or evening workout have more of an effect on changing your body (calorie burn, energy levels, post-workout effects, etc.)?

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  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    Whatever works out with your schedule and energy level. You can go in the internet and find out why Mornings/Evenings are the best/worst time to woork out. You'll find as many arguments for one as for the other. Working out is the key. When you can make the time is the best time.
  • chacaruso
    chacaruso Posts: 261 Member
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    I've heard that mid to late afternoon is the best however personally I prefer to get it out of the way in the AM. I think which ever time period is going to guarantee you do it works best :)
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
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    The answer is.

    Whatever suits you!

    If you can get up and do an hour or two in the gym before work or whatever you're doing that day, GREAT! If you can go mid day taking a break from work GREAT if you have to wait until the evening SUPER! The answer is, as long as you're working out, who cares what time you do it?

    I'm sure there are great technical arguments, but I tend to just shove them aside in favour of "any action is good action!"
  • clioandboy
    clioandboy Posts: 963 Member
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    I dont know the answers to the 'more cals' or 'best' question BUT I can say that for me if I leave it till the evening, stuff can get in the way, the weather, my motivation, this needs doing, a phone call to make.......

    but the mornings I get it done, it is done then I can calculate my eating for the day and get those cals earned eaten ;)
  • gurgi22
    gurgi22 Posts: 182 Member
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    The best time of day to work out is when you will actually do it. If you are too tired to exercise at night then do it in the morning. If you are the kind of person that will not wake up early to save your life then exerise at night. It all depends on you. Calorie burn levels will stay the same, there is no magical time of day where a workout burns more calories than any other time of day for the same intensity and length of workout. You may have more energy and sleep better if you work out in the morning but this is not true for everyone. You will have to do some trail and error to find out what is best for you.
  • miqisha
    miqisha Posts: 1,534 Member
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    Whatever works for you. I workout in the morning, because by the evening, I am tired and exhausted and tend to not workout. So, I do it first thing in the AM.

    I dont think there is any solid proof one works better than the other.....
  • Krys_T
    Krys_T Posts: 1,406 Member
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    I think it honestly just depends on the person. But I will say I loke to knock it out early in the morning, so that I know it is done! I also feel that I have more energy through the rest of the day if I do. And then the advantage of it is the fact that if I am up for it later on in the evening....I can sneak another work out in before bed and then I feel even better.

    But like I said, it just depends on the individual and how much time you can allocate to it in your day.
  • 1harleygal
    1harleygal Posts: 226 Member
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    :smile: Any time you can work in your work out is good, evening or night is good as long as you can work out. Also stagger your workouts like walking hard for 20 minutes, slow down for 10 minutes and then hard again 20 minutes wil really ramp up your weight loss! I walk at my breaks and lunches and then 3 times a week work out at Curves in the evening plus when I get home I use my hand weights 2-3 times a week to further help burn calories doing squats, curles etc. By doing all of these different workouts at different times will help burn calories and tone up much faster than doing the same work out all the time. If you notice on Biggest Loser that they always vary the work outs because your body will burn the calories faster that way. :smile:
  • Charlie001
    Charlie001 Posts: 354
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    I split it. Cardio on empty stomack in moring. Strength training after supper at night.
  • Aamilah
    Aamilah Posts: 62 Member
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    YES, WHATEVER WORKS OUT FOR YOU. WITH ME I PREFER THE AM WORKOUTS BETTER, THAT'S THE TIME, I HAVE MORE ENERGY.
  • AmandaR910
    AmandaR910 Posts: 991
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    As a mom of 2 toddlers and a baby on the way, I work out when I get time. Sometime that's early, sometime it's late, sometimes it's in between.
  • lilrhody
    lilrhody Posts: 84 Member
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    For me, the evening is the best time - but that is because I am SO not a morning person. I schedule my workout like a meeting for work and am not allowed to sit down at home or have dinner until I've gotten it done.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    For me, first thing in the morning works best because otherwise, life gets in the way (a meeting goes late, kids don't take naps at the same time, traffic is slow, hubby gets home late, too tired, etc.). Also, and I'm sure that there are arguments to this, but I believe that it gives your metabolism a huge jump start -- so you actually burn more calories through the day than you would otherwise. So when you sit at your desk for 8 hours after your AM workout, you're burning more than you would sitting there before your workout just because your metabolism has been kick-started!

    That said, you have to do what fits best for your life! Whatever gets you moving.... that's what works best for you.
  • Aamilah
    Aamilah Posts: 62 Member
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    For me, first thing in the morning works best because otherwise, life gets in the way (a meeting goes late, kids don't take naps at the same time, traffic is slow, hubby gets home late, too tired, etc.). Also, and I'm sure that there are arguments to this, but I believe that it gives your metabolism a huge jump start -- so you actually burn more calories through the day than you would otherwise. So when you sit at your desk for 8 hours after your AM workout, you're burning more than you would sitting there before your workout just because your metabolism has been kick-started!

    That said, you have to do what fits best for your life! Whatever gets you moving.... that's what works best for you.

    GREAT POST! I AGREE! THAT'S WHY I WORK OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN EVERYONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS ASLEEP.THEN AFTER MY AM WORK OUTS I HAVE TO HANDLE MY JOB AS BEING AN AT HOME MOM/WIFE(REALITY SETS IN).AND THAT IS A 7 DAYS A WEEK JOB! SO THE AM WORK OUTS FOR ME ( THAT IS MY ME TIME)LOL!!!! IT'S WHATEVER WORKS OUT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL(WHATEVER TIME OF DAY THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER YOUR( ME TIME),THEN THAT'S THE TIME YOU SHOULD SQUEEZE IN A WORKOUT).

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