Night workouts Good or Bad?

SleepKoala
SleepKoala Posts: 26
in Getting Started
Hey guys.. sorry if this has been posted before. I really need some advice on the whole business of working out at night.

So you've eaten all day.. all your calorie amount hopefully less lol but it's nearly bed time for most people and you decide to go for a few mile walk or hit up the gym late.. DOES it make a difference?

I can imagine you will hit the hay with a slightly better metabolic burn but I can't see it being a benefit to the food you've already eaten. It's settling in your stomach.. the whole days worth and NOW ya decide to finally get your body moving?

Has anyone been able to lose weight this way? I mean exercising is always good.. it's better then nothing. I just don't know the science behind it. Is it good or is it a waste and best to just workout in the mornings or noons.

I been off track for a few weeks now.. i am more energetic at night too. I am just always tired during the morning and noon.

Thanks :)

Replies

  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    your body doesn't care what time it works out. although some people are tired out later, so wouldn't get as good a workout, if you have higher energy in the evenings, it could be ideal. i used to work out at night, sometimes at 3 or 4 am, but i was unable to fall asleep for a couple hours after a hard weight lifting session. otherwise there's no reason not to. i would suggest a protein hit right before bed so your body has extra protein to repair your muscles while you sleep.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    Your body doesn't know if its 10pm or 10am as long as you get your exercise in. Your body does know, however, if you choose not to exercise at all.
    I can't imagine that one would think exercising at any given time would be 'bad'. What is bad, however, is not exercising at all because you think a certain time to exercise is bad.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Big workouts at night make it hard for me to fall asleep, so the most I do is lift little hand weights or do leg lifts.

    I like to swim as soon as I wake up, too, so there's that. My day is just "off" when I don't swim before anything else.
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    I workout at 10pm. No problems.
  • SleepKoala
    SleepKoala Posts: 26
    Your body doesn't know if its 10pm or 10am as long as you get your exercise in. Your body does know, however, if you choose not to exercise at all.
    I can't imagine that one would think exercising at any given time would be 'bad'. What is bad, however, is not exercising at all because you think a certain time to exercise is bad.

    I didn't say I wasn't going to workout at all. I just wanted to know if people saw a loss either way you go about it.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    if you don't mind that it will take you a while to fall asleep after your workout, go for it!
  • SleepKoala
    SleepKoala Posts: 26
    Thanks for the replies.. I have been trying to wake early for a work out but it's never EVER as well as I can do at night. I read so many times tho that MORNING is the way to go about it. Morning this.. Morning that! Almost made me feel guilty for night workouts! So i'm glad i'm not going to be solo in putting in the effort at night. I would love to be an early bird tho if I could lol.
  • SleepKoala
    SleepKoala Posts: 26
    if you don't mind that it will take you a while to fall asleep after your workout, go for it!

    Yeah I see that.. I just always end up sleeping or TRYING to sleep at around 2am. So I would hope that if I workout say 8 or 10pm I'd still manage to sleep at 3am as normal. Idk.. We shall see lol I feel better ab this thanks
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    If you feel more awake and alive in the evening, why force yourself to get up with the roosters to work out? You won't enjoy it as much if it feels like a chore and more likely to quit. So do it at the time that works best for you and your schedule. I hate mornings too. I am at my best in the afternoon, so I feel you on that one.
  • rosellasweet
    rosellasweet Posts: 163 Member
    I lost 40 pounds working out at night and there were no problems. I've switched habits since then because my new job leaves me absolutely exhausted at the end of the day, so I do mornings.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
    I don't go to the gym until I've tucked in the wife and kids which means usually I arrive somewhere around 10:30 or so. I'm losing steadily, so the answer to your question is "Yes, you can work out late and still see great results."
  • catb58
    catb58 Posts: 239 Member
    I'm on shiftwork. Sometimes I work out before work, which can be 4am or 3pm. Sometimes it's during work: anytime from 1130pm until 3am. Sometimes it's on the way home: 730 am or 730 pm. I've lost a total of 44 lbs working out whenever I could, day or night. It doesn't seem to cause any problems with my sleep.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
    I usually do my cardio workout during the day while my daughter naps, and my circuit training at night after she goes to bed. Some nights I don't do it until 11 or so. I usually save my protein bar for after that workout so I still have something to munch on. Hasn't slowed me down!
  • kimbailey1982
    kimbailey1982 Posts: 17 Member
    I don't work out until after 8pm sometimes later. I wait until I put my kids to bed. If I didn't work out late, I wouldn't be able to workout most days! I've steadily been losing so it must be working! :)
  • wailana82
    wailana82 Posts: 24 Member
    I've been working out at night for the last month and a half and have gotten results. I have more energy at the end of the day usually. But when my daughter starts school up again I may have to switch to AM workouts.
  • FeraFilia
    FeraFilia Posts: 4,664 Member
    I exercise most nights around 9 or 10. The only time I don't is if I have to be up early, because it usually has me up until 1am or so.
  • blarue002
    blarue002 Posts: 2
    The body doesn't care, but from an energy output, your body has a clock and while it can be changed to anytime, you are likely going to want to workout when you feel the most energy. energy helps with motivation and satisfaction.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Nothing wrong with them, as long as they don't interfere with your sleep at night.
  • marykator
    marykator Posts: 20
    It really comes down to your lifestyle and what works for you. For me personally, I work out in the morning because my day job gets pretty unpredictable and can be pretty exhausting. That way, I feel "kinder" to myself by getting it out of the way. Hope this helps :)
  • xixshaiyaxix
    xixshaiyaxix Posts: 83 Member
    I workout spontaneously, as well as routinely. Sometimes, even after my daily low impact exercise, late at night I have too much energy and I end up working out while the hubby is already snoozing off. You can workout whenever! The more the merrier =]
  • MystifiedFluff
    MystifiedFluff Posts: 50 Member
    Burning calories is still burning them regardless of the hour in the day.

    I often workout at night, especially if the weather is too hot during the day. One thing I've noticed is that I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow - a rare thing for this frequent insomniac, but everyone is different.

    Do what fits into your schedule or have it as a backup for that hectic day that always hits when you least expect it to. If you do have issues getting sleepy after a workout, try a bath and some chamomile tea. The water will relax your muscles so it works to prevent aches the next day too. Lavender is a soothing fragrance for a night time bath.

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