What's the best time of day to workout?

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bettieb1988
bettieb1988 Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do my workout about 4pm everyday. Today I did 15 minutes strength training and 25 minutes HIIT. However by the end of the evening after dinner I find I am extremely hungry even though I've met my calorie goal. I wondered if it would help to change what time I work out?

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,503 Member
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    What's your set calorie goal? If you're trying to lose more than 1% of your body weight a week, that may be why you're hungry. For many, training time doesn't matter much.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • bettieb1988
    bettieb1988 Posts: 122 Member
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    My TDEE is about 2640 calories. So my calorie goal right now is 1640 a day. I took in around 1930 calories and burned 300 in exercise.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,503 Member
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    Maybe increase to 1800 and see how you do. Extreme hunger could mean you're burning more than you think.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Wrestlerbigt
    Wrestlerbigt Posts: 1
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    I feel the best time to workout is the Morning. Im in gym by 9:30am. Its better also, therefore you can watch what goes in your mouth from the jump and you're getting the workout dobe early, if you wait til afternoon it most likely wont get completed or attempted because you waited around all day and your either tired or relaxed by then...
  • Nekrachael
    Nekrachael Posts: 74 Member
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    I think it's personal choice plus real life. For me, I feel best if I have done my workout by 11:00, but I often cannot do anything until late afternoon.

    As far as hunger goes, you might try a little more water or focus on protein right after your workout. Even something as small as a cheese stick might be enough to take the edge off. It works for me sometimes.
  • caryb2015
    caryb2015 Posts: 38 Member
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    I feel whatever time you will consistently do it is the best choice!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    bettieb1988 wrote: »
    My TDEE is about 2640 calories. So my calorie goal right now is 1640 a day. I took in around 1930 calories and burned 300 in exercise.

    if TDEE is 2640 then why are you eating 1000 calories below that??? You could lose a pound per week on 2000 to 2100 and be more satiated….
  • madrose0715
    madrose0715 Posts: 463 Member
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    The best time to exercise is totally individual and generally based on perceived performance. I personally workout in the morning with nothing but a coffee and a few sips of water in me. Everyone is different.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
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    I think you can work out any time of day. Personally I prefer morning because it gets it out of the way before anything else in the day can try and interfere with it. Plus those extra calories are there throughout the day so it is easier to eat them back throughout the day as I feel any extra hunger brought on from the exercise. I find it best to eat a bunch of small meals on that day, in my case never going over 700 calories in a single meal. I may eat every two hours though for a period of time on exercise days if I am hungry enough. But never more than that "meal size" every two hours.
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
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    On the wall at my gym:
    The best time to work out is when you feel like it.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    carybachman wrote: »
    I feel whatever time you will consistently do it is the best choice!

    100% this^^

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    bettieb1988 wrote: »
    My TDEE is about 2640 calories. So my calorie goal right now is 1640 a day. I took in around 1930 calories and burned 300 in exercise.

    You're probably hungry because that's a pretty aggressive cut if indeed your TDEE is 2600+ calories.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Whenever you have time and actually will.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    bettieb1988 wrote: »
    My TDEE is about 2640 calories. So my calorie goal right now is 1640 a day. I took in around 1930 calories and burned 300 in exercise.

    If you're following TDEE, you do not eat exercise calories back. Additionally, you're eating at a nearly 40% deficit, which is way too aggressive. Drop that to 15-20%.

    Work out when you can do it. Some days I have to hit the gym at 9 AM, others not until 6 PM.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    Optimal time to train for me is whenever I can, usually two afternoons (3pm) and two mornings (6am). My performance is almost never affected, although its a bit more difficult after work. I make sure to eat before and after - about 300 calories a piece. (Protein shake, banana or apple, yogurt and some coffee.) Helps. Sometimes I eat during, or if I have no food, chew minty gum - helps to make it to my after workout snack.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,503 Member
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    Wrestlerbigt wrote: »
    I feel the best time to workout is the Morning. Im in gym by 9:30am. Its better also, therefore you can watch what goes in your mouth from the jump and you're getting the workout dobe early, if you wait til afternoon it most likely wont get completed or attempted because you waited around all day and your either tired or relaxed by then...
    There is no "best" time to work out though. The body reacts to stimulus and whether it's in the morning or evening doesn't matter much. Some people aren't morning people and would drag through a work out. I train lots of people who train in the evening who are intense and love it after a long stressful day at work.
    As mentioned above, the "best" time to work out is when you can.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • chartwells253
    chartwells253 Posts: 9
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    I too find myself hungry all the time. I eat 1200 calories a day so 4 small meals at 300 calories.
  • bettieb1988
    bettieb1988 Posts: 122 Member
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    I must not be taking in enough calories because it is alway right after my work out that I become hungry. I'm not really sure how many calories my work out burns but it's pretty intense with a lot of plyometrics and high impact aerobics. Yesterday about 40 min worth. When my first started my diet I was only taking in 1440 calories was hungry so I figured out my TDEE an brought it up to 200 more calories. But given then I'm not sure how many calories my wok out burns I better bring it up. I am looking for aggressive weight loss but I'm nt trying to starve either.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
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    The most important factor for me is the effect on my sleep. I sleep very well on lifting days, but not if I do it too late. I need a few hours between working out and bedtime. Otherwise I'm too hyper to sleep.
  • kandeye
    kandeye Posts: 216 Member
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    EWJLang wrote: »
    The most important factor for me is the effect on my sleep. I sleep very well on lifting days, but not if I do it too late. I need a few hours between working out and bedtime. Otherwise I'm too hyper to sleep.

    I just started lifting and this happens to me! I enjoy the energy high, but not when i want to sleep. I have found morning works best for me because of this.

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