When to make time to work out?

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  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Honestly, it sounds like the best time is going to be after work for you. As many people have said, you need to make this a priority. Do not let yourself go home without getting at a workout in. It doesn't need to be a lot. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults only need 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity spread out over the week. You need to strength train twice per week, hitting all major muscle groups for no specified time, as long as you get at least one set per group. Not really that much to ask for.
    So if you take a 10 minute walk before work and after work, that's already 100 minutes of (hopefully) moderate activity. 50 more minutes reserved for the weekend. No excuses!!!
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    If it were me I'd workout before work, on my way in or right after work before getting home. That's what I always did/do.

    I prefer to workout in the mornings before anything (i.e. excuses) can bump it off the schedule. The first few weeks waking up early sucks, but it gets easier over time.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
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    5am at the gym if you want it you will do it.. I work 8am to 8pm 5 days a week.. Food prep helps a lot.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    When you want it bad enough, finding the time will be easy. Have clear concrete goals will make it a lot easier.
  • MamaMollyT
    MamaMollyT Posts: 197 Member
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    Lunch break. Or take a heavy snack to eat end of day and gym bag and workout before you go home. Meal plan and prep onSundays to help the week go smoothly. Or just get up an hour earlier. Your body will adjust.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    A.M. work outs are fantastic. If you gut it out and get there...you will have great energy for the day and when you get out work...weeeeeee you are free with your workout far behind you.
  • hakamruth
    hakamruth Posts: 124 Member
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    If the gym is on your way to work, AM would be the best. I am not a morning person either but I got up in the morning to go to the gym. It was great because there was a lot less people. Then I'll shower and get dressed at the gym and go to work. Breakfast is either packed or try to buy something healthy somewhere. When going to the gym in AM was no longer an option I would have a snack before I left work and then go directly to the gym. I do not go home. Once you are home, you do not want to go back out nor did I want to use any of the exercise videos. Have a post workout snack ready or make sure you already have dinner waiting at home where you just need to heat up, otherwise you might be tempted to go out for fast-food.
  • eliaus3640
    eliaus3640 Posts: 32 Member
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    I found time by prepping my meals on the weekend. Not having to make meals each night opened up the time I needed to workout
  • liftreadphilosophize
    liftreadphilosophize Posts: 180 Member
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    I hate working out after work, so I wake up early and work out in the mornings even though I loooooove sleep and would very much enjoy relaxing in bed until I had to get up for work. This week I accidentally overslept on a really important workout day and I chose to work out in my dreaded "after work" time because working out and my goals around working out are more important to me than my dislike for working out after work. I definitely understand the "ugh" feeling, but it's really a mental game. Hungry? Grab a pre-workout snack to tide you over. Tired? Put in ten minutes of your workout and then see how you feel (I guarantee that most often, you will find that you can and want to finish). Just don't feel like it? Remind yourself of why you wanted to get serious about working out in the first place and see if you want that more than you don't want to work out. It's not easy, but it can be simple. Good luck!!
  • prisduke
    prisduke Posts: 3 Member
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    I have the same issue and I just eat a bit of my dinner right when I get home and then take a preworkout powder to give me energy to go to the gym!
  • Ponkeen
    Ponkeen Posts: 147 Member
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    I have been able to use my lunch break at work for taking a very brisk half-hour walk, then walking on both breaks and taking 5-7 sets of stairs 3 or 4 times a day. I work 4-10s with a 2-3 hour commute, so before and after are just shot for me and useless for exercise. As soon as I get home, I eat dinner and go to bed and manage to get 8 hours sleep in (super, super important to me). As soon as i wake up, coffee and driving to work. There just isnt time if i dont make time during the day. Then running and weightlifting on the weekends.
    But, ultimately, you will need to cobble together a schedule, not too overly demanding, that works for you.
  • fi_b
    fi_b Posts: 121 Member
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    urloved33 wrote: »
    A.M. work outs are fantastic. If you gut it out and get there...you will have great energy for the day and when you get out work...weeeeeee you are free with your workout far behind you.

    This is so bang on the money! And sure adjusting your routine seems daunting at first but it actually doesn't take long to get into the swing of it. I work on remote mine sites and the first day back from break is always horrible - going from sleeping as late as you like to having to get up at 3.45 :weary: it's pretty disgusting. A couple of things I find helpful are having my clothes ready to go, my back packed with keys sitting on top, and water bottle filled. Most importantly my alarm (phone) is far enough away from me that I HAVE to get out of bed so I can't even hit the snooze button, hahahaha.
    The best thing about working out in the morning is you have so much more energy for the rest of the day! Maybe not the first day or two that you do it, but once it's normal you'll wonder how you ever found it so tricky. ANd as an added bonus, on your rest days the sleep in will seem amazing!

    Alternatively, making sure you eat 30 mins - an hour before you would get to the gym on the way home from work is always a great work around.

    You've got this :smile:
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    I always work out at around 7 PM, to give my dinner a bit of time to digest. Since that's my one big meal of the day, I eat high in protein to give fuel for muscle creation/repair and include some carbohydrates (simple and complex) to give me energy. I worried I wouldn't have the energy after work, but I do.

    I also eat at my desk and use a lunch break for a long walk.
  • purplishblue
    purplishblue Posts: 135 Member
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    Curious, all you morning workout people, how many hours do you sleep? Do you get a full night or do you sacrifice?
  • Triskele2
    Triskele2 Posts: 50 Member
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    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    Eat a snack on your way to the gym after work. Simple solution. :)

    This! Whether I'm stopping at the gym on my way home or not I often eat an apple on my way to catch the train home. It keeps me from being hungry at the gym and/or stops me from snacking while cooking dinner.

    As for when to work out, I often go around 7:30-8:00 pm after I've had dinner and relaxed a bit, especially early in the week when the gym is super crowded at 5:00pm. Yes it can be hard to force myself to go back out at night but I always feel amazing when I'm done. Reminding myself of that and kicking my self-discipline into high gear keeps me going.
  • Chaotic_Panda
    Chaotic_Panda Posts: 13 Member
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    I am definitely not a morning person, but if I stick with it for two or three weeks, it becomes a habit and it much easier. Now I'm up at 5, at the gym by 5:45, and to work by 8:00.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    purplishblue wrote: »
    Curious, all you morning workout people, how many hours do you sleep? Do you get a full night or do you sacrifice?

    6 Hours. Lay down at 10:15 asleep by 10:16. up at 4:15.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    purplishblue wrote: »
    Curious, all you morning workout people, how many hours do you sleep? Do you get a full night or do you sacrifice?

    I go to bed at 10 and wake up at 5 on gym days. That's 7hrs, which is a decent nights sleep for most people.
  • Ashtoretet
    Ashtoretet Posts: 378 Member
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    Eat a snack before going to the gym, you wouldn't want to eat a full meal right before working out anyway.
  • AZnewbie00
    AZnewbie00 Posts: 70 Member
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    I go as soon as I get home from work. I walk through the door, change and then I'm out the door again. If mornings don't work, I would go right after work. Try eating something a little before you leave work so you aren't hungry.

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