AM vs. PM Workouts?

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McKayMachina
McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've found information ALL over the place as to what's best. For example:

Morning: http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_60/68_fitness_tip.html

Afternoon/Evening: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/WhenToExercise.htm

Anytime: http://articles.cnn.com/2003-05-27/health/exercise.time_1_circadian-rhythms-body-morning-exercise?_s=PM:HEALTH

I know, ultimately, getting moving is what matters. I'm not trying to become a competitive athlete. But I would like to try C25K! I'm not a morning person but I don't like working out with food/water sloshing around in my stomach.

So I ask you, when do you work out and your thoughts on the issue...?

Replies

  • kalelwifey
    kalelwifey Posts: 172
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    Bump!...i had a similar question just lastnightt! i woke up this mornign..adn tried to work out...i couldnt get past the hunger loll
  • dikent
    dikent Posts: 24
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    I like to run in the mornings and walk at night. I also do any strength training in the morning. Personally, a hard work out close to bed time makes it hard for me to get to sleep and mornings tend to be easier to fit "me time" in.
  • militarywife100
    militarywife100 Posts: 46
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    i normally work out in the afternoon just because i dont have the energy first thing in the morning and i dont like working out when im really full......so afternoon is a good balance for me
  • WonderNoodle
    WonderNoodle Posts: 549
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    For me personally, after work....before dinner. I've had fuel via breakfast, lunch, snacks...but not a full belly by 5-6:00. After my workout I'm more inclined to eat a better dinner too. Who wants to waste all that effort!?
  • Dinob661
    Dinob661 Posts: 251 Member
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    because of work My times change all the time. But I prefer to work out at night. For me it burns off my excess energy and when I get home I can go shower then fall asleep quickly. On top of that since I usually go to the gym it is empty later at night and u can use any machine you wish with ease. These are all personal reasons why I do it.

    As far as the science behind it I hear working out early is better for you because your metabolism slows down at night and when you sleep anyway. But I am no science expert so don't take my last statement as fact. I could easily be wrong! :P
  • toadiejones
    toadiejones Posts: 608 Member
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    My favourite time to workout is late evening (9 or 10pm). Gym is empty, good shows are on to keep me entertained and I feel like I have finished the day on a really positive note. Plus I only seem to lose weight when I do workout at night. Now, if only my kids didn't wake up at 6am....
  • CommandaPanda
    CommandaPanda Posts: 451 Member
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    If you work out in the morning, you really need to make sure you're hydrating well the day before. Drinking close to 64 oz of water. When I exercise in the morning, I perform my best when I am well-hydrated and worst when I didn't drink much the day before.

    I am a morning lifter/runner. I do make exceptions on weekends, like today I am going to the gym at 1045 where I normally get my exercise in around 7. I started the morning regime because your body is still has the "energy burning" momentum from your sleep. Could you imagine not eating all day long? Well this is what happens in your sleep, so as you can imagine your body goes for quite some time without food.

    I also feel much better when I do my workout in the morning because I don't have food in my stomach. Without the food sloshing around in my stomach (as it was nicely put), I am able to push myself harder without thinking about "oh my god I ate so awful today."

    i'm sure there are pros and cons to both but if I ate a huge sandwich for lunch and then lifted in the afternoon, I would be trying to hard to either burn off that nasty food or I would be discouraged during my workout because I did so bad that day..

    This is why I like to workout while I still have a "clean slate" lol

    All personal preference though.


    *Edit*
    I workout before I eat, never after.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I like to do cardio in the morning and lifting in the evening. Cardio winds me up so it's hard to go to sleep after that. Lifting is my stress-relief at the end of the day, and it tires me out!
  • CommandaPanda
    CommandaPanda Posts: 451 Member
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    I like to do cardio in the morning and lifting in the evening. Cardio winds me up so it's hard to go to sleep after that. Lifting is my stress-relief at the end of the day, and it tires me out!
    I think that this is a great model to follow.

    Lifting is a great way to purge all of that pent up stress from the workday.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    I've tried all approaches just because my life and schedule is different everyday. So, here are m results.

    Morning w/ no food: hungry & low energy. = felt kind of sick after-wards. {I did it once again, and felt great so I think I may have done something differently the day before eating wise that made me feel better, and got more sleep}

    Morning w/ some food on my stomach: good energy, good workout overall, don't feel too badly after-wards

    Evening like anytime afternoon-5oclock: I LOVE THESE WORKOUTS. I've had a good chance to eat a lot of calories and let them digest pretty well w/ out being hungry again until after the workout.

    Night workouts: pretty good energy, but sometimes to sleepy to give it every i got. but I usually feel very energized after this, or tired, lol.

    Honestly these workouts can go either way. If I'm not eating right that will weigh me down and show in workouts no matter when I do them. And if I don't eat RIGHT after I exercise like within 30minutes to and hour preferably before 30minutes, I get headaches and feel sick. when I do nighttime workouts, i usually just go right to sleep b/c I would have already eaten enough calories to not feel sick. hope this somewhat helps. this is my crazy confused body, lol
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I am digging these responses. Thank you all.

    I'm thinking a morning workout might be the way to go. I like to shower in the morning anyway (otherwise my hair looks all crazy and I feel dirty) so if I only have to shower once a day (in the morning, after my workout, before starting my day) that will be good. I hate wasting time. XD

    Thanks so much! :drinker:

    Feel free to continue the discussion. I'll be reading any and all posts.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    I am digging these responses. Thank you all.

    I'm thinking a morning workout might be the way to go. I like to shower in the morning anyway (otherwise my hair looks all crazy and I feel dirty) so if I only have to shower once a day (in the morning, after my workout, before starting my day) that will be good. I hate wasting time. XD

    Thanks so much! :drinker:

    Feel free to continue the discussion. I'll be reading any and all posts.

    Good point, that's one reason I did morning workouts for a little while because the whole one shower a day thing.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I like to do cardio in the morning and lifting in the evening. Cardio winds me up so it's hard to go to sleep after that. Lifting is my stress-relief at the end of the day, and it tires me out!
    I think that this is a great model to follow.

    Lifting is a great way to purge all of that pent up stress from the workday.

    Yes!! Plus I need food in mah belly before I can go lift hard. Otherwise I feel woozy.
  • ninpiggy
    ninpiggy Posts: 228 Member
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    When I exercise in the morning, I am happy and proud of myself all day long. Unfortunately, because I have to be at work by 7:30 AM, it's few and far between that I am able to exercise in the mornings; it can be difficult to make myself wake up early on my days off! So on days that I cannot exercise in the morning, I do it at night. I feel less pressured at night for some reason and it really helps me to fall asleep (even with cardio, which is my main source of exercise).

    Although, my exercise has been sporadic in general these days, but I'm working on changing that!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    Well, I work from home, so luckily I don't have to get up to an alarm. My "morning" workout can be whenever I get up. So I guess by "morning" I just mean: after waking up but before eating breakfast. :)
  • The_Saint
    The_Saint Posts: 358 Member
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    I do cardio for 1 reason alone. Open up channels for fat oxidation. I do mine in the AM for this reason. I have found I burn more during the day if I do AM cardio over anything else. I also do it before eating to take full advantage of the low blood glucose. I lift at mid day. Zone 1 training, so this is going to oxidize the most fat.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I do cardio for 1 reason alone. Open up channels for fat oxidation. I do mine in the AM for this reason. I have found I burn more during the day if I do AM cardio over anything else. I also do it before eating to take full advantage of the low blood glucose. I lift at mid day. Zone 1 training, so this is going to oxidize the most fat.

    I am loving the sound of all that. Thank you!

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