When do you exercise - first thing in the morning or after work?

Trease1014
Trease1014 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been struggling with a dilemma of when to exercise - first thing in the morning or after work? I am a morning person and my cognitive abilities are much better in the morning so I prefer to tackle items where I need mental clarity in morning. I don't need much brain power to workout so I'm trying to move my exercise routine in the evening. The risk is I can talk myself out of my working out in the evening. I know many people who exercise after work so I'm thinking its just a matter of forming a new habit. Has anyone else had this dilemma - how did you handle?
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Replies

  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    I always do it about an hour or two after dinner.. I like to get work done in the morning (I'm currently trying to finish my masters degree + doing occasional translation work), and workouts just don't feel good in the morning...
    I like working out then showering and getting into my comfy pyjamas.. it just kinda makes sense for me to do it then, as it's basically turned into a habit over time: "do this and then you can relax and go to bed" , I don't have any other work to worry about or anything I might struggle with if i'm tired after my workout
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    I usually workout after work, although I have started going out rowing twice a week before work recently, so had to adjust my routine a bit, because it has an impact on my eating and sleeping schedule.

    You can talk yourself out of working out any time really. It's just about finding what works for you. No matter how hard I've tried, I don't enjoy morning workouts and won't do them, I get up for the rowing because I have to, I am training for a race and if I don't train, I won't be in a position to race safely and effectively.

  • h1udd
    h1udd Posts: 623 Member
    always workout in the morning ... its the time I am most motivated, come the evening I am tired, my head isnt with it AND its to easy to be sidetracked, work runs late, family needs something doing, some one turns up ..... where as 04:30 in the morning, every other bugger wants to be asleep so I get 1.5hrs of un-interupted ME time
  • earthcrunch13
    earthcrunch13 Posts: 1 Member
    You need to find the time you are least likely to talk yourself out of working out and go then. Sometimes you'll miss but you can't feel bad...you just have to start going again the next day. For me, I'm more likely to talk myself out of exercise in the morning because I'm a night person but that's different for different people. Exercise and health comes first...it will bring more of the mental clarity you need...so prioritize when exercise works best for you and the other will follow suit...not the other way around (of course giant, you're going to get fired deadlines aside haha).
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I'm absolutely a morning person. I lifted at 6am for about 20 years. However, when peri-menopause hit it really messed with sleep, so I started experimenting with different times. Ultimately, I found that noon worked well too. Then I switched from weights to yoga and Pilates, and found noon classes, so I am still doing that. I run or walk before work though.

    TL;DR: I'm a mix: cardio in the AM and yoga/Pilates at noon.
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    I do a combo, it’s nice to get that extra sleep in the morning sometimes. My evening activities are more group organised stuff. Runners club, volleyball so I don’t have much choice. Also limited in morning as I have to help get kids to school before I go to work so they are my walking/home gym sessions. But I am also limited in the arvo some days because of kids activities so it’s a balancing act to try find a sequence that works.
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    Whenever I can fit it in which right now has been my lunchtime.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    after work but before tea on week days, in the morning on weekends.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    Trease1014 wrote: »
    The risk is I can talk myself out of my working out in the evening.

    I prefer working out in the morning for this very reason; it's too easy to get held up at work, stuck in traffic, or have something else come up that impacts my workout. On the chance I don't feel like working out when my alarm goes off at 5, what else am I realistically going to do? I'm awake and don't have to be to the office until 8am, might as well just workout like I intended.

  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 1,309 Member
    After work. I pass my Gym on the way home so no excuses!! lol
  • DLove9321
    DLove9321 Posts: 67 Member
    The only way I can get a serious workout in the morning is if i don't have to go to work. If its before work I have to keep it light, otherwise I am useless at work. Sat morning is when I do my long run, and i usually have a lot of time to relax at home afterward.
  • HappyKat5
    HappyKat5 Posts: 369 Member
    I work out in the morning, so I can get it out of the way, because once my kids get home from school there’s no telling what can come up between helping with homework, dinner and my Netflix. I always have my stuff out the day before so there’s no excuse that I can’t find a shoe or my headphones. I also have ankle weights and an arm band that I use a lot when I’m in the kitchen. I might put something on the stove and do counter pushups or squats while it’s cooking. Fit it in where you can!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Morning. I even work at home so I could do it any time of the day, I feel most energized in the a.m., waiting later in the day I am very likely to not do it.
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
    I have an hour-long lunch, so I work out at lunch. Otherwise I find it almost impossible to fit in until it's late enough that it would disrupt my sleep.
  • RecognitionT
    RecognitionT Posts: 120 Member
    My workouts start in the morning and drag on throughout the course of the day.

    5 minutes of jump rope, 40 pushups, 15 pullups, spaced out evenly throughout the day until I've done it 4-6 times.

    First set is immediately after breakfast.
  • mabearof6
    mabearof6 Posts: 684 Member
    I prefer mornings, but it's whatever time I have available each day.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Early morning is my worst time for exercise and my best time for sleeping so that's my last resort.
    Late morning to late evening I'm pretty consistent as regards exercise performance, I used to regularly be in the gym at the 10pm closing time when I had to juggle work, commuting and family life.
  • rachelr1116
    rachelr1116 Posts: 334 Member
    I currently exercise after work. Ideally I'd like to exercise before work so I have less of a chance of making an excuse to not go to the gym but I already have to get up at 5 am to make sure my teenager is on the bus by 6 am and then that doesn't leave enough time to go to the gym before work. This summer I'm hoping to switch to morning workouts at least a few days a week.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    After work- I am NOT a morning person.
  • MalkinMagic71
    MalkinMagic71 Posts: 1,433 Member
    Morning ...the earlier the better. Much more motivated in the morning.
  • Nadspee
    Nadspee Posts: 79 Member
    edited April 2018
    In an ideal world I would go at night but I'm just too tired at the end of the day so I go in the morning. The one thing that I don't like about going in the morning is that I used to shower at night but now I have to shower in the am after I get all sweaty. :(
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    I do my big workout first thing in the morning (6am) before work. I tend to do a less intense/shorter workout right after work as well, like yoga or 20-30 minute workout video. I don't think I could handle the reverse.
  • deetails26
    deetails26 Posts: 108 Member
    After work, my gym is only open 6-8pm M/W/F and my T/Th classes are at 6. I don't think I'd change it even if I could, I prefer to sit quiet with my coffee in the morning lol
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    I have to work out in the AM before work for two reasons: first, I have no idea when I'll get home each night so I can't make any plans and, second, it takes me forever to relax after a workout so I'm up for hours if I do it at night then exhausted the next day.

    I find it much easier to wake up, knock out my workout, shower and then tackle my whole day knowing I've already taken care of me!
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I like to exercise in the morning. I know I've got it done, I enjoy the way I feel after exercise, and it allows me to spend more time with my husband and dogs after work.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I like to get it done when I am freshest and I also don't have to worry so much about meal timing. Coffee and a light snack and I am out the door. If I have a particularly late night I may push my morning workout to the evening but I always seem to be dragging by then and it's not ideal if I'm not enjoying it.
  • chornak05
    chornak05 Posts: 135 Member
    I go to the gym at 5am every morning. Like many others have said, it's the only time I know I won't make excuses. I have 3 kids who get up around 6:30, so I'm at the gym from 5-6:15 and get home right as they're waking up. After work, we have dinner/family time and then once they go to bed at 7:30/8, I have an hour or so by myself/with my husband before crashing. I have no energy to work out by the time I would have time to work out at night lol
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited April 2018
    After. I prefer my sleep, and the gym isn't open before I go to work on weekends (it's 24 hours during the week). But on off days I'll get it done before 10 AM.
  • karinschoultz
    karinschoultz Posts: 50 Member
    I have been working out at 5am for years. Too many excuses after work and Im usually beat!
  • mrsloganlife
    mrsloganlife Posts: 158 Member
    It has taken a few months but now I am working out at 6:30 am every morning and have found it works easier! Yes it is still a climb some days to get there, but I am awake after, and I feel better looking at my stats and seeing all the activity I'm done. Plus by the end of the day I am tired and more likely to talk myself out of going to the gym.
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