Anyone workout at night after work?

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foster59803
foster59803 Posts: 439 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work a typical job 8:00 - 5:00, get to the gym around 5:30... workout anywhere between 30 min and 90 min. Get home, make dinner, feed the kids blah, blah blah. But the issue is this... I don't want to eat back my exercise calories at 8:00 or 9:00 pm. I typically have a pretty decent breakfast, I eat a salad with some kind of protein for lunch and leave myself around 500-600 cal. for dinner. I always plan on going to the gym, but sometimes I can't make it, so I don't want to eat extra calories during the day and not make it to the gym. Sometimes I can only squeeze in 30 min of cardio at the end of the day... but other times I go to a class etc. So, basically my question is this... what do you all do? Do you eat back your exercise calories at night? There are some nights after I enter my exercise into MFP I have 1000 Cal left. There is no way I can eat a 1000 cal. dinner! (well I can, but I don't want to!) Is that bad?
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Replies

  • mandakins79
    mandakins79 Posts: 20
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    I'm the same... I work 8-5 and go to the gym after work. I try to plan out my meals in advance kind of with an idea of how many calories dinner will cost me. However, I don't tend to eat back my exercise calories. Most of the time, anyway. I don't like to eat after dinner. If you feel like you should eat back your calories, then maybe you could plan bigger snacks/meals during the day so you don't have to eat them that late at night. I can understand about the not knowing if you are going to the gym or how long you will be there - I have a child myself. Sometimes I plan on getting in an hour, and am feeling horribly guilty for leaving him home alone or not feeding him first that I cut my gym time short. Which is why I base my calories on what I'm allotted and don't plan on eating the ones earned from exercising back. But I've read a lot about people eating them vs. not eating them. I guess it's to each his own.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
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    Not sure what effect this would have - but how about having a post workout snack (something with lots of protein) and eating the rest the day after? I would have thought it would even out over the week.

    Would be interested to know what others who know more think.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    When you eat doesn't really matter. Although eating big at night tends to leave me hungry in the morning.

    I'd recommend eating back at least some of those calories via a protein shake. Not filling but filling enough. Use fruit to add fiber and taste. The protein will help you meet your recovery especially if you haven't meet the protein goals. I've found that not enough really makes the recovery time longer.
  • TaraMPatel
    TaraMPatel Posts: 7
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    I have found that not only do I resent eating back the calories but I am never actually all that hungry after a good workout! But my diet is all over the place so I dont worry about making up the calories later in the week!
  • washingtonirving81
    washingtonirving81 Posts: 3
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    I myself try to eat some of my exercise calories back. I'm in the same boat too where I workout after work around 5:30 to 6pm. I've just been eating later at night and haven't really had any problems but everyone is different. I found that when I don't eat back at least some of my exercise cals I am insanely hungry the next morning.
  • sammybey
    sammybey Posts: 72 Member
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    I workout usually 4.30-5.30 or 5-6pm. I eat back my exercise calories through a protein smoothie directly afterwards. I wait about 1-2 hours before I eat dinner then (7-8pm usually). It's been working for me and eating dinner later means I have less "dessert" cravings.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    i workout from 8:30 to 10:00 pm (closing time). I usually take a shake after. Not specifically for hunger but to make sure I have the protein and BCAAS
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I work a typical job 8:00 - 5:00, get to the gym around 5:30... workout anywhere between 30 min and 90 min. Get home, make dinner, feed the kids blah, blah blah. But the issue is this... I don't want to eat back my exercise calories at 8:00 or 9:00 pm. I typically have a pretty decent breakfast, I eat a salad with some kind of protein for lunch and leave myself around 500-600 cal. for dinner. I always plan on going to the gym, but sometimes I can't make it, so I don't want to eat extra calories during the day and not make it to the gym. Sometimes I can only squeeze in 30 min of cardio at the end of the day... but other times I go to a class etc. So, basically my question is this... what do you all do? Do you eat back your exercise calories at night? There are some nights after I enter my exercise into MFP I have 1000 Cal left. There is no way I can eat a 1000 cal. dinner! (well I can, but I don't want to!) Is that bad?

    It really doesn't matter when you eat your calories. i have roughly the same schedule as you and eat about 75% of all my cals from 6:30pm onwards
  • Tkhk0514
    Tkhk0514 Posts: 100 Member
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    I too work out after work but i do go home first and eat and then go to the gym. I usually dont eat anything real heavy or a huge meal before hand.

    Sometimes when I come home I will have some protein (handful of almonds, spooful of peanut butter, protein shake)

    it is hard to leave after you get home but I have a husband that helps push me and on days he feels lazy I push him, so it all works.

    Could you try eating a later lunch at work or perhaps eating before you leave work and make lunch your biggest meal of the day?
  • Miss_Chievous_wechange
    Miss_Chievous_wechange Posts: 1,230 Member
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    Yes, I workout after work everyday during the week.
  • igora_soma
    igora_soma Posts: 486
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    I also workout later in the evening. I would recommend eating nuts or a protein shake.
  • Setof2Keys
    Setof2Keys Posts: 681 Member
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    Man...trying to be a hot Mom SUCKS!!!! I have to work out after a long days work, long commute (makes me sleepy) and after dinner and dishes are done, but before baths and ironing and all that other jazz..Then I can't sleep so I clean up and use melatonin, which I don't suggest for everyone.I eat first and it forces me to exeercise or I will be over and I am fighting this so hard I refuse to go over. Good luck!!
  • CommandaPanda
    CommandaPanda Posts: 451 Member
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    I work 9 - 6, I do my workouts before work (the gym is less than 2 minutes drive). My workouts usually take around 2 hours or so. Maybe you could wake up earlier one morning and get your workout in before you go work?
    I also shower at the gym too and get ready from there. But I don't have to invest much time in preparation for work nor am I a woman, so I guess my input doesn't really count for much anyways under the circumstances.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,052 Member
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    I get to the gym after work... I make sure to get a snack and a pre-workout protein shake so that after my workout I can eat a reasonable dinner and come in close to my daily calories.

    If you are not going to make the gym, leave out your pre-workout shake and snack and you are good to go.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    I work a typical job 8:00 - 5:00, get to the gym around 5:30... workout anywhere between 30 min and 90 min. Get home, make dinner, feed the kids blah, blah blah. But the issue is this... I don't want to eat back my exercise calories at 8:00 or 9:00 pm. I typically have a pretty decent breakfast, I eat a salad with some kind of protein for lunch and leave myself around 500-600 cal. for dinner. I always plan on going to the gym, but sometimes I can't make it, so I don't want to eat extra calories during the day and not make it to the gym. Sometimes I can only squeeze in 30 min of cardio at the end of the day... but other times I go to a class etc. So, basically my question is this... what do you all do? Do you eat back your exercise calories at night? There are some nights after I enter my exercise into MFP I have 1000 Cal left. There is no way I can eat a 1000 cal. dinner! (well I can, but I don't want to!) Is that bad?

    It really doesn't matter when you eat your calories. i have roughly the same schedule as you and eat about 75% of all my cals from 6:30pm onwards


    ^^ Yep this! Your body needs those calories and it doesn't matter when you consume them. I don't finish working out in the evening till 8 or 8:30 which puts my dinner at 9 or 9:30. It has never hindered my fitness goals one bit. Eat!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    yes and yes. ate dinner around 10pm last night. and then milk and cookies around 11:45pm :)
  • jedinight32
    jedinight32 Posts: 39
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    I work 8:30-4:30 and I always work out after 5:30. I have tried to get up earlier to do a short workout but my attempts have failed. I know it is laziness and knowing that I have time to do it after work, but I have a feeling that in the future I will probably have to change things (especially when I start having kids). I try and have a snack before going to yoga or whatever workout I am doing that day and I will have a protein shake after a run to recover. I try and save most of my calories for dinner since I am not that hungry in the morning (make a small breakfast). As far as eating back calories I sometimes eat only a little back depending on the workout I did that day (like a run or Ripped in 30 where I am doing a lot).
  • Dee81184
    Dee81184 Posts: 7 Member
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    Have you tried packing a bigger lunch and eating it later during the day? I work till 5 some days during the week, so sometimes I will push my lunch back and eat at about 2 or 3, and then I will go to the gym after work about 6. After the gym I will have a protein shake and then some sort of snack, which is usually like fruit and yogurt and Im usually good to go until morning. Everyone is different though, so it all depends on the person, and also what time your bedtime is. If your up a little later, make yourself a salad before bed or something as well.
  • JennBona
    JennBona Posts: 255 Member
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    I always workout after work and I tend to try to eat some of my exercise calories back...so either a larger supper ( I never eat supper before working out...tried it and didnt work out very well) or a healthy snack at night and I agree on it doesnt matter what time you eat your calories Ive had success going this route anyways ...good luck:)
  • foster59803
    foster59803 Posts: 439 Member
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    Thanks for the input. I like the idea of a protein shake or something similar. The problem is, I eat dinner after the gym (normally 7:30 or 8:00) And this is where I consume the majority of my calories (because of my work schedule mostly) ... so I am full! I feel like I am force feeding myself, eating a big dinner then adding on another 400 calories on top of that. Maybe I will try to squeeze in a protein shake before I head to the gym.


    FYI: Can't work out in the morning. My husband leaves for work at 6:30 am and someone has to get the kids ready for school :)

    Thanks again for the advice!

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