What time of day do you workout - and which is best?

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hbunting86
hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi

Just curious to find out what time of day folk on here workout, and which is better in terms of burning calories/building muscle... or does it matter?

H :)

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I don't think it matters in terms of calorie burn.muscle building. The best time is what works for you & allows you to get your workouts in on a regular basis.

    For me, it's first thing in the morning, which means getting up before the rest of the family and getting it done.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    M-f i work out twice a day : a lunch and in the evening.. saturdays i go when i wake up in the morning and workout fasted.
    i think timing only makes a difference if you're training at elite levels. other wise for most of us it's just down to preferences.

    the best time is whatever time you're most likely to do it consistently
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
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    :-) that's good to know! I only ask because I used to only workout in the evenings after I'd finished work.

    Now I workout first thing in the morning, just after breakfast before I go to the office - I've found this to be doubly productive: it gets me out of bed in the morning and into something physical, but also my work has greatly improved as I've burned off excess energy in the morning and so can concentrate on my research for the rest of the day. If I don't do this, I find I fidget and don't have much of a concentration span!

    H :-)
  • builtforlife
    builtforlife Posts: 259
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    Ive been working out at 4 or 5p.m. but am gonna switch to the morning. Or at least before noon.
  • trinashomestore
    trinashomestore Posts: 1
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    My weight loss Dr says your metabolism is at it's peak in the morning. He says a 20 minute morning work out is about the same as a 2hour work out in the evening. Plus it's been proven that will power is stronger in the morning.

    Hope that helps...
  • peasgarden
    peasgarden Posts: 148 Member
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    I love to workout first thing on the morning but during this healthy journey i've learned to not determine a specific time for exercise. If i'm commited to myself, i excersice when its posible any time of the day. :) But definetly i prefer excersicing in the morning its like my energy jumpstart and it motivates me more to make healthy eating choices through the day.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    My weight loss Dr says your metabolism is at it's peak in the morning. He says a 20 minute morning work out is about the same as a 2hour work out in the evening. Plus it's been proven that will power is stronger in the morning.

    Hope that helps...

    No offense but that can't possibly be correct. It may be true that you are more productive in the morning and many can work out "better" in the morning, but no way is your morning 20-minute workout the same as my nighttime 2-hour workout. Let's wear a HRM and see who burns more calories, K?

    ETA: Sorry, that came out sounding super b!tchy. I'm a little tipsy and was just trying to make a point :ohwell:
  • chefswife1975
    chefswife1975 Posts: 75 Member
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    I WISH I had time in the morning to work out, but it never happens for me. I live really close to Hollywood, CA so the only gym, of the ones I belong to, that doesn't make me pay for parking and is in decent shape is halfway between work and home and I hate getting primped for work anywhere but home because of lugging all the beauty supplies with me. When I'm doing really well, go 3 times a week after work and get a hike or some other physical activity in over the weekend.
  • 3ofmine
    3ofmine Posts: 136 Member
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    From a night owl when I first started all this I did it every night after the kids were in bed and my hubby had gotten off to work(he works nights). I am a night owl and often stay up pretty late. A little while into it I woke up at 5am and couldn't go back to sleep so I went ahead and got up and figured I'll workout since I'm wide awake and I've been hooked ever since. I get up around 530am and do my videos/gazelle(I rotate) and then later in the day I go to a local walking trail with my kids that is a little over 2miles round trip and walk it. I find getting up and working out in the mornings gives me engery for the rest of the day..(I always thought people were crazy to say they had energy after they worked out but I get it now TOTALLY). I am not as sleepy and lazy it makes me want to do everything I need to get done instead of waking up late and dragging all day...(which also made me DREAD the workout after I was already exhausted from the day still having to workout. I went from being a TOTAL night owl(morning HATER) to getting up at 530am everyday and loving it! But I would guess as long as we get it in it doesn't matter when.

    Angel
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    Early afternoon, though I sometimes do minor weight workouts at 11pm. I could never do anything before 10am
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I generally do a 20 minute workout on my lunch break and a 45 minute workout after dinner. I think it's more important to find what time of day works for you and that you'll stick to rather than fitting your day around the "best" workout time. Of course, maybe I'm just saying that because I hate getting up in the mornings :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    and how exactly did they PROVE will power exists let alone what time of day it's strongest?
  • jenbridges
    jenbridges Posts: 213 Member
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    i have to work out in the morning. if i do it later than noon, i am up ALL night!
  • sailyogi
    sailyogi Posts: 16 Member
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    First thing in the morning so I cannot talk myself out of it in the afternoon. It took putting my alarm across the hall a few times to get me used to getting up but know I'm used to it. And I look forward to it. Best part of my day.
  • Destanie_Robyn
    Destanie_Robyn Posts: 304 Member
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    It depends on what type of exercise you're doing... If you are doing cardio and building/training for endurance it is best to work out when you're glycogen depleted (so running first thing in the morning before breakfast might work best) if you are building muscle, then workout about an hour after you eat.. so perhaps an evening workout regiment is better.
  • mzfiyaa
    mzfiyaa Posts: 94 Member
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    Honestly hun it depends on ur body....me personally my metabolism worksva lot faster when i work out in the mornin....it slows down at night....thats me

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