NationStates Jolt Archive

Hey everyone.

When is the best time to work out, because of my schedule I find it hard but doable to work out at the same time every day.Basically I have 3 options and the advantages and drawbacks to each, let me know which one you think is the best.

Work out in the morning everyday.
Adv: Its the only way to burn calories not from food, speeds up metabolism for the rest of the day
Dis: May have to work out less on some days than others, heard if you dont eat breakfast before it burns muscle first. May increase appetite which would make it counterproductive. Higher risk of Injury

Work Out At night everyday.
Adv: Burns what is not used during the day, a good relaxation tool, and because you burn the least cals while asleep this method helps minimize the amoutn of cals when you go to bed
Dis: Air is not as good as in th morning, would have to schedule it 3 hours after dinner and 2 hours before bed (as working out at night has been known to disrupt sleeping patterns), May already be exhausted by the days work by the time I work out.

Alternate Morning and night everyday
Adv: It gives me the best of both worlds, and it allows me to work out possibly for an extra 15 minutes- half hour a day because of my schedule
Dis: Rhythm and routine are very improtant when working out, and this throws both out

Work out both morning and night (Cardio in the morning, Strength at night)
Adv: Allows when to work twice a day which would speed up my metabolism twice, Cardio in the morning allows me to burn carbs while strength at night decrease my chances for injury
Dis: Have to go to the gym twice a day, and would take up too much time by showering twice a day as well.

As you can see all 4 have advantages and disadvantages making this a difficult decision, please offer your advice.. Thank you

I do my cardio in the mornings 3 times a week due to necessity, and my toning in the evenings. I have no idea if that's the "best way", but it's the only time I can exercise, so I figure exercising is better than not.

i work out at night if its during the week, but during the weekend, if i manage to get to the gym, its usually in the late afternoon.

i try to exercise at least 3-4 times a week, but im not really too picky as to what time of the day it is. if i were you, i would work out in the morning, because it really jump-starts your metabolism, and it will wake u up for the rest of the day.

The best time for running is in the morning before breakfast, though after work before dinner is OK too, so long as you actually fit that exercise in. Don't run on a full stomach, that's key.

Workouts other than running are probably best done in the evening, as you'll need the energy from the day's previous meals to do a decent job and get results, especially if you're weight training.

I work out in the morning way before I even think of having breakfast, and I haven't had any problems yet with burning muscle insted of calories. I remember back before I started working out in the early mornings I seemed to get less out of it. I find that I'm much more lethargic, and it's harder to excersize in the afternoon or evening.

This is coming from someone who is trying to become an officer of Marines.

I dont really have a pattern to my workouts, but that is all changing this week because school starts again tomorrow!! :D... :(

I find though that if i have a walk or jog in the morning before breakfast, then come back and shower/bathe, then go through the day and do weights in the evening/night you get benefits pretty quick, that is the schedule i am going towards this time round.

Weights in the morning are well dangerous, you do burn any energy you have then fatty tissues and muscle at the same time!! it is best to do weights after a meal, but do some exercise before the meal, e.g. some situps this allows your metabolism time to get into overdrive this then lets you get the most out of your exercise.

GOOD LUCK!

If you have the time and energy to do so, I would suggest working out in the morning, but save weight training for after a meal.

When I was in school, I ran in the mornings, swam and occasionnally did weights in the afternoons. These days I work out after I get home from work, before eating dinner. It's too hard to drag myself out of bed early enough in the morning to go running. I do weights after dinner, usually after doing Pilates mat work.

It's my understanding that it's best to work out in the morning to jump start your day.

But that's not always possible.

So I have to go with what a trainer told me. Work out, doesn't matter when, just do it. It's better to work out at a bad time then to not work out at all.