Just wondering if the greater number of people exercise before or after work. I'm starting a new job in a few weeks, and will be putting in ~10-hour days along with a ~2-hour commute. Trying to figure out what is more realistic and practical, before or after. Your opinions?
Also - if you exercise after work, what do you eat beforehand in order to not run out of juice before dinner?
Sometimes, I work out after work. I usually eat something with protien about 45 minutes before my workout and then I eat dinner right after.
On some days, I work out on my lunch break. I also eat protien 45 minutes before and then lunch right after.
I don't work as many hours as you do, so I usually have plenty of energy to get through a workout after my 8 hour work day. I am concerned for you though because I'm not sure if I would be able to make it through such an intense workout after a 12 hour work/commute day.
I use my lunch hour to work out, and I usually take my lunch hour from 11-12. If I can't make it then, I go after work. I just can't get up early enough to go before work, but if I wait until the end of the day, I come up with all kinds of excuses not to go to the gym. If I were a morning person, I'd go before work, just to get it over with. Re: food, I hate feeling full while I work out, so I really don't eat during the hour before my workout.
I can't work out in the morning, it just doesn't work for me. I end up having a poor workout feeling weak and tired and then my entire day is shot.
I work out when I get home from work. Typically 5:30 or so. I have no problem eating a good lunch and then not eating anything else until after my workout.
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Karen -- Not going in circles anymore!
I go after work to a gym on the campus where I work. I get off at 5pm and I'm in the gym from 5:15-6:30 generally. I have lunch around 12 or 1 and a snack at 4pm. PWO shake when I get home and dinner at 8pm.
I go in the morning, it gets it out of the way and make me more awake after. Plus, I feel so tired and drained after work and I'd have too many excuses to procrastinate. The bonus is that the gym is sooooooooooooo empty in the morning compared to the evening.
I usually work out after work. I like to have a zone bar as a later afternoon / pre-workout snack. As soon as I get home, I have a shake, then have dinner about an hour later.
I typically do all of my workouts, both swimming and weight training, in the morning during the week (6 am). Sometimes I'll use the gym at work to sneak in a lunch session in lieu of getting up early. I usually work out in the morning on the weekends as well but sometimes it's mid-day.
I have Fibro and arthritis and am stiff and sore in the mornings so afternoon workouts after lunch works great for me. I usually have a protein shake and timing works out great for my midafternoon snack-helps so I won't overeat at dinner.
I go to the gym after work at 5:00ish. Very occasionally, I'll go with a friend during lunch time, eating my lunch after we get back.
I have my afternoon snack between 2:30 and 4:00, depending on when I get hungry. I can't work out well if I'm hungry, it just makes me want to rush home and have dinner, so I might have a small second snack if I'm hungry at workout time. After I work out, I have my shake (some times double protein if I'm behind for the day), take a shower, then make and eat dinner. The shake prevents me from getting hungry, so I'm able to go until 9:00 some nights before I'm starving for dinner.
I too work crazy hours (6 months out of the year). I work 12 hour days M-TH, F 9 hour days and Sat- Sun 8 hour days (everyday with an hour commute). At the end of the day I am way too tired to even think. I go the gym around 5 am Wednesdays and Fridays, and Sundays I go to the gym at 6 or 7 AM. I find it easier to get my workouts done in the morning. Just make sure you get your sleep!!
I attempt to do mine as soon as I get home after 5pm, but if I'm too hungry, I'll just make dinner and then work out about 30 minutes later. It doesn't bother me at all to work out after eating, and oftentimes I have more energy because I've just eaten.
I'm just not motivated at all in the mornings and always have too much stuff to do just to get out the door anyway.
For myself I workout first thing in the morning. I find it's great my time. It's too early to do house work. The kids and husband are sleeping. No phone calls to interupt. If I wait until after work it's crowded at the gym and seems something comes up to change my plans. This way, I feel energized and complete like I can take on the day because I already accomplished something good. The gym opens at 5 and I get home by 7. It sets the pace for the day. I wasn't always a morning person. It took me like almost two months to adjust. I have a cup of black coffee while I getting ready. I bring at least 4 water bottles to the gym. That way I'm sure to get most of my water in for the day right off. I have breakfast around 9 a.m.
I've been keeping this routine for over two years. I got to weight watchers and I done NROLFW twice. I just finished stage one for yet another round. I lost 93 lbs and need to lose 8 more to reach my goal. I hope you find a routine that's good for you.
On weekdays I work out from about 8:30 to 9:30. I usually only have a glass of OJ and coffee and sometimes a few nuts or the rest of my shake (what doesn't fit in the bottle) if I'm feeling hungry. On weekends it can be anywhere from 8am to late afternoon.
I work out in the morning, usually on an empty stomach, but sometimes if I'm hungry, I'll eat a larabar or something like that. I'm really NOT a morning person, but it's the only way I can ensure that nothing will suddenly pop up during the day and derail my plans. Plus, on the rare occasions when I over sleep (or decide to sleep in) I still have the option of working out out at lunch time or in the evening.
Having the luxury of working out around noon most days, so it's neither of these options.
Sometimes it's around 5-6 pm but that isn't as optimal as 11-12 am or 12-1pm
I workout early in the morning. The gym is empty or nearly so, so I don't have worry about equipment. Plus, after working out, I'm awake and energized the rest of the day. I usually don't eat beforehand, but sometimes I'll have a banana if I feel I need a little extra boost. When I get back, I have my PWO yogurt+protein powder and my regular oatmeal for breakfast.
I work out Wed + Fri at 7.30pm, after work and before dinner. I usually have protein at 5.30pm then something carb-y (1/2 PB&J) at 6.30pm. Then I get home about 9-9.30pm for PP and dinner.
Sundays I work out late morning, middle of the day. Carb and protein for breakfast then PP and lunch when I get back.
I work out before dinner and usually have a 6 oz. container of Greek yogurt with some fruit. My brain says my stomach needs to feel content if I want to bring the intensity to my workouts. The last thing I'm thinking about while working out is any desire for food.
On Monday-Thursday I'm at work/commuting from 6:15am-5:15pm, so I go to the gym right after work. I either eat dinner right after that, or have some protein and have dinner an hour or two later. I find, and studies show that, the 5:30-6:30pm block is when my body has the most energy, is the warmest, and I can workout long and hard.
Oh and when I was doing mostly HIIT/cardio/circuits I would have a banana as I was leaving work - 45 minute commute. Kept me full during my workout, but not sick! Those carbs were good for cardio, now that I'm lifting I've been having a cheese stick with the fruit to get some protein. (I do have the cheese stick a bit earlier sometimes, as it takes longer to digest)
Friday I only work half days and Saturday is always free so I workout just whenever I feel like it those days Sunday is busy so I almost always have rest day.
I'm most definitely a morning person, whether work or play. I've worked it out with my boss to take my "lunch" hour in the morning...usually 7:30 a.m... and then work straight through the rest of the day.
This works for me in terms of going straight from home to the gym (which is at my worksite) and not getting caught up in the daily chaos that can sidetrack my workout. If I do happen to miss my morning routine, I shoot for a lunch-hour run. The gym is too crowded mid-day to make a worthwhile effort.
If I'm feeling particularly ambitious (or fat), I'll take a nice, long (4 miles) walk when I get home. Helps me to unwind, and gives the family time to do the chores that shoulda been done before I got home.
It depends on my schedule... I usually work at 7 and I can't bring myself to get up that early. So, I go after work... but there is no skipping out on the workout for me... I take my munchins to the "Kids Club", and if I didn't go and made them miss out on a chance to do their thing... they would have my neck. Yay kiddos!
I usually get off at four, and have my last little break at 3. At the gym by 5, so I have a LaraBar or something like that on my last break... then a protein shake immediately afterward.
I fit my workouts in whenever I can. I am not a morning person, and I get up at 6 anyway just to get myself and two kids ready for work and school. I could not get up early enough to go to the gym before that. Tuesday I have off, so I always go after dropping kids at school, about 830. That's my one no-miss day (unless I have to work for some reason; occasionally I do to fill in for someone; then I hate missing my workout.)
My other no-miss day is Sunday morning (800), or Saturday same time if I have to work Sunday.
My third lifting day is hit or miss; I try to get Thursday, but it is after work, and sometimes I just can't face it if work was really busy and long. Don't really like lifting at 6pm; too crowded, but I will if I have to.
In general, I have not noticed a difference in energy between morning and evening workouts. A lot depends on what I ate the day before, what I did that day, etc.
How do you lunchtime lifters do it? I have an hour lunch break, and I could never get to the gym, lift, and shower and get back to work! My stage 3 workouts take me an hour and a half by themselves!
How do you lunchtime lifters do it? I have an hour lunch break, and I could never get to the gym, lift, and shower and get back to work! My stage 3 workouts take me an hour and a half by themselves!
My gym is across the street from my office, so I don't lose much time going between them.
Usually, if I need 90 min, I just go for the whole 90 min. I have some flexibility with my work hours and can stay later or show up earlier to accommodate spending the extra 30 min at the gym. (My job is demanding, but as long as I get my tasks done, it is less important what hours of the day I get them done in, typically). On non-lifting days, I spend very little time at the gym, which sort of makes up for it. I know this is not very realistic for some jobs, and if you have kids you can't just stay at work later.
If I'm really pressed for time, I do only the exercises that use equipment I don't have at home-- stuff requiring oly bar, cable machine, bench. So sometimes I do HIIT, core work, BW matrix, etc. after work.
Occassionally, I do go after work, or go on a weekend.
Time saver for me: I plan the weight I intend to lift before going to the gym, so I don't have to think, "well, what did I do last time? Should I go up? etc."
Time saver for me: I plan the weight I intend to lift before going to the gym, so I don't have to think, "well, what did I do last time? Should I go up? etc."
Yes; I do that. I print my log sheet out the night before and look at the prior same workout. Then I put the last weight used in the new log as a note, so I can know where to start. If I think I should start higher, I put an up arrow next to the number.
Poll: Do you exercise in AM or PM?
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