Struggling to work out with your busy schedule? Find out whether it's better for you to workout early in the morning or later in the afternoon
We all know we should work out regularly, but with our busy schedules, it can be hard. When exercise is tough, it is easy to find excuses to not work out. After a long day at work or lectures and seminars, all you want to do is relax and spend time with family and friends. We get it! However, regular exercise can make you feel amazing and more energised. But what time of day is best for us to exercise?
Because of our busy schedules, most people can only work out either before or after work. Is it best to wake up early and get it completed before work, or delay going home after work by heading to the gym? Both have many benefits that could help you to get the maximum out of your sessions. Our booking system allows you to book your gym sessions on the day and other activities up to 7 days in advance, which is great as no matter what time you book, you are more likely to stick to your routine and is also great as you can plan out your day. We have come up with the pros and cons of both working out in the morning and working out in the afternoon/evening to help determine when is the best time to train for you.
Working out in the morning (before work)
Get your workout done
There can be many benefits to working out in the morning. By getting up and out of bed you are setting yourself up for a great day. It can be really easy to turn the alarm off and go back to bed for an hour, so staying committed and beasting out a session will make you feel great. This is because you are getting your workout over and done with for the day. You will start your day with good endorphins from completing your workout and it will also make you feel great knowing that you have been productive when most people will have only just woken up. By getting your workout complete first thing also means that as soon as you have finished work you can go home and relax. If work or life is stressful sometimes it can be hard to then motivate yourself to train after work. However, if you do so in the morning, you have already smashed it. It is said that people who train in the morning are more likely to be consistent with their workouts as they have fewer excuses to not train. Whereas those who train later on in that day have time to think of excuses and other things can take priority.
You may burn more fat
Some people like to complete fasted cardio, in which you train on an empty stomach. Therefore if you are getting up early and heading to the gym, it is easier to complete fasted cardio if this is your preference. It is said that completing exercise before eating may help you burn more fat. This is because your body is using the fat in your body as fuel, rather than using your food consumed as fuel. Although you may burn more fat whilst exercising, with regards to burning more fat overall it is unlikely that there will be much difference between if you complete your exercise fasted or not.
You can boost your mood
When you exercise happy hormones called endorphins are released into your body. Although this occurs no matter what time of day you train, working out in the morning can really help boost your mood. You may also feel more alert and ready for the day ahead as you have had plenty of time to wake up.
You may improve your sleep cycle
Waking up early and exercising may also help you with your sleep pattern. It is important to understand that if you are waking up earlier to train, you should go to sleep earlier so that you are still getting enough sleep to feel energised for your early morning session. This can be hard at first as your energy levels can be low when you wake up. If you are not getting in enough hours of sleep, not only can the session be extremely hard but you may not enjoy it as much. However, by regularly waking up and going to sleep at the same time your body will start to get into a routine, which does get easier over time.
The downsides to training in the morning
It can take longer to warm up
It is important to make sure that you are fully warm before working out. This may mean that you may have to wake up just that little bit earlier to make sure you have time to get yourself warm and complete your workout. It is important to warm up longer as when you first wake up your core body temperature is low and your heart rate is often slower. If you go straight in with an intense session without making sure you are fully warm you are more prone to injury. Therefore, you want to prepare your body for training and by warming up properly you can help to avoid this.
You may be rushed for time
Another negative is that if you train before work you may be on a time limit. This is because most people will have work afterwards, or other commitments such as taking the children to school etc. Therefore you want to make sure you wake up early enough to warm up, train, cool down, get ready and then travel to your destination. Some days you may find that you might not have enough time to complete all of this. It is really important to not cut down the warm-up and cool down, so as a result you may find that you are cutting your session down or else you may be late or are rushing to work/ other priorities.
You may be low in energy
If you are completing your morning workout fasted this may mean that you may suffer from low energy occasionally. This is because your body could be low on fuel and you may find that you start to get hungry halfway through your session. If this is the case, it may be hard to complete intense sessions. To help avoid feeling really low try having a larger dinner if you plan to complete your workout in a fasted state, or even eating a little snack such as a banana before your workout to help boost and avoid those hunger pains.
Ravelin Sports Centre opens at 6.30am so check out our early-morning activities to get your workout finished before work
Training in the afternoon or evening (during lunch or after work)
Great stress reliever
If you have had a stressful day sometimes there is nothing better than heading to the gym and lifting some heavy weights or completing a box-fit class. By doing so you can help de-stress and help you forget about everyday worries. Exercise is great to take your mind off things, therefore you may find it useful to unwind from work. The endorphins that are released in your body will also help you to feel great.
You may have more energy
You are either an early bird or a night owl. For some, the thought of waking up early and completing a workout may feel impossible. This may simply be because you are just not a morning person, therefore working out in the late afternoon/ evening may help you feel more energised because you had more sleep and you didn't have to get up super early to train. You may find as the day progresses that you can function better, therefore if this is the case working out in the afternoon/evening may be for you.
Quicker reactions
It is said that your reaction time is at its quickest in the afternoon and evening. This may mean that if your workout consists of HIIT (High intensity interval training) then you may prefer to complete this later on in the day rather than in the morning. By completing later on in the day you may find that you can get more out of your session, making the most of the time you have to train effectively.
Your body is warmer
As the day develops your core temperature also becomes warmer. This is because it is likely that you have been productive whilst at work/ or during the day. Again this could be another advantage, as because your body is most warm it is best prepared for working out. Although it is still essential to complete a warm-up, you may not have to warm up for as long and because you are warm you are less likely to injure yourself during activity.
No time limit
Unless you have plans in the evening, it means you do not have a time limit to complete your workout therefore you can take your time, within your booked time slot. This may not be the case for those who train in the afternoon, as you may have to head back to work. But for those who train in the evening, it means that you do not need to rush. This is also great for those who have bad habits such as smoking, drinking or even watching too many soaps in the evening. By heading to the gym and taking your time you may find that you don’t have time for the bad habits you pick up as exercise replaces these.
The downsides to working out in the afternoon/ evening
It can be harder to fall asleep
One negative to working out late in the evening is that some people find that a really intense session (which at the time can make you feel great) actually makes it harder to fall asleep later. If this is the case then it may be ideal if you are training late to complete exercises that may help you fall asleep such as yoga or gentler exercises that can help you relax and unwind. This isn’t the same for everyone, as some people may complete a really intense workout and feel tired from exhaustion.
You may be too tired
Although working out can help some de-stress after a hectic day. Sometimes, it can be hard to push through, this is because after a long day, you may be too tired to complete a workout. Although it’s important to listen to our bodies, if you are finding that you often feel too tired and end up going home before working out or don't feel energised to complete, then maybe changing your workout schedule to the morning could be a good idea. A short session in the morning may help you wake up and not feel guilty about heading home after work as you have already completed your session for the day.
Busier gym?
One thing that may help you decide when is best for you to train is how busy the gym is. Generally, the gym is always more quiet in the morning and busier in the evenings. Although you may not have to rush a workout by completing it in the evening, you may find that you can't complete as much as you had hoped as you were waiting for pieces of equipment to be available during your booked time slot.
The verdict
The truth is there is no right or wrong time to train because both training in the morning or evening has advantages. These 5 tips can help you make your own decision:
1. Consider the time you usually get up:
Are you always tired when you get up or likewise tired in the evenings? Go for the time you feel most energised.
2. Plan your week out:
Pick the ideal time and book something in your calendar or with our booking system, you can successfully plan your day or week ahead. You can book your gym sessions in the morning to plan your day and our swim sessions and classes are bookable up to 7 days ahead. You know you have 50 minutes to smash out a session so it is best to book when you feel most energised so you can make the most out of your time in the gym.
3. Any workout is better than the one you don't do:
Be realistic and factor in the possibility for disruptions. Sunny days, drinks with friends any of them can affect you. Try one of our virtual classes or jump on a skill bike and pick a short workout to still get yourself moving and have time for drinks on the common.
4. Build in active travel and save your warm-up time
Walk, cycle or run to Ravelin Sports Centre to save yourself time with your warm-up. Blood will be pumping and a few warm-up sets down and you're good to go.
5. Plan your workouts:
Planning your workouts and knowing alternative moves can help you ensure when you do get in the gym you can find the right machine - or use your alternative to still get the most out of your workout. We are a busy facility and particularly if you're opting for an evening workout having alternative exercises will be key for getting an optimised workout.
Now, although we may have a preference and a set time that we like to work out, it is still important to be flexible and adaptable. Sometimes, the time that you wish to work out may be fully booked, therefore you may have to book another time slot for your workout or book a different fitness class. Although the gym or classes being full may be disappointing we're always on hand to offer alternative exercises for you. If you don’t feel like working out later or your schedule changes, just don’t forget to cancel your session in our UOP Sport app to allow someone else to attend instead of you.