It’s in the timing…

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “When is the BEST time to work out?”  My answer is always a very trite one – “The best time to work out is the time that you will do it!”

I know an avid runner who gets up every morning at like 4:30 AM to run!  I wish I could do that – get up, start the day right, and have exercise done before I’ve even really started my day.  But I am NOT a morning person.  People that ARE morning people say that you can train yourself to be one.

I call bullshit on that.  If I tried to be a morning exerciser – well, I’d never exercise.  It just wouldn’t happen.  Not only would I not get my ass out of bed, but I don’t like to exercise before my body has had some time to warm up.

On the other hand, I also know a guy who keeps an elliptical in his bedroom (he’s single in case you were wondering LOL) and he does a hard workout while watching tv at night.  Then he takes a very quick cool shower and goes to bed.  According to him “I sleep like a baby!”

Yesterday was a weird day and time got away from us.  I found myself exercising much later than we normally do – although not right before bed.  As I sat there and tried to relax later, I was totally hyped up and anxious – it was like I had pounded a ton of caffeine!  And then when we went to bed, I was tossing and turning – I couldn’t get my body to calm down.  So I’m not sure that night exercise would work for me either!

So you have to find what works for you, personally.  I like to come home, relax for like 30 minutes, check my e-mail and then workout.  Would that work for you?  Maybe not.  If you have kids that have activities, and/or you have to cook dinner and help with homework – that time might not work. 

Are you a pretty functional morning person?  Can you get up a little earlier and get your workout out of the way?  How about walking or running on a treadmill while watching tv at night?  

What works for you might take some experimentation.  But it is ultimately what works for you.

There is some evidence that working out in the morning before eating helps burn fat a little more than later in the day.  But in reality, that difference is so small, that for the average person, you won’t notice a bit of difference.  Any time you are working out and burning calories – it is a good thing physically and mentally.

Have you found a time that works for you?