What's the best time to work out?

What is the optimal time for exercise? Is it before the sun comes up? Is it during your lunch break? Maybe after dinner and before bed (burn off that extra helping of potatoes)? It's a question asked by many and leads to excuses from many more. The answer, to the surprise of more than a few is simple: ANYTIME THAT WORKS FOR YOU!






Some people perform better when they first wake up...or use exercise to wake them up. Maybe they're morning people or due to hectic schedules the early morning is the only time they can commit to exercise. Whatever the reason, for people who work 'normal' day jobs or have small children at home, early morning workouts may be the best option.






Are you doomed if you can't / don't want to work out in the morning? Absolutely not! Plenty of people exercise after work or even after the kids go to bed. Some use their lunch break (walking with co-workers...utilizing the company fitness area...etc.) to get their daily sweat session in. Your body doesn't really care WHEN you exercise, it's just thankful when you DO!






Some things to think about when you're determining the best exercise time for you:


*What time of day do you feel your best? (This may be the time you are most willing to make the commitment.)


*What time do you feel your 'crash' (maybe right before this time is a good time to exercise & give yourself that natural energy boost)?


*What time works best with your schedule? Do you have time in the afternoon?


*When do you have friends / family that can exercise with you? You're more likely to stick with it with a support system in place.


*Do you have a hard time sleeping shortly after exercise? If so, you won't want to do anything high intensity in the few hours before bedtime.






Whatever time works for you - schedule it and stick with it! And if you need help in creating a workable plan, let me know!