Should I Workout In The Morning Or Evening?

Finding a perfectly consistent workout schedule has been a struggle for me. I mostly workout in the afternoon, but then I’ll have a random week where I wake up early every day and squeeze a workout in before work. I’m not going to lie, becoming a morning workout person is really difficult in the beginning, but once you stick through a week of exhaustion, you feel more energized and accomplished. Now that the season has changed and it will soon start to get darker earlier in the evening, I have vowed to myself to try to become a morning person (key word – try). The best way to find out which time is best for you is by trying to workout in the morning for two weeks and then switching to evenings to see which time you are performing the best at the gym. Below I’ve listed a few pros and cons to consider:

Morning Workout

Pro

1. Cross it off the list
   • The biggest benefit of working out in the morning is the fact that you get it over with first thing. You don’t have to stress about it the rest of the day, thinking about when you’ll have time to schedule it in. Things might pop up during the day like having to stay late for a meeting or dealing with dreadful traffic, that might deter you from wanting to workout in the evening.

1. So. Much. Energy.
   • If you’ve ever worked out in the morning, then you’re familiar with the incredible buzz of energy that follows when you’re done. You feel more confident, accomplished, awake, and overall in a better state of mind (thank you endorphins)! Also, working out in the morning greatly improves your quality of sleep at night.

1. Beating traffic and crowds
   • You know that cliché about the early bird getting the worm? Yeah, well it could not be more true in this case. Most gyms are typically empty in the mornings (and cleaner!), meaning less time sitting around while someone else uses the machine that you want. Plus, who doesn’t like some peace and quiet when they are getting their sweat on?

Cons

1. You feel like it’s REALLY hard to have a good workout
   • Don’t fret – this is totally normal! Working out in the morning feels more draining because your muscles and joints are stiff (this is why you MUST warm up first). If you get in the routine of waking up the same time everyday, it will get drastically easier.

Evening Workout

Pros

1. Your body is more flexible
   • Your body naturally becomes warmer throughout the day, meaning that your muscles won’t be as stiff when it’s time to workout (you should still include a warm up). This is beneficial in regards to preventing injury.

1. More time and endurance
   • Many people are expected to be in the office very early (or leave early to avoid traffic), which can cut gym time and stretching. Evening workouts gives you more flexibility to exercise at your own pace, whether it is for twenty minutes or two hours. Also, I personally find it easier to lift heavier weights in the evening compared to the morning.

Cons

1. Bye bye, social life!
   • If you work out in the evening you are less likely to have time to hang out with friends, catch a movie, or have a date night. This might be a good thing for those who are trying to avoid dining out or drinking margaritas during happy hour, but life is all about balance.

Final thoughts – as long as you are working out consistently, that’s all that matters. I recommend morning workouts, but as you can see there are benefits to both!

What time do you typically workout? Let me know in the comments below.