Morning or Evening Workouts? Which is better?

By Coach Shawn

There’s conflicting opinions and research on when the optimal time to workout is. 

Morning workouts can boost your metabolism (ability to burn fat) and give you energy the rest of your day.

While evening workouts you may have more energy during your work out. Performing and sleeping better. 

Let’s take a look at some Pros of each.

And not necessarily cons but awareness to have about morning and evening workouts also.

Morning Workouts: Pros

  • Testosterone and other muscle-building hormones are higher earlier during the day. Wake up with your hormones and you’ll have a faster path to stronger muscles.
  • Morning workouts may prevent cravings
  • According to research, it will lower your blood pressure, and improve your sleep.
  • Morning exercisers tend to be more consistent
  • Fat is your primary energy source in the morning as you’ve been fasting while you’ve been asleep all night, so when you work out, you’re targeting fat more directly.
  • Compliance. Hitting the gym early can ensure you get your workout and self time in. No distractions and obligations popping up to distract or pull you away, canceling your time for yourself. 
  • Great way to start your day – sense of accomplishment

Morning Workout AWARENESS:

  • When you wake up, your body is more stiff, your muscles haven’t been used. Making it more important to get blood flow, loosen up your muscles to decrease the chance of injury. (Don’t risk being late!) 
  • You may not feel your strongest or ability to go to peak levels. It’s possible you’re going to be energy deficient. In the morning, you have lower energy stores that might hold you back from an intense workout or optimal strength potential.
  • Requires discipline. It may be dark out. You may be extra sleepy. Your inner voice may attempt to try to keep you comfortable and snooze and skip your morning workout.

Evening Workouts: Pros

  • They help you unwind and de stress or release stress from your day.
  • You can work out harder and for longer.
  • You can build more muscle. 
  • You’ll sleep more deeply. For a while, there was a body of studies that said strength building at night has been shown to encourage deeper sleep.
  • You’re naturally more flexible and looser later in the day.
  • Can aid in replacing less than ideal habits – binge tv watching, drinking etc.
  • Great way to end your day – sense of accomplishment.

Evening Workouts: AWARENESS

  • They can be easily skipped or missed.  Something comes up, you’ve got a to-do list in the afternoons and who can blame you if you skip the workout to grab your kid from practice?
  • It can be easy to lose motivation throughout the day and the most powerful influencer on your workout schedule is you! 

If you don’t stay motivated all day, accept that and try to go for mornings.

So which is better?

​​Here’s the truth: 

The one you will commit to.  

In order to succeed, you need to set yourself up for success. 

If success doesn’t naturally happen in the early mornings for you, accept that and sleep in and hit the afternoon. 

Schedule it as one of your top 3 priorities of the day and don’t skip or talk yourself out of it.

Morning is better for you and your day?

Schedule it.

Ensure you set your habits up like a consistent wind down routine the night before, getting to bed earlier, waking earlier. 

Regardless, 

pick the time of day when you know you will commit to consistently. 

Ready to add fitness to your morning or evening routine to dramatically improve the quality of your life?

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