[BrunetteChic_2000]

What time of day works best for you when it comes to exercise? How many days a week do you work out? Indoor? Outdoors? How long? How different is your work out now from when you first started?
I know that is a lot of questions, but I would LOVE the feed back!
Thanks!!

[ginbay]

Ideally, I love to exercise in the morning after plenty of sleep. Reality, however, is different. I workout when I can, usually in the afternoon, after work. I used to be able to do this around five days a week. Life is different now (divorced, single mom) so I fit it in when I can. I mainly go to the gym these days and I like to be there for an hour. A couple of years ago I ran a marathon and did 75% of my training outside. A goal of mine is to get back to where I was. I have not been exersising for more than one day a week for the past year, so my fitness journey is just beginning... again.

[northernbelle]

The best time to exercise is when you can. I prefer mid-morning after breakfast. But then, I only work seasonally.

I go to a gym, and over time, my workouts have become more efficient. I brought the time down from around 2 hours to 1 and a quarter hours.

When I am not working, I go 5 days/week.

[I Heart Diet Coke]

I read somewhere that you body is actually designed for 4 in the evening to be your peak time to workout. I have no idea why 4pm thats just what I read. But OBVIOUSLY any time is better than none. I usually work out in the evening after work while I'm watching tv. I also like to watch a show that has women that motivate me haha for instance last night I walked on the treadmill and watched the Academy Awards. I'll tell ya nothing will motivate you more than a room full of skinny actresses in ball gowns

[almostheaven]

My schedule has changed many times. I used to work 40 hours and would hit the gym right after work for an hour. Then I'd go out for a run or bike ride on Saturdays and sometimes even again on Sundays. Then I signed up for night classes 2 to 3 nights a week. On those days, I'd go out for a walk or run on my lunch hour and would get up early to get in 15 minutes of situps and weights then do another 15 minutes of maybe some yoga before bed. Then I was pregnant and out of work. At first I was running about 6 days a week until it got too hard, then I went to Curves about 5 days a week and tried to hit the pool a day or two in addition to that. After the baby, I got out to the park with him the jogger during the summer months and ran a couple miles and walked a lot as much as I could when good weather held. On days I couldn't get out, I did WATP videos at home...generally anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. I always try to do at least 30 minutes 5 days a week, but prefer to get closer to 60. I break up my exercise during the winter. I spent 20 minutes on the stair stepper earlier, and I'm going to be doing my weights with a step for another 15 or 20 shortly. Sometimes I do the stepper, then do a 30 minute WATP later, or log some time with my body ball. I just break up my segments, and being home in the winter, I don't have a schedule. I kinda work around the baby's schedule. Some days he's pretty clingy and I gotta wait for naps in order to do anything. LOL

[mandalinn82]

The best time to exercise is the time of day you will actually do it!

I work out with my partner at around 6:30 every day, after she gets off work. I pick her up or meet her directly at the gym. On weekends, its whenever it will fit. Sometimes since I work at home I work an extra strength training session into my lunch break. I do cardio 6x per week, strength train 2-3x per week.

[samanthaf63]

I do my Body Flex workout sometime in the morning - obviously before lunch since it has to be done on an empty stomach.

I do my pilates, yogilates, and yoga workouts (alternating) in the evening, usually before dinner but not always.

[Obsidianbbw]

When I started I tried for 1 mile (WATP, about 15 min a mile) 3 days a week. I added weights and built up to 5 miles plus weight (which is almost 2 hours working out). That was just a little much for me, so I do a higher intensity work out and add in weights and trying keep it to hour-hour and a half. I aim for 5 -6 days a week, I have some deep family thing about resting on Sunday. I usually end up with 3-4 days.

I started out exercising after work, but would find myself missing days if I worked late or ended up doing something else after work. Now I do it first thing in the morning and I love it. I can feel the difference on the days I don't work out.

[LisaMarie71]

Originally Posted by mandalinn82

The best time to exercise is the time of day you will actually do it!

Amen to that!

I love the idea of working out in the morning, but it just doesn't work with my schedule. I'm a teacher, so I "officially" get out of work at 3:30. Depending on what kind of after-school responsibilities I have and what my workload looks like (it's usually pretty enormous), I get to the gym at varying times between 4:00 and 7:00. If I can get outside in time to run before it gets dark, I do that some days. Other days, I do the treadmill inside the gym or I do the elliptical. Sometimes I mix it up with cardio DVDs and videos I have at home. I don't have a set schedule for these things, but I do like to make sure I run at least 3 or 4 times a week and take just one day off from cardio. I didn't always do strength training, but I'm doing it now, two or three times a week. One or two of those times, I do it by going to a bodysculpting class at the gym. I also do a yoga DVD with my husband every Sunday. And I'm addicted to ALL of it!

[AquaWarlock]

On weekdays I do most of mine in the evening following work (usually after a short nap, so I have more energy). Weekends I usually get them done before noon, though I always try to squeeze in extras throughout that day whenever possible.

[YP1]

I prefer working out in the morning so I can get it done as soon as I get up and not have to worry about distractions later in the day. But I also run in the evenings with my running club, because that's when they meet. It's scheduled into my routine now, even though it's not my preferred time to run.

I try to do most of my running outside, with my other workouts in the gym.

[Ilene]

I think the concensus on this is to workout when you can! Isn't it? And that's what I do... I usually workout in the morning, but if life gets in the way I workout in the afternoon... I don't usually workout at night after supper unless it's to swim, other than swimming, other workouts keep me awake. I go to the gym 4x/wk, I run outside 3x/wk, I swim 2x/wk.... When Spring comes around I'll be going out biking a few times/week probably everyday if I can, specially because I will have a new bike , DH and I just bought some bikes for our 50th birthdays this year ....

Do what works for you BrunetteChic, it's better to workout at any time of day than not at all.... I also just read this morning on the Health Challenge site that 3pm is the ideal time to workout because of hormones, I'll see if I can find that article and post it...

[Ilene]

From Discovery Health

8. Exercising in the afternoon is the best time to exercise in order to lose weight.
The correct answer is true.
At about 3 p.m. some of your hormone levels peak, making this an optimal time period for weight loss. Also, the late afternoon is a good time to achieve high performance. At this time, flexibility, strength, endurance, and the ability to handle pain are at their highest. Working out at this time may also improve your sleep patterns. Just a half-hour of exercise will help you go to sleep faster and more soundly. However, try to leave at least two hours between your workout and your bedtime. Exercise right before bed can keep you awake and start a damaging cycle of exhaustion.

Depending on your needs and goals, the morning can also be a good time for exercise. It can have an energizing effect by increasing your heartbeat and your alertness. Another plus-air pollution levels are typically at their daily low in the morning. Note however, that you should take extra time to warm up muscles and stretch in order to prevent injury.

In the end, though, the best time to exercise is the time that is most conducive to you sticking with an exercise schedule. Ultimately, being active is more important than the time of day.

[MariaMaria]

What's that old saying? The best is the enemy of the good enough?

Work out when you can. When the time of day of your workout starts to hurt your chances of making the Olympic team or setting the world record, _then_ start worrying about whether some other time of day would be more effective.

[Ilene]

Originally Posted by MariaMaria

When the time of day of your workout starts to hurt your chances of making the Olympic team or setting the world record, _then_ start worrying about whether some other time of day would be more effective.

That's what I totally believe!! For the average joe like us, anytime is a good time ....