The Best Time of Day to Exercise

Hi my loves. I heard your requests and decided to start with a question I flip-flopped on for years until I learned one KEY thing that is true for pretty much anything (But you have to keep reading to figure it out J).

Carl is the first lucky winner of operation Facebook Questions!

His Question: “What works for us, working out before or after work?”

First of all, if y’all don’t know Carl, he’s a badass life, Instagram and fitness enthusiast with a sweet sleeve tattoo.

Second of all, I have a few thoughts on the timing of workouts.

Physiologically, your metabolism increases after you work out, so starting your day with a kickass workout will spike that metabolism and get you burning some calories right off the bat. (Just make sure you replenish with some yummy, nutritious breakfast)

Physiologically, it’s an awesome way to start your day. You’ve accomplished so much before the sun rises, and now you’re ready to attack the day. It helps me keep my intentions in mind throughout the day since I already filled my self-love tank a bit with a workout in the morning; it helps me stay true to my health goals for the rest of the day.

The same physiological benefits are true for after work. You theoretically have plenty of healthy fuel to get you through a great workout and increase your metabolism before enjoying dinner. Psychologically, you can de-stress and reflect via a cathartic boxing class, throwing around some heavy weights, hitting the pavement alone or enjoying wonderful yoga practice.

Personally, I do both right now. I am following Amanda Bisk’s workout guide. She explains that your metabolism increases after exercise, so why not increase it twice a day? It’s two twenty-minute workouts a day, either circuits or a walk/jog/run. She also has good mindfulness exercises and yoga in there each week. I’m a fan.

BONUS: I have yet to go to a gym to do her workouts. (ASay, I do them in my living room at The Park!)

I’ve read plenty of articles that say “successful” people workout in the morning, NO EXCEPTIONS. I say poop to that. Do what feels right for you. If you want to make that a habit, figure out a way to hold yourself accountable, remember why you are doing it, what’s the end game? Jot down how you feel afterwards to keep yourself from hitting that snooze button the next morning.

If you’re just NOT a morning person, but maybe have trouble getting your ass in gear after work because you’re tired, hungry, hangry, pissed at the world due to interaction with coworkers, try some mindfulness exercises before you leave the office, on the metro, or at home before you leave for your run or the gym. Connect with the larger vision of your health. Why is exercise important to you?

Try scheduling classes that you have to go to right after work. Find an accountability partner; maybe that’s your conscious cause you’re spending money on a class or a friend you’re meeting at the gym.

In other words, Carl and everyone else who has made it this far, I am not an exercise physiology expert, nor do I know if working out in the morning makes you more successful. What I know FOR SURE is this: Doing what feels good, right, true and out of love for YOU will create the most rewarding and sustainable results both internally and externally.

Share your workout routine in the comments below. Let us know what works for you. Sharing might help or inspire someone else, so don’t be shy 🙂

Oodles of love,

MB