Do you exercise before or after work?

[andIdidntliketheending]

YABU - in the morning, before work
YANBU - in the evening, after work

I am trying to work out when I would have the most success at committing to a plan!

I’m having flashbacks to about eight years ago when for about 14 consecutive days I got up dead early (house was FREEZING!) and I did the 30 day shred before work. Couldn’t happen now though. Did a Joe Wicks HIIT YouTube thing once in lockdown with DH and thanks to the burpees my knee was sore and dodgy for about a week.

Yabu I like to get it out the way

Evenings for me.
Pre-Covid and WFH this was because I get a super sweaty face which takes ages to calm down, so makes doing hair and make up for the day tricky!

Now WFH and sticking to evenings as it means I avoid the temptation to work too late, and helps me switch from “work” to “home” mode

I’m an evening person. I know people who get up early to exercise, but I can’t face it, even though I’m sure I’d feel good afterwards. I prefer early evening- in fact, it’s 5:30 pm here and I’m about to do it!

Working from home in current situation means I can go at lunch time, at the weekend I go first thing, when working in the office, after work! Anytime suits me!

@Doingitaloneandproud

I can't vote but morning for me, alarm goes off at 4:15, head to the gym then back ready for work. can't train at night, the motivation isn't there lol

Sometimes I’ve just got off to sleep at 4.15! What time do you go to bed to be up so early?

Used to cycle to work and back, or run in. Rest of my exercise is at the weekend.

After work.....but in the morning (I work nights)

Wfh so after work. I exercise in my old commuting time all online (les mills) so just transform my 'office' into a gym (I roll up the rug!) and voila! It's a really good way of rinsing off the day and starting my non work home time.

Since lockdown I’ve established that my ideal is late morning. Get up and work, chuck kit on, bog off for a run, come back and grab some lunch, hit the desk again. I’m not naturally a morning person and after work my motivation is gone.

The problem with mornings are that when we're going through the season change and it's dark and cold in the morning, I have about two weeks where I can't muster the energy. Couldn't even make it to the home gym this morning after a 20 minute snooze.

@BananaLlamaConCalma

I use an alarm clock that mimics the sunrise for the dark mornings, makes it much easier to get up. I have an older version of this one (bought it in 2016 and it's still going):
www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Wake-Up-Coloured-Simulation-Function/dp/B008LR3KD8?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

There are other ones on amazon from about £30.

Also thinking of getting a SAD light to set up in front of my exercise bike in the morning, hate the dark mornings!

Depends what type of person you are.
I am a lark, so always exercise in the morning. It gives me a fresh start to the day and a good burst of adrenalin to shake off night time sleepiness.
I am not great in the evenings, by 7pm I am in slouchy clothes drinking peppermint tea. looking forward to bedtime.

Get up and do an hours turbo 7.30 am then weights. Habit now like cleaning teeth. Watch something on iPad so don’t mind it. Don’t eat until my early lunchtime just tea and coffee. Lost 2 stone last year doing this and it’s staying off...

It takes me ages to get to sleep if I exercise on an evening. I get up early and have a run first thing. It's a rush, getting back and showering then getting everyone ready for the day but my run sets me up for the day

After, pretty much as soon as I get in from work, otherwise I'll sit down and never get round to it

I can't exercise in the morning, my body hates it. 8 also start work at 7am. No way I could wake up at 4.30 am.

I have no problem exercising after work and have been doing it for over 20 years.

After work. I get up early enough as it is! I wouldn't have time to shower either, unless I got back from the gym at 6.45ish. After work is so much nicer and more convenient. Finish work, get changed, workout and have the rest of the evening free. Seems to cap off the working day.

I'd love to do mornings, but I'm too sluggish if I try before breakfast, and I don't have time to eat, let it digest and then exercise before work. I'm WFH for the time being, so just before dinner is working well for now.

I get tired after doing exercise so I much prefer to go after work, then home to shower, dinner and pjs. Also is good if you have a lot of stress from work that you can get out at the gym or whatever afterwards. I always run best when I'm frustrated from work

Evening.

1. I'm not an early person
2. Running makes me need to go the toilet so an early run isn't helpful because that stuff hasn't happened yet

I'm much better in the evenings and it gives me something to look forward to to burn off work stress

Mornings after school drop off and before i start work (unless I’m seeing my weightlifting coach, in which case evening). I couldn’t do the ‘up at 5am’ thing but i do prefer to get it out of the way by lunchtime!

Morning. I'm about to go out for a run now and it's still dark (I'm in New York). I'd never do it afterward with dinner to make.

Both. Fast walking with my neighbour in the morning before work and yoga after work. (not both every day!)

@FluffySlippers01
How do you find working out just before breaking your fast? I fast as well but always find I have to break it and then workout but I would love to get to a point where I can do it before!

I actually train better fasted, I feel lighter, less sluggish and lethargic on an empty stomach. Also fasted training is great for fat burning. Initially, my workouts felt a lot harder than before, but quite quickly my body adapted and my muscles learned to use less glycogen and burn fat for fuel instead. I recommend it! Just go slow at first. I wouldn’t endorse doing fasted training if you have a low carb diet though, I eat ‘good’ carbs once I’m done training for the day. Not in high quantities but I know I would feel like death doing fasted training on a low carb diet! And if I'm doing something that requires stamina, I will always have something carby before, in the main though, I do HIIT, rocket yoga and heavy weights and I seem to be absolutely fine doing those fasted.