Chances are you are either a morning person or you hate morning people. Well maybe not hate…but you are slightly annoyed by them. Does it matter whether you work out in the morning or evening? Is one better or worse? That is the question I often get asked so I thought I would address it.
Many people think that getting up early and working out is always better, than working out at night, but they do not have time or cannot/will not wake up early enough. The good news is there are benefits to both and the most important thing is that you do exercise at some point in the day. For you early risers, you get your workout done and over with and have a boost in energy and metabolism throughout the day from due to your increased heart rate. Studies also show that morning exercisers tend to be more consistent and therefor more fit. The down side is that you really have to plan your nutrition starting from the night before and stay on track so you are not late or running behind for your day.
For you evening people, it may be your only option. Or maybe you hate mornings, either way, consistency is the main thing. The good news for night people, is that your testosterone is higher between 2-6pm so your energy levels are naturally higher. You are also more flexible and protein synthesis is higher in the evenings which can mean a more intense workout. This is why most track and field world records are set in the evening. The challenge is to not blow off a workout because you had a rough day or you are tired. It is easy to talk yourself out of a workout once you sit down and relax. You also have to plan your nutrition throughout the day to make sure you are fueled properly.
Regardless of which category you fall under, it may take some tricks to guarantee you work out consistently. For morning people, have everything ready to go the night before. Planning is key for the morning to go smoothly. Evening people, use that stress from the day to fuel your workout, and go straight to the gym or run from the office so you don’t have time to talk yourself out of it. And for both, give yourself a reward. I know for me, I get “Me Time” to watch Netflix during my indoor workouts, which is my motivation to get up at 5am!