Studies Say: Work Out Whenever You Want
Millions of workout studies flood the internet. You probably spend more time reading about workout statistics than actually working out.
Should you work out in the morning before breakfast and allow yourself to make healthier choices throughout the day? Should you work out in the evening and improve your sleep cycle?
Instead of weighing out the pros and cons of working out in the morning vs. working out at night, we say fuck it and work out whenever works for you.
Working out in the morning may help you stick to a routine or boost your metabolism, according to some sources. Working out in the evening may ensure that you’re at your most flexible and highest energy level, according to other sources.
Basically, unless you’re a professional athlete, or have more time than the rest of us and are hitting the gym twice a day, pick your preference. The fact that you are making it to the gym at all is fucking rad and we give you kudos, and believe it or not there are actually added benefits to working out in the morning and working out at night (we’re sure there’s benefits to working out in the afternoon too, it just doesn’t make for as good of a headline).
If you’re not a morning person, forcing yourself to wake up at 7 a.m. to get a run in before work is going to make you despise exercise. If you love going to happy hour after work, trying to work out in the evening is going to severely kill your social schedule. Every body works differently, and your schedule changes too. Maybe you loved working out after lunchtime in college, but once you head to the corporate world and are sitting in a desk chair from 9 to 5, you prefer sweating off the day’s wear in the evening.
Just like there is not a one size fits all approach to dieting, there is not a one size fits all time to exercise. Studies aren’t lying, and facts are facts, but does working out at night vs. the morning mean that your workout doesn’t count? Fuck no. You’re still going to be burning calories, breaking a sweat, and feeling way better about yourself afterwards. Don’t let exercise-shamers, online listicles, or that lady at Soul Cycle tell you otherwise: you know your body better than anyone does.
We recommend trying both to see what works for you. If you’re good at keeping a routine no matter what time, try working out in the morning some days, and in the evenings on the other days. That way, you get both benefits from working out early and working out later. If you’re not the best at sticking with your gym resolutions, find out which time of day works for you and stick to it. Although some articles have attributed morning workouts to establishing a better routine, other studies say that as long as you work out at the same time everyday, you should be good to go.
While everyone else is busy reading up on the ideal time to work out, you’re going to get off of your ass and just go get your exercise on.
