Morning v. Evening Workouts

           The answer for what time you work out is inevitably going to be up to you to decide depending on your situation and there are pros and cons for both scenarios. For my schedule, evening workouts are just easier for me.

            I think the problem that a lot of people do not understand about small town life is that the town that I live in has very few amenities. Adair, Oklahoma has a population of about 800 people. Sure, there is the school, some convenience stores, and we just got a Dollar General a few years ago (woo, uptown living!) but my home town is pretty small. So you have to go into “town” to get real services – say grocery shopping at Walmart. So while I live in Adair, I commute to Vinita which is approximately 24 minutes door to door. But I get to go 65 almost the whole way and I never ever have to fight traffic. Getting from one side of Tulsa to the other would probably take as long for most people to commute during rush hour. So I love my small town life.

            Thankfully, the Wellness Center where I work out is less than a mile from my office. So it doesn’t make fiscal sense to run back home after a workout. Now, I have worked out in the morning on days where I know the evening is going to be crunched for time. I do admit that I enjoy them. I can work out on an empty stomach, which means my body is eating fat stores for fuel. But then I cannot eat my standard three eggs and sausage prepared at my house. It means I have to buy breakfast which I hate.

            I can shower at the gym but my body feels like a furnace after a workout so even with a cool shower, I am still sweating into my work clothes. That I do not like. It means I have to pack a long a towel, work clothes, toiletries, and such. That just does not for a fun day make.

           If I want to do a protein shake after, I would have to haul my blender to the office or buy one to keep there. What am I? Rockefeller over here?

           There is always that looming specter waiting with his Grim Reaper-style scythe. Of course, I am talking about the clock.     Whenever I work out in the mornings, I always feel like I am looking at the clock saying, “Okay, if I stop now, I still have time to shower and can make it to work on time.” I just don’t like that feeling.

            Now, I will say this. Some days are rougher than others. That phone won’t stop ringing. The stresses of the job can wear you down. And by the time 5:00 rolls around, you just want to go home. By working out in the morning, you don’t give opportunity for excuses to derail a workout. And if you are worried about being tired and sore after a workout, I find it is the exact opposite. I feel like working out before work gives me more energy throughout the day. 

            Eventually, I would love to get to the point where I am doing both morning and afternoon workouts but, point blank, I like sleep too much. I know The Rock is up at 4:30 in the morning for his cardio… and that is probably one of the reasons I don’t look like him.

            So you have to weigh the advantages for yourself. Me personally? I am sticking with afternoons after I get off work. You have to inevitably decide what is best for you.