Tag: training

Supplements 101

Posted on by alwayshungrypt
Supplements are products designed to aid performance, primarily seen in the fitness world and rampant with false information and promises. They are products that promote enhancing different abilities by boosting different internal systems of the body to give you an edge and nearly all of it is done without any scientific research.
 
In the US it is an unregulated industry and of all the types of products in these stores, there’s really only 3 supplements that have been scientifically researched and proven to be beneficial and provide a boost to training performance.
 
Creatine 

 

is a muscle preserving and building supplement that helps maintain lean muscle mass.
 
Caffeine works as a stimulant to boost energy and focus.
 
Protein aids in muscular recovery and provides the fuel to grow strong and healthy.
 
No one needs to take supplements (unless advised by a physician), but if you decided to try and find an edge in your training, start and end here.
 
*I personally do take these 2 supplements pictured, but do not endorse that anyone should take them unless they want to of their own volition*

Training While Travelling

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

The world is finally opening up and reports of increased travel is hitting record numbers.  It’s finally time to stretch our legs and get back to seeing our friends, family, and the world!

But before you go getting too excited, you remember that you’re in the middle of a great training and nutrition plan that is helping you reach your fitness and wellness goals like never before thanks to your awesome trainer (or maybe you’re looking to start – head here: https://www.alwayshungrypt.com/client-application).  You’ll have two courses of action to take and neither is incorrect, but you can probably guess which I’d recommend!

  1. Put everything on pause, go balls out and enjoy life to the fullest without a care in the world; come back home and regret those decisions when you start working out again and think, “Fuck.”
  2. Or make plans to continue progressing or maintaining while also enjoying your time away and getting the most out of both your vacation/away time and keeping yourself on track and accountable.

As you can guess, this is the story of Training and Travel: A Story of Co-Existence.  But as I mentioned, if you’re in the camp that follows option A, do not fret or feel guilty.  As long as you understand the choice you’re making and accept what’s happening, then there’s no need to feel guilty.  This is YOUR life to live as you see fit and if you want to throw middle fingers up for a few days then come home and get back to rocking out, then go for it!  But if you’re worried about losing momentum or sliding backwards, there are a few easy to implement ways of continuing to train even while on the road!

First and foremost, like you’ve already been doing, you’ll want to make a plan.  When you’re home, you take a look at your calendar and schedule your training time each day.  There shouldn’t be any change when you travel.  Typically you, or someone in your group, will make plans for the trip and have a general outline of WHEN things will be happening.  As part of a healthy boundary for yourself, you can take a few moments to look at the itinerary of the group, and compare to your own calendar and make plans ahead of time for when you’ll get a little workout in and can plan your alarms accordingly.

Inviting the others to join can be a great way to add a group social aspect to the activity and let them know you’re serious and help you re-enforce your boundaries when the time comes and you head out to do your thing.

With this planning, take a look to try and plan your stay places with fitness centers or with commercial training locations nearby.  Most commercial spots will have daily guest pass options available even if you’re not a member, so you can still head in, wherever you are, and get a good workout in on the go.  Try giving a quick call to check on their policy to make sure, or just guilt them into letting you in when you arrive out of the blue.

Or if you don’t feel like traditional lifting or workouts, and where you’re going has the weather to accommodate, plan outdoor activities or fun things to do that will get you or the group active – walks/hikes, going for a run, biking around the city (not those dumb electric scooters…), etc that can combine a great workout with a fun time for you and the group.

Pack your workout clothes first.  Don’t let yourself skimp out on taking it with you.  Like food in the house, if it’s there, you’re more likely to use it.

Worst case scenario, a quick workout of Squats, Push Ups, and Crunches 3 times through of as many as you can do in 1 minute (each) can be a great way to start your days and get the body moving.

Now that your training has been taken care of, enjoy your vacation and time away.

But as a reminder, it shouldn’t drag you away from fun and relaxation but should be a way to stay on track with your goals or at the very least maintain your current fitness levels.

Until next time – safe and happy travels!

Busting Muscle Building Myths

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

A lot of people enter the gym because they want to get toned or build muscle but have a few misconceptions on what it’s going to take to achieve those goals.  With the internet at our finger tips and literally limitless information, it’s hard sometimes to decipher through the muck to find the real gems of truth.

As someone who thought many of these lies in my earlier days of training, rest assured, I have gone through my own scientific method of trial and observation to confirm the truths that mirror these myths.

Quickly, you may be thinking, “I just want to get toned, this doesn’t apply to me.” To which I’d like to say hold your horses!  Not included on this list, but as it probably ranks above the others, I’d like to address the myth that “building muscles will make me bulky” once and for all.

Put simply, the “tone” you’re looking for is the visible presence of a muscle. 

If you want to see the muscle, you must have muscle.

Yes everyone has muscle, but if you want to see it better, you have to combine lower body fat and increase size of the muscle.  The bigger the muscle + the less fat = the more tone you will see.

The muscle tone that 99% of the world is after can be found simply by following a progressively more difficult training program coupled with proper nutrition to fuel their body without additional calories.

Lifting weights won’t make you bulky unless you’re taking additional supplements that are most likely illegal (steroids), so stop being afraid of getting strong and start lifting those weights.  You get tone by getting strong, you get strong by lifting weights (resistance training).   

Now that that’s out of the way and you’re ready to dive into building muscle to showcase a strong, toned, lean, sexy physique, let’s dive in and start busting muscle building myths!

 

Myth: Variety is the spice of life. Each workout should be completely different.

Truth: Boring breeds results.  It’s often though that, like everything else in our life, we need variety and change every time we enter the gym.  The workout has to be different.  Different exercises; different reps/sets; different rest; different is good! But then how to do you know you’re ACTUALLY getting bigger or better?  If you create a workout program that has you bouncing all over the place each week, how can you tangibly track that you’re continually progressing? 

As I said at the outset, boring is good.

If you want to build muscles, get toned, or see progress in any manner, the best answer is to find a routine that is simple and repeatable.  Repeating the same workout at least for a period of 4-6 weeks will allow you to progress and get bigger and stronger.

 

Myth: Don’t miss the anabolic window – you MUST eat within 30 mins of training!

Truth: When weight training, you are creating microtears in your muscles during the strenuous activity.  We know food helps fuel the body and protein is the best source of food to help rebuild your muscles.  The misconception lies in the thought that you have to refeed your muscles within 30 minutes of training to ensure that your body doesn’t go into catabolism, which is a state of breaking down the muscle.  The truth is that it would only start to breakdown if you went an overly prolonged period without refuel or decided to start training the same muscle area before giving it a full chance to recover.  It is recommended that you eat (a protein rich meal) within 1-3 hours of your training session, and you’ll be perfectly fine.  So don’t feel the need to pound an extra protein shake immediately unless you don’t think you’ll be able to eat a regular meal within a reasonable time frame.

Myth: Train 7 days a week for 2 hrs at a time – NO CARDIO; ALL WEIGHTS! #NoDaysOff

Truth: Your body needs rest.  Rest is when recovery happens.  If you recall from earlier in the post, during a resistance training session, you create microtears in the muscle as you exercise.  During the days you’re resting, that is when your body works at recovering and re-building – bigger and stronger – muscles to get ready for the next training session.

You can still train 5-6 days per week, but if you’re doing so, each training session should be more highly specialized to a specific muscle group with at least 1-2 days of rest before targeting that same body part again.  Training other areas will be fine as the muscles you are resting won’t be used under strenuous loads.

Also, you don’t need to spend your entire life at the gym.  Being efficient, intense, and consistent with workouts anywhere from 30-60 minutes can be enough and even more beneficial than marathon training sessions.  Keep the intensity up; keep the workout plan simple; and just get it done!

 

Myth: You must buy the latest stack of supplements to ensure proper growth!

Truth: Just straight up false.  Supplements are designed to aid whatever it is you’re doing.  Most of them are pointless and the supplement industry in the USA is unregulated, so the amounts and contents of whatever they put in those bottles is very questionable – some of it can be extremely harmful.  If you’re focused on proper hydration; whole foods and high protein nutrition; getting adequate sleep and stress management; then you should be all set to reap the rewards of your training sessions.  If for some reason you feel you NEED supplements to help you reach your goals, I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the only supplements with proven results are: Caffeine, Creatine, Protein, and Multi-Vitamins.  They are not necessary but:
Caffeine can help provide energy and focus

Creatine aids in building muscle and is safe for men and women.  We naturally produce it, but additional supplementation does not have negative side effects and is recommended regardless of training programming.

Protein as mentioned before aids in the recovery and rebuilding of muscle as well as playing an important role in many other areas of the body.

Multi-vitamins can help provide the vitamins we may lack in foods to keep us healthy.

 

All in all, following a consistent and progressive training program; eating regularly scheduled meals after training; resting properly; and understanding supplements are fine, but largely unnecessary can help you not only get toned and build muscle, but are great building blocks for nearly any fitness goal or journey you may be embarking on.

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If you’ve been knocking these out but still having trouble reaching your muscle building or toning goals, then we need to talk!  Head over and fill out my quick questionnaire and let’s discuss how my online training program is going to get you built and toned like never before!

https://www.alwayshungrypt.com/client-application/

Effects of Genetics on Building Muscle

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

Recently one of my clients forwarded me a post by Dr. John Jaquish discussing the disadvantage people have in achieving their ideal muscular physique because of a genetic predisposition to shorter vs longer muscle bellies and tendons – leading my client to ask, “If I’m genetically destined to NOT reach my ideal physique, why even bother trying to build muscle?”

Post/Article: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=328419851980595&set=a.272880977534483

I will immediately throw out the information that I am NOT a doctor or an expert in any way, shape, or form unlike Dr. John Jaquish who has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a lot more other credentials and experience I do not have.

That said, the effects of genetics on building muscle is the same as genetics in anything – everyone is different because our genetic codes are different.  No two people are exactly the same, therefore no two people are going to get the same results.

But that doesn’t mean that if you have “less than ideal” genetics that you won’t still be able to build muscle.

In his overall argument, Dr. Jaquish essentially compares the everyday person trying to build muscle to that of professional athletes.  In his defense, yes, your genetics will play a part in your ability to build the muscle, strength, size, and other abilities/skills needed to play the sport at a professional level that these people do.  Take Michael Phelps for instance – the guy is 6’5” with wide shoulder tapered to a small waist down his long torso with shorter legs but has giant arms, hands, and feet making him the ideal swimmer, and is what led him to winning every gold medal at every Olympics in history (slight hyperbole).

In his article/post, he goes on to discuss that people who have shorter muscle heads and shorter tendons that insert the muscle to the bone are more likely to build muscle better than those with longer muscle heads and longer tendons because they have to work harder to produce the same effort.

This is true to an extent, as smaller muscles have to work harder to do the same things that larger muscles do.  Think of a runner.  A shorter, stockier person is not going to be able to run as far, or as quickly as someone taller and slender without having to exert much more effort.

In an effort to convince you that his book about using HIS bands instead of weight lifting and calling out the comparison to athletes – who by nature are genetically gifted + work their asses off – he basically says its impossible to create your ideal body unless you won the genetic lottery. 

THAT is where I have a problem.

One thing I love about fitness and about our world all together is that everyone is different.  No two people have the same identical body and make up.  Sure you may be identical twins, but that doesn’t mean you both physically have to look identical.  One of you could enjoy running and build yourself into a more slender build person while the other picks up weight lifting and does it continually for 15-20 years building into a monster.  Sure you’re DNA is the same and your faces are identical, but the path you take and the work you put in for your desired outcome will result in completely different bodies.

What I’m getting at is that the genetic disadvantage that Dr. Jaquish is discussing, from my opinion, microscopically impacts how you build muscle.

Will it be harder?  Possibly.

But can you reach your ideal body? Yes.

What matters most is the effort you put in, the frequency at which you dedicate to doing it, how you rest and fuel your body, and remembering that the body you are building is not going to look like anyone else.

Effort – You can’t half ass your way to your best body.  You have to dedicate to showing up every day.  Bodybuilders and strength athletes (or athletes of any kind) will tell you that the results you get are a direct correlation to the effort you put in.  You can’t phone in your workouts, regardless of how you feel.  You have to show up consistently and buy in for the long haul.  Building muscle properly is not a “get rich quick” scheme, but a long-term investment.

Frequency – though 2 days per week of resistance training is good for the body, ideally you want to shoot for 3-4 days in the gym.  Focusing on 3-5 compound movements plus 2-4 isolated movements that hit all the muscles of the body in a week. 

Programming – As mentioned you’ll be in the gym regularly and targeting every muscle group each week.  Your program should progressively get more difficult as you get stronger/bigger.  The main focus of your program will be hitting 3-4 sets of each exercise with a rep range of 8-15.  You should be getting close to failure on each set (but not necessarily HITTING failure).  The two most overlooked, but important aspects of a muscle building program, would have to be the tempo of your movements and the rest period between sets.  Slow down your movement to a MINIMUM of 2 seconds both contracting and extending and keep your rest periods at no more than 60-75 seconds between sets.  The time under tension you’re keeping the muscles under will continue to create the micro-tears in the fibers we’re looking for that – when recovered – will grow in size.  The rest period helps replenish the energy to the muscles so they can get ready for the next bout of resistance and is extremely important!

Rest/recovery – Different than the rest between sets, your rest and recovery is of utmost importance.  Do not take lightly your mobility and stretching routines before, after, sessions and in between training days.  Keeping your body mobile and loose will allow it to move through it’s full range of motion which recruits as much muscle as possible, producing the best and most optimal results.  Unless otherwise noted, every movement should go through a full range of motion.  Any short cut or “cheating” can diminish your gains and keep you from your goals.  Also do not forget to take rest days between training sessions.  This time off is when your muscles are recovering from the damage you did during your training and is where the size of the muscles will continue to grow.  It is not suggested to train the same muscle groups less than 24 hours apart.  A good beginner muscle building split would be 3 days/week of training M/W/F with designated rest/recovery dates on T/Th/Sat/Sun.

Fuel – As noted in a previous post, carbs heading into your workout will provide the energy the muscles need to work, while a protein centric meal after will help replenish and re-fuel the muscles aiding their recovery and helping them build nice and strong for next time!  Stay away from sugars, alcohols, and processed foods as much as possible – sticking to lean sources of protein; complex carbs/veggies; and healthy fats/oils in proper amounts.

Yes your genetics play a part in your bodies ability to build muscle when comparing the average joe to professional athletes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reach your ideal physique through regular resistance training and progressively pushing your muscles with proper programming.

Every one’s body is different and we all can reach our peak physiques with the right effort, frequency, programming, recovery, and fuel – it’s just a matter of buying in to the long term investment of your health and being the best version of you possible to reach the best version of you.

But don’t ask me to make you look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club… THAT was peak genetic lottery…

Pre-Workout: To Use or Not to Use, That is the Question!

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

The clients I work with and people who have asked to know my stance on supplements is that you don’t need them.  They are beneficial in many ways to help you toward your goals but being an industry that is non-regulated (in the US), the number of supplements that the body can ACTUALLY benefit from pales in comparison to the number of products on the market.

Avoiding going into every detail, I was questioned specifically about my take on Pre-Workout – would I recommend it or not?

First let me start by saying, I do not recommend any sort of supplement as necessary without consulting your physician, and I am not affiliated to any specific supplement brands.  Any products mentioned in this post are based solely on my own experiences and products that I have or currently do use.

Like any question you’d ask to a good trainer, the real answer to, “Should I use pre-workout or not?” is:

“It depends.”

It depends on… your level activity; intensity of your training; goals; sensitivity to caffeine; sensitivity to other ingredients in pre-workout; desired effect; etc.

Let’s take a step back for a minute and address the question of what pre-workout is and what is it for/what it does.

Pre-workout is a supplement designed to help boost your energy, blood flow, and focus prior to a training session to help you achieve optimal results.  The main ingredients are typically caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine, niacin, and a series of other random ingredients depending on what that products manufacturer decides it wants to add.

Focusing on those main ingredients, caffeine is typically the most common at about 200-250mg per serving in most pre-workout products.  Caffeine is a stimulant designed to increase your energy levels and clear fog from your brain to allow focus on the task ahead.  Beta-alanine is a vasodilator which means that it increases the size of blood vessels to allow for a large flow of blood through the body.  This helps training sessions as your blood is able to move more oxygen into the muscles to help them maintain work and continue pushing even when you want to quit.  Creatine is the main component of muscle building supplements and helps our bodies avoid atrophy.  It doesn’t make you bulky but can cause you to retain a bit of water.  If you are on a muscle building or toning program, creatine is a great supplement to incorporate to help build strong, sexy, toned muscles.  Finally, Niacin works also as a Nootropic supplement focusing the mind and boosting energy. 

Beyond those, there can a ton of other filler ingredients that get advertised as helping you, but ultimately probably don’t do much.

In rants I’ve made countless times, there are only about 3-4 supplements that I would recommend someone take if they were interested (of their own volition) that would aid their training – caffeine, creatine, protein, multi-vitamin, maybe a couple of others.

As you’ll notice, caffeine and creatine are on that list – 2 of the biggest players in most pre-workouts.

The reason I support those 2 ingredients is that they are the only supplements that have conclusive evidence of working for those who take them in addition to regular training.

The problem with pre-workout products isn’t the ingredients that work, it’s all the filler that’s unnecessarily added. 

As I mentioned earlier, the supplement industry is largely unregulated in the US and with that, companies will make claims of ingredients being in their product but the factual amounts they claim could be skewed.  Often seen as a “proprietary blend” they will throw random amounts of ingredients together in the bottle so they can claim they are in the product, but without having to disclose how much.  Also, they do not have to be pure substances and often these bottles of product are filled with artificial flavors and ingredients.

So going back to the original question – should you use pre-workout or not – I would say that you can if you feel like you need an extra boost to get through your training sessions.  It would be beneficial to those who train in the morning, but be wary of later training sessions especially with pre-workouts that use caffeine as it could disrupt your sleep patterns, which we don’t want to do.  Thankfully they have started making less potent or stimulant free products which primarily utilize Vitamin B12 (or Vitamin B Complex) to provide energy, but be aware that an over intake of any vitamin can be detrimental.

I personally DO use pre-workout, and though I’ve used many different kinds with varying results, the one I continually come back to is Pre-Kaged by Kaged Muscle.  It’s a product I’ve followed since its inception 5-7 years ago and believe works best for me.  They use natural flavors and no artificial additives.  It’s pricier than most products – but like anything else, the higher the price, generally the better the quality.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, niacin, or any other ingredients, I recommend not taking it – there are other alternatives and unless you are training extremely hard on a regular basis or professionally, a cup of regular coffee (black, no added cream, sugar, etc) has enough caffeine to get you through.  There is a movement by many fitness/health “guru’s” I have seen via Twitter of eliminating caffeine all together and switching to local honey as their stimulant, but honey is basically just natural sugar which gives you an energy boost like caffeine would.

If you’re not sure if you should take a pre-workout or have questions about ingredients, you can always consult your physician to be sure.

Need an extra boost in the gym and not a coffee or energy drink consumer, maybe give pre-workout a try, but know you don’t NEED it, but it can help push through tough training sessions.  Just be careful of ingredients and going overboard with caffeine later in the day.

Have any other questions about supplements or ingredients you’ve seen on your pre-workouts, drop them in the comments and I’d be happy to answer!

Special THANK YOU to my client Terry D for posing the question in the first place.

Warm Weather Running

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

Spring is my favorite time of year.  Winter is finally over and the snow and terribly low temps that sweep the Midwest are gone, and with warmer weather comes the time to exercise outdoors again! Not only is Vitamin D severely lacking in most Americans, but physical activity outside is invigorating! The warm sun; the cool breeze; the feeling of pushing yourself in whatever you’re doing is second to none.  One of the most popular things you’ll see people doing this time of year is hitting the pavement to log some miles walk, jog, running.

Though Running is widely criticized for it’s impact on the ankles, knees, hips and it’s over used as a way to lose fat when there are much better ways, it’s still a popular go-to exercise for those looking to get their lungs burning and heart pumping in the beautiful spring weather (myself included).

It’s still a relatively new hobby/exercise for me to partake in seeing as the first 25 years of my life, I could hardly run ¼ mile without feeling like everything internally was going to explode, but over the last 5-7 years as I’ve made it a part of my spring, summer, fall training, I’ve picked up a few key tips for making the best of my workouts.

These are my Top 3 tips for running in warmer/hot weather

  1. Un-Dress Appropriately

One of the downsides of training outdoors in the spring – especially here in the Midwest – is that it can be 40 degrees in the morning and quickly jump to 70… it’s hard to tell where the weather is going to settle.  Which makes it tough to know what to wear.  Do you bundle up with a hoodie/light jacket and pants; or risk it with a t-shirt and shorts?  Either way, you’re screwed.

 

But you don’t have to be!

 

A rule of thumb I learned while training for my first 5K (which took place in January!) was to dress as if the weather is 20 degrees warmer than the thermometer states.  It had me curious so I looked into it more and found that the reason for this estimation is that when your body starts moving, the movement creates energy.  Energy naturally warms up our body temperature, and if you’re starting out in cool weather with too many layers, your warmer body temps might climb too high. 

 

It may be a little uncomfortable with a chilly start, but once you get your feet moving and the heart starts pumping blood around, you will naturally feel your body temperature rising.  Keep it regulated and avoid it getting too high by dressing like it’s 20 degrees warmer than it says when you head out for your next jog.

 

Keep in mind the intensity of the workout.  If you’re going for “all out sprints” or a lengthy trot around the neighborhood, your body temp will rise and sustain much higher/longer than if you’re just doing a mild-brisk walk around the block.

 

  1. Slow Your Pace

If you’re like me and want to get the run over as quickly as possible, one thing I have to remind myself is that I need to S-L-O-W my pace down in the beginning.  It’s too easy to want to bolt down the road, especially if you’ve been training through winter and early spring when it’s still chilly out.  The colder weather typically makes for better runs because – as discussed in the clothing section – our body temperatures rise and when it’s cold out and our internal temps rise to a comfortable level, we don’t get overheated and burned out. 

 

Slowing your pace – especially at the start – can help you maintain for longer exercise durations and keep you feeling better upon finishing.  It will help avoid overheating; dehydration; and burn out.

 

The nice thing is, like when you get used to colder temperatures, your body will re-acclimate to the warmer climate and you’ll be able to withstand running at your normal pace again in no time.  For regular runners, it should only take a week or two for Stella to get her groove back.

 

  1. Hydrate

Always important – don’t forget to hydrate.  2-4 glasses of water about 15-30 mins before your run can help you avoid dehydration as well as regulate your body temperature.  This will help keep you in the game longer and aid in quicker/better recovery afterward.  Don’t slosh down too much or you might have a full belly or have to use the restroom way too often.  Handsfree water bottle belts and vests are a great investment that minimally adds weight but helps keep you going even on the hottest of days.

They sound simple enough but forget one of these tips and you might be in for a rough day after a warm weather run.  As you can see, regardless of what you do – the overarching concept is to keep your body temperature regulated.  It will naturally rise as you expend energy through movement – going beyond running, this could be cycling, sports, swimming, any other outdoor strenuous activity – so keeping these tips in mind will help you mitigate the pitfalls of overheating – heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, etc. – that go along with outdoor running in warmer temperatures.

What’s your favorite outdoor activity and how do you prep to beat the heat?

Morning vs Evening – Best Time to Workout?

Posted on by alwayshungrypt

One of the greatest mysteries of our time is figuring out what the best time of day to workout is.  Okay, so it’s not one of the greatest mysteries, but it is a question that plagues many people when trying to put together their workout plan.  Life is already busy enough without having to add another worry to your day.  Here’s a quick run down of some pros and cons to each to help you make the most informed decision possible.

 

Morning workouts:

Pros

  1. Better chance for fat burning

Working out first thing in the morning not only helps kickstart your body, but it gets your metabolism moving to start burning calories.  Your body doesn’t stop after your workout and by beginning your day with physical activity, it helps turn your body on to start the day on the right foot.

  1. Body is fresh and mindset positive

After a good night sleep, the body is rested and recovered – fresh and ready to go!  The physical activity of working out first thing in the morning releases all the feel-good hormones in your brain to put you in a positive mindset to take on the day ahead.

  1. Feel less stressed during the day

As mentioned above, getting in a positive mindset to start your day helps carry into the rest of the day, mitigating stress through the day and let you take on everything ahead of you in a positive light and a clearer head!

Cons

  1. Body is low on nutrients and energy

Coming straight out of sleep, you’ve been fasting through the night.  During the fast your body has been using energy and nutrients to funnel around your body for its normal functions.  So when you wake up your body is low on energy and nutrients.  If you’re going to make sure you don’t have problems with energy, have a snack before heading to the gym.  Problem is.. that could force you to…

  1. Have to wake up earlier

Obviously working out in the morning means having to set that alarm for a few minutes earlier than you may be used to.  With a day full of work and life ahead, it forces your hand to set the clock back to allow enough time to wake up; grab a snack; get to the gym; train; clean up and get along to the rest of your day.

  1. Greater chance of injury

Because you’ve been asleep, the body becomes more rigid and stiff.  If you’re a morning workout person, you may want to add even more time to your routine to allow for a proper and adequate warm up session to loosen up the stiff joints and muscles.  Otherwise, you may be setting yourself up for a higher chance of injury.

Evening workouts:

Pros

  1. Chance to blow off steam

As we mentioned in the reasons for working out in the morning, the day is full of stress and activity.  Working out in the afternoon/evening allows for a great chance to blow off some steam and burn some stress; putting us in a better mood to end the day.

  1. More Physically prepared

Unlike morning workouts when we’re stiff and tired, at the end of the day, your body has been active mentally and physically.  This sets you up for greater success to put forth your best effort and get the most out of your workout when you finally get in to the gym!

  1. Calmer mornings

Because you got to sleep in from working out in the evening, your morning routine can run a little more calmly.  Spend extra time with the family, enjoy a bigger breakfast, or knock out some journaling or list writing for the day.

Cons

  1. Crowds

Commercial gyms tend to see spikes in members on site during after work hours.  Though mornings can be busy, the number seems to double for those who hit the iron in the afternoon.  Availability of equipment gets a little scarcer and if you suffer from issues of anxiety or stress about how to mitigate changes to your routine, it can be overwhelming trying to navigate the busy gym floor.

  1. Life distractions

Unless you’ve made it a commitment to hit the gym after work, life can throw distraction after distraction at you to knock you off your game.  Happy hour; kid’s events; family activities; exhaustion from the day; etc. any number of things can pop up during the day to make you want to skip the gym.  Keeping a routine and rule to never skip an appointment with yourself can help you stay on track.

  1. Sleep distractions

If you’re working out at night, it’s important to allow yourself proper time to come down.  The increased activity increases your energy levels which can cause disruption to your sleep schedule.  Allow proper time to come down off the high of training or run the risk of excess energy keeping you buzzing.

 

Now that we’ve gone over the pros and cons between the two, it’s time to decide the best option for you!

…

…

…

That’s it.  That’s the answer.

The best time to workout (morning v evening) is whatever the best time is for YOU.

You know yourself best and you’ll still get the results you’re looking for based on your structured plan regardless of time of day.  You know if you’re a morning person or an evening person based on your schedule and energy levels and ability to prioritize what fits best for you.

                Like most things related to fitness/nutrition, there’s no “one size fits all” so feel free to try both and see what fits you best.  Keep in mind that if you’re typically used to one and want to switch, give it a few sessions to get into a groove as your body will need to adjust to the new schedule. 

How does training fit into your day?