What’s your optimal workout time(s) and what time do you actually do it?

@dawn16 Aw, yeah when I start looking for another job after I finish my program I definitely won’t be able to work the same or even similar hours so I’ll be right there with you. That’s really interesting how you scheduled your gym time before! Did you ever have problems with fatigue or cognitive ability because of that sleeping pattern? I’m very much someone who has no patience and barely functions if I get even 6 hours of sleep lol, so I’m curious how that affected you if at all.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I wish I could be a morning person! I tried, I feel cold and sleepy. I exercise 5-7 p.m., after work. It helps me declutter my mind and I generally feel "warmer" around this time.
 
@rusha Me too. And I really enjoy since it’s the end of the day, I don’t have anything work related getting me anxious, I’ve just done for the day and now I get to chill. I don’t have time to get home so I get really comfortable at the gym, no hurry.
 
@rusha same. a lot of my meetings start at 6am so i’d have to workout at like 3 or 4am. hard pass! plus when I do try to workout in the morning even on weekends I have zero energy and I usually give up halfway through. AM workouts are not for me!
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I spent some time essentially unemployed and found myself naturally going to the gym pretty consistently at noon. Not sure why! When I work I often have to do early mornings. It’s okay, I don’t hate it because I’m kind of a morning person anyway, but physically I do feel like I have less energy and am less strong. I pretty much never do the gym after work because I hate crowds, but I really enjoy running right as the sun is going down so that it’s cool (west coast privilege) but not pitch black yet. That works well for fitting stuff in after work.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I would love to get up at 5:30 and work out right away, since I find that early workouts help me get good sleep at night. Unfortunately as things stand now, I simply do not have the bedtime discipline to be able to consistently get up in time to work out before I have to get my toddler ready for school. Recently I've started working out immediately after work instead, since that has the added benefit of being a way to blow off the stress of dealing with my insane and sometimes illegal management. 🙃
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo 5AM. Any other time of day and life gets in the way. I roll out of bed, make the kids breakfasts, start the coffee, flip the laundry, empty the dishwasher and I'm in the pool by 5.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo Optimal: 3-4pm, like it used to be in high school track.

Actual: 6-8pm start time, because the after work CF classes and run clubs are that time.

Occasional and tolerable: 7:30am (some weekdays), 9:00am (days off)
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo My optimal time is anywhere between 8-11 in the morning. I get up early so with the gym at that time, I have already dealt with some work and know more or less what the rest of my day is gonna look like. Then I deal with the "gym work" and get back to do the "work work".

Second best is probably 4 in the afternoon, when the gym is empty.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I prefer right after work, around 5pm. Right now I'm still working out at home, so it's fine, but the gym does get crowded. Sometimes I'll have to modify my workouts to get them done! I like that time as I'm awake, I'm already moving from work so not yet tempted to sit down and stay planted, etc.
My 2nd choice would be late at night, 8pm or so. Sometimes this happens if I have to run errands after work.
My 3rd choice is the morning, before work, so 5:30am at the latest. I'm not a morning person at all, so honestly if it comes to this I usually end up skipping the workout.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo My favorite times are around 9 am and also 4 pm. I’m in grad school so my schedule is pretty flexible and I make it work. I know I’ll have to make adjustments once I start a real job so I’m enjoying this while it lasts
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I'm the exact same! 10-11am is perfect, but with work I can't so I do early morning. The benefit of that is that my evenings are free though so that's good. At the moment I'm doing both (on different days) as I like to do my workout class at 5.45am and my team sport training is in the evening, looking forward to being able to do just do AM in a few weeks.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I’m 100% an evening workout person, my body just never wants to work with me in the morning. Any time between 5 and 9 pm is ideal for me. I almost always work out in that time period, but sometimes I workout in the afternoon during weekends when it fits my schedule better.
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo my favourite workout time is between 9 and 11am for anything like home workouts or gym, and 7pm for a run

too bad that I go to school 8 to 5 on most days so I can never manage any morning workouts, but at least I can fit my evening runs into my routine. would love to workout in the mornings on weekends but I won't sacrifice my time socializing and going out and in turn spending sat & sun curing my hangover
 
@hungry_hungry_hippo I'm up and out the door to the gym by 440am. I've always been a morning person, and for a period I worked out after work and it just wasn't nearly as productive. So I'll stick to my 5a-630a gym time.
 
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