Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I posted anything. I
hope you all are staying active and trying as best as possible to eat healthy. It’s
hard I know but totally worth it.
So I’ve been thinking
about changing up my workout routine for the past two weeks and sorry to say, it’s
been more of a miss than hit. Since my evenings have become increasingly busy,
often times I’ve had to forego my workouts because I get home so late. By that
time, all I want to do is take a shower and head to bed. So I’ve been thinking of switching these
workout sessions to the mornings. Did I say it was easier said than done? There
were a few mornings when I got up early and got my sweat session on…and then
there were the mornings when I felt I need the extra sleep. What I’ve realized
though is that if you really want to stick to your commitment to a.m. workouts,
preparation is key. I hate getting up before the sun does so to ensure that I
don’t get up too early, I make sure I have all my stuff prepared and packed the
night before. I usually take my breakfast and lunch to work so I prep them the
night before, have my outfit ironed and my bag packed. If I leave these for the
morning, it’ll take me about half an hour, the time I could have used for workout
sessions.
One of my other very important issues with morning workouts
was the hair – those of you with relaxed hair, you know what I’m talking about.
Morning exercise is always a recipe for bad hair day or being late for work.
That’s why I always thought it more convenient to work out in the evenings. But
I think I’ve found a solution for me. My roots going down are usually the
sections that get wet during my workouts but since I’ve been growing my hair
out (going natural, will tell you more about that in another post) I’ve noticed
that my roots only get wet and it dries a whole lot faster. Now, I’ve been able
to style my hair with minimal trouble and I didn’t sacrifice my sessions.
Here are the some pro for morning and evening work out
sessions:
- · Late Afternoon is Best for Exercise - Research shows that the best time to exercise is when our body temperature is at its highest, which, for most people is 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Your body temperature is at its lowest just before waking.
- · Strength is Greater in the Afternoon - Dr. Hill of University of Noth Texas reported that strength output is 5% higher at around mid-day; anaerobic performance, such as sprinting, improves by 5% in the late afternoon.
- · Endurance is Greater in the Afternoon - Aerobic capacity (endurance) is approximately 4 percent higher in the afternoon.
- · Injuries Are Less Likely in the Afternoon - Afternoon exercise is the best if you want to avoid injuries for many reasons. We are most alert; our body temperature is the highest so our muscles are warm and flexible; and our muscle strength is at its greatest. These three factors make it less likely that we will get injured.
- · Morning Exercisers Are More Consistent - Even though afternoon exercise might be optimal from a physiological standpoint, research also shows that morning exercisers are more likely to stick to it that late-day athletes.
- · Evening Exercise and Sleep - Most research supports the idea that exercise can improve sleep quality. But does exercising too late in the evening keep you up? Studies have shown improvements in sleep from both morning and afternoon exercise, so it's not yet clear if evening exercise keeps you up. One study even showed that vigorous exercise half an hour before bedtime did not affect sleep.
Regardless whatever time you choose to execise, it should be based
upon your personal goals, schedule and lifestyle. Try to pick a time that you
are able to stick with consistently and make part of your daily or weekly
schedule. And don’t forget: always warm up before any workout.
So what about you guys? What time of the day do you find
most convenient for your workouts? If you have any tips to help motivate me and
others to get out of the sack in the mornings, feel free to leave a comment below.
Take care, xoxo!
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