When Do You Workout?

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When you workout (morning, afternoon, evening) skews your benefits a little. More fat loss in early hours, less heart attacks in afternoon. Bottom line, any workout is better than none.

Throughout my career I’ve done all times. 0500 was great because you definitely got the workout in, no excuses, wakes you up but the down side was the 2000 or 2100 softball game or volleyball game where you want to fall asleep. Right after work was best, usually 1500-1600. Someone/something during the day would hack me off so it was a good stress release and decreased the chances of “bringing work home”. Now that I’m retired, usually around 0800-0900. Leaves the afternoon open for everything else.

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During the winter, I usually pedal the bike between 1100 and 1200, usually while watching an ep of a TV show that I have on DVD.

During the summer, I take my hike around the block when the temperature is most comfortable. In the July heat, that may be 0900. In the spring or fall, more likely to be around 1600.

Steve

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I mix it up here and there. I am too busy for a set schedule. I do not like exercise in a set schedule. I am constantly recovering and fading in energy. It is a dynamic of sorts. Who knows what that studies think because I have not been studied.

The biggest problem I have with longer term heavier exercise on a more daily basis is gaining weight. I get uncontrollably hungry. Food is the more important part of this equation.

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I get my winter workouts on the xc ski trail. I have to fuel ( eat ) for that, and I like to let it digest for 2 hours before hitting it, so I usually start to ski around 10 or 10:30. But sometimes weather dictates what it is the best time to go, so have no problem waiting till 2 or 2:30pm to go. 1 of the best perks about being retired, pick your time !

( Have done 2 races the previous 2 Saturdays, the 1st started at 9am, got up at 5:30am to eat, then tried to get warmed up around 8am, was a bit groggy the 1st few miles, so I should have done a better job of getting ready to go hard at an earlier time. No big deal, it’s just for fun, but might as well put yourself in the best position. The 2nd race started at 10am, and felt good for that one )

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When I was working, I worked out (swim, elliptical, weights) only at night. Tried the 5:30am thing a few times, but I’m barely awake and wasn’t anywhere near my peak performance at that time.

Now that I am retired, I vary my workout times. Walks at various times throughout the day, elliptical/treadmill either midday or evening. No swimming or weights for now while I recover from shoulder surgery (6 months recovery), but I do the physical therapy routine 3X day (which is grueling in itself!)

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OK, let’s see if I have this straight ………

It’s good to exercise, but I should only do it in the afternoon so I live longer.

I have to give up red meat for my health but if I eat too many blueberries I’ll OD on potassium.

I can’t be a sedentary couch potato and binge watch The Extraordinary Attorney Woo because my Apple Watch keeps reminding me to get up and walk.

I need to drink lots of water to keep my kidney healthy (yes, I envy you 2-kidney beings) and also need to get at least 8 hours of sleep, which I can’t do because I drink too much water and have to get up and pee.

I have to eat a Mediterranean diet to live longer and avoid processed food even though that bag of crunchy Cheetos looks awfully tempting.

Smoking illegal Cuban cigars relaxes me, which helps me live longer while killing me at the same time. But if I lift weights while smoking an illegal Cuban cigar, maybe the weights and relaxing will offset the smoke.

I wear hearing aids to avoid not hearing and getting Alzheimer’s except I keep forgetting to put them in because I’m incorrectly exercising in the morning.

I have to do puzzles to keep dementia at bay but I keep forgetting to get new puzzles because I’m binge watching The Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

I eat dark chocolate daily because it’s healthy even though it contains lead and cadmium which will kill me.

I need to drink a little alcohol daily for my health but if I drink too much it will kill me. I have no idea how much is too much and how much is too little. Thankfully, my Apple Watch keeps interrupting me so I can’t drink too much. But I’m not doing enough puzzles so I may forget to drink too little.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something (because I’m not keeping my mind active doing puzzles or wearing my hearing aids).

I’m living longer but I’m not sure I’m enjoying it. :slight_smile:

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Whilst it’s true that getting a handle on your eating is probably your best bang for your buck (at least short term)…“You can’t outrun a bad diet” is almost true …but why not apply the same principles to an exercise regimen as you’ve found to work with your eating?

Train in a way that doesn’t precipitate compensatory behavior (eating more moving less over the course of the day) Usually requires a long term commitment to just getting a basic level of fitness before lurching into heavy duty /HIIT stuff but it works if you approach it right. Especially for modifying all those biomarkers associated with the damage caused by all those adipokines etc that your excess adiposity is pumping out.

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Oh I do that.

I said heavy daily exercise.

By that I meant I have gone to lighter exercise.

I did not ever stretch. I do a ton of stretching and add in light resistance. I walk.

The HIIT is for the occasional week where I would do it twice that week. I want my lungs to open wide and be strong, the respiratory system needs a good hard work out here and there.