There were quite a few comments about whether or not I should be waking up at 4:30 in the morning to get my exercise in. Those comments ranged from whether or not rising that early is a “sustainable habit” to “you used to do it, so get your butt out of bed you lazy bones!”
Pam has often referred to studies that show that the majority of people who consistently exercise do so in the morning. So off to the internets I went, searching for answers to this controversial topic. It seems that every time I do some research, I never find a definitive answer. It seems that in order to find one, I’m going to have to change my question to “Is it safe to smoke?” or “Should I blow dry my hair while standing in a bath tub full of water?”
Yep, I found articles that supported exercising first thing in the morning and articles that said this was a bad idea. But, the most overwhelming piece of advice I found was that it’s better to exercise than not to. So if early in the morning works for you, then that’s what you should be doing. Here are some of the tidbits that I found while poking around:
Pros for early morning workouts:
- Early morning workouts may boost your metabolism throughout the day. This is a great perk for those of us trying to lose weight.
- Exercise may increase mental acuity. If this is true, then why not take advantage of it during the whole day instead of just part of it.
- Exercise in the morning may energize you throughout the day. I definitely feel better when I’m working out than when I’m sitting on the couch. And the few hours right after the workout are often the best in the day. So maybe, if you start out your day well every day, you’ll have more better days and continue to exercise.
- If exercise is a priority in the morning, then it’s harder for other things in your life to push exercise out of your routine.
- More than 90% of people who have a consistent exercise routine do it in the morning. If consistency is your goal, then this one is hard to overlook.
Cons for early morning workouts:
- Muscle strength peaks during the late afternoon. Some studies suggest that workouts performed in the afternoon are more beneficial and also decrease the likelihood of injury.
- Many people are more awake and alert in the afternoon. It’s easier to pay attention and work harder if you’re alert. People who have a tendency to skate through an early morning routine also have a tendency to concentrate and work harder in the afternoon.
- Circadian rhythms prepare your body for an afternoon workout. Blood pressure, body temperature, and some hormone secretion peak for many people between two and four in the afternoon. All three have been linked to better performance in the gym.
So again, it’s not really hard to find an article on the internet that helps you believe what you want to believe. This, I have found, is especially true regarding exercise and nutrition. Remember, the main point is that exercising–no matter what time of day–is better than sitting on your behind all day. Do what works for you. For me, I’ll stick with the 4:30 AM wake up call. This week.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a big fan of the morning workouts. I just feel better throughout the day when I do it. Thanks for this info..it’s good to know!
Last year, my wife and I went to a local trainer, and arranged our schedules to meet right after work. Since both of us have erratic job schedules, it became difficult to maintain the routine for more than a couple of months. In fact, I needed to drop it after several months because of both work and certain other activities.
It also became an issue to pick up our daughter from school, cook dinner, etc. It was good working out, it was just bad timing.
This year I get up earlier and work out in my basement first think in the morning. I’ve been able to do this for the last six or seven months, missing only a few days. I don’t necessarily feel better, but I’m convinced that it’s better to get the exercise regularly, instead of haphazardly and grudgingly.
Mac wrote: So off to the internets I went, searching for answers to this controversial topic. It seems that every time I do some research, I never find a definitive answer.
EXACTLY!
This is one of the things I find frustrating about fitness. With Get Rich Slowly, most parameters are clearly defined and easy to track. There are subjective things that take into account psychology, but most personal finance stuff is straight-forward. Not so with fitness.
There are still some basics. As you say, it’s better to exercise than not. But there’s total disagreement about all the details. Exercise in the morning or not? Stretch before running or after? What constitutes a good diet?
My approach has been to listen to all the different pieces of advice, consider my own goals and experience, and then make a decision that works for me. Sometimes I end up changing my mind.
Frustrating, huh?
There was a study I read where people who worked out earlier in the day had a sense of accomplishment that carried them through it.
Working out in the afternoon. I work… it’s just not going to happen. No matter the benefits.
0430 sounds like all kinds of hell, and to be honest I don’t think you’ll ever sustain it. Why? Because something will always get in the way the night before.
Working out early in the morning is always advisable for that same reason. Just not 0430 early. If that’s all you can honestly manage, then fine, but I can’t believe it is!
0600-0800 – i.e., that pre-work period for most people – seems to be the optimum time. And the reason why is simple and fairly obvious – the longer you put off your workout, the more ‘day’ will inevitably get in the way, and the higher the chance is that you’ll be forced to skip whatever exercise you planned to do, i.e., the weather will change for the worse, you’ll have a stressful day at work, or have drinks at lunch (or after work), eat the wrong kinds of foods, feel depressed or down for whatever reason, get called away to do something else, or hurt yourself in some way.
I see the same problems for you, but in reverse – because you’ll always need to go to bed early, with a clear head and feeling sober (and well), inevitably things are going to happen in the course of the night (a sick child, going to bed later than you hoped, not sleeping well, feeling ill yourself, etc) that are going to get in the way of your 0430 start.
As said, though, if you honestly think you can manage it, then do it. If can I speak frankly, my gut feeling increasingly on Get Fit Slowly is you guys seem to go out of your way to make this stuff hard for yourselves. There seems to be a pattern as follows:
1. I’m really going to do this! I’ll do running, and weights, and push-ups, and ab work, and yoga, and sky-diving and ice fishing, all whilst raising kids, running a business and keeping my partner happy.
2. I feel ill/injured/tired/lethargic (see #1 for reasons).
3. I’m really going to do this, but this time, I’ll make it even harder than before! That’s what gets results! So I’ll get up earlier/change to another diet/do everything I was doing before, but this time whilst holding my breath and wearing a wet suit.
4. See #2, but slightly worse.
5. Repeat.
And so on.
OK, I’m being more than a little flippant, but there’s some truth in that, at least from my angle. I see this all the time on health/fitness blogs on t’Internets right now – people trying to do far too much and accomplishing far too little as a result. I blame this stupid push-ups program – it’s screwing people over left, right and center.
Losing weight is easy. Just burn up more energy than you take in. It is that simple. The whole thing is simple.
You guys make it hard.
Just pick one thing, and stick with it for 12-16 weeks. Then consider trying something else. If you make it too hard, you will always fail. Always. You need to find that balance with fitness work where it’s neither too easy nor too hard. Exercise sucks when it becomes another job.
I realise Get Fit Slowly is what it’s all about, but there’s an assumption of getting there, too. Again, my apologies if the above comes across as rude or even a bit hostile, but that’s not my intent. I mean, in many ways what you two seem to be going through is very valid as it’s what the majority of people trying to get into shape go through. But with so many eyes on your particular prize (subscribers, etc), if I can be so bold, I think you need to find that line – just one line, mind – and stay on it.
“Stupid push-ups program” is a very poor choice of words on my part and I wish to retract it. The program itself seems quite sound and I’m sure some people have had great success on it.
My point was, however, that I think it’s a bit too much on top of any other serious workout regime. Anything else is too much on top of a serious workout regime.
I think your body will adapt to whatever demands you place on it. My brother and I have talked about this quite a bit. He loves to roll out of bed and go for a run, while I usually run around noon, and I detest running early. As a result, my afternoon race times are always faster, where as his early morning race times are faster.
I think your final analysis is right on target. It doesn’t really matter when you exercise. What matters is that you exercise.
Greenman must eat crow now. Mac sent me an e-mail in which he filled me in on his history of waking up at 4:30 am. Back when he was a teacher, he did this every morning, Mon-Fri, for SIX YEARS.
If anyone’s got what it takes to do this, I think Mac does.
Yeah, but he *had* to get up for work. That’s different than *wanting* to get up to exercise.
Getting up at 4:30 am is sustainable if you can get to bed by 8 – 9 pm everyday. That is what I doubt myself.
I have to chime in on this…I tried for years to put exercise in my life in the PM after work…I am still paying for the gym membership that I am saving for when it rains…I will never make it…I now have a totally flexible schedule and I have not been to the gym..this is worked…I wake at 630pm..help my wife get the kids ready for the bus…she leaves at 7am, kid #1 @ 715am..kid #2 @ 735am…while standing in my running gear I start running at 740am…I have to get the kids up and out..so six days a week…I get my 1.5 of running….(Sunday is a treat)
I meant 1.5 hrs of running or 5 miles
You know, I think it’s all good. We’re all different and we do what we need to do to make it work. For me, I do like to do something in the morning because I am more consistent when I do. And, at one point in my life, I did get up at 4:30am consistently to go swim because that’s what work ed for me. I don’t now! But it doesn’t have to be forever. Just try it and see. If it works, great! If not, just tweak it until you find something that does.
I earnestly believe that anyone who poo-poos early morning workouts because they aren’t sustainable just enjoys being sand in the vaseline.
I spent several years in a rowing club that was about a 45 minute drive from my house. I had to to get up at 4am every morning (seriously – every morning Monday – Friday) to be there for a 5:15am practice. The rowing season went early April until late October – in Michigan can mean early AND cold.
The thing is – I did it. I had everything laid out the night before. I had to get into my rowing clothes, pack my lunch, have a little breakfast and go. I also had to pack my work clothes. While I lived 45 minutes from the boathouse, the river was about five miles from work and they had showers.
I didn’t have to do this – they had evening rowing sessions as well. I just liked starting out the day on the river. Plus most of the good rowers rowed in the morning and I got in a better workout and had the benefit of better coaching.
We all have our reasons for when we exercise and I’m not sure why there’s always someone saying “That will never work”. If you pay too much attention to the negativity, you run the risk of never changing your habits. Bottom line – don’t listen to anyone. Do what works for you.
Cheers!
@ JD – i think you have a skewed perspective. how long have you run GRS vs GFS? how long have you been “into” personal finance vs personal fitness? how much time have you logged in researching one or the other?
i’ve spent an equal amount of time on both, and have logged time as a volunteer educator for both. both are simple AND hard. which way it goes is up to you.
simple: eat less than you burn. spend less than you earn. the same principles apply.
hard: when should i exercise? what should i do with a 5K windfall? the answers are clearly reliant on individual circumstances.
gfs from a nutrition educator: don’t worry about the latest research. listen to your body and take ownership.
I think, early morning exercises are great cuz I after accomplishing something in the morning your mind appraises the achievement and motivates you throughout the day, when you compare this to afternoon, or night, your motivation is basically goes into sleep. However, early morning exercises should be mild such as running for 30-45 minutes or playing a basketball and etc, because they won’t tire you throughout the day. On the otherhand doing ab workout and building up muscle is basically gonna tire you. So I recommend that early exercises are important for you life and it should be mild. The reason, I am saying is that I was able to absorb more in my class room when I did small exercises in the morning So I think you should try it out!
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