Thread: Working out in the morning

Working out in the morning is what I prefer to do, in that testosterone levels are about 30% higher. For cardio, working out on an empty stomach is the way to go IMO, along with some caffeine pills or epehedra to open up those fat cells.

I prefer the morning also. Problem is getting up...

Originally Posted by 007

I prefer the morning also. Problem is getting up...

Same here.

lol i just worked out at 10 today, the worst thing ive ever done, yes i did improve but not as much as last workout! i advice to do it at about 2 as you have properly woken up and mentally prepared for lifting weights!

Personally I'm a early morning man. I'm up at 4:50, eat, and then by about 6:30 I'm working out. Feels great to get working out done earlier.

Wake up "coffee", finish waking up for another 30 -45 minutes. "Workout". Next "EAT".

i'm best when i lift 11am-2pm but i rarely get to go at that time, only on the weekends. i usually lift after work, 8-9pm which kindda blows cause i'm all tired and shit from working all day but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. morning is okay, but getting up for that shit is tough...i only really do it if i need to get my training in and i know i won't be able to get it in at any other time.

I used to work out all the time in the morning...around 8 or 9am, but for the last year switched to 5 or 6 pm....now when I workout in the morning I find that I don't have as much energy...feels like I lose a few reps or about 10-15 lbs on heavy presses....never heard about the testosterone levels being 30% higher in the morning.....

In terms of fat burning, it is better to workout in the morning or mid-day so that you reap the full benefits of the prolonged metbolism boost that occurs for several hours post workout.

I w/o btn 6 and 9 pm depending on the length of the workday. I can't w/o in the morning...I can scarcely take a decent shit at the crack of dawn...but when I do, it's all gravy afterwards.

i understand that, for fat-burning, it is optimal to work out before eating the first meal of the day. However, what about for hypertrophy? I am a bit confused about what is required to be in the body's system for a muscle building workout. Certainly, i would hit the protein after, or perhaps sip a meal replacement during the workout...

I do cardio right when I wake up. I'm halfway through before I realize what I'm doing - good thing because I hate cardio. I always eat after I cool down. I hit the weights when I get home (4 day split) and have plenty of energy. Best workouts I've ever had were around lunchtime just can't do those anymore with the schedule I keep.

I work out about 10pm.

I don't like lifting in the morning - I like to have had a good dinner with lots of carbs and let that go down for a couple of hours then go lift.

I worked out in the am for nearly a year and didn't see any gains whatsoever.
Since I've been going in the evening I've made big gains in strength and physique.

Originally Posted by * Legion *

i understand that, for fat-burning, it is optimal to work out before eating the first meal of the day. However, what about for hypertrophy? I am a bit confused about what is required to be in the body's system for a muscle building workout. Certainly, i would hit the protein after, or perhaps sip a meal replacement during the workout...

Wouldnt Catabolysm occur or something?

Originally Posted by Yanick

i usually lift after work, 8-9pm which kindda blows cause i'm all tired and shit from working all day but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. morning is okay, but getting up for that shit is tough...

It is tough but after work is too hard me also.
1-- The gyms are always crowded.
2--Too tired after a stressful day of work.
3--Sometimes I have to do overtime and miss workouts because of that.
4--I have to attend my kids.
5--Miss out on ballgames.

You get used to waking up in the mournings after a while.

1--Hardly a soul at the gym, I'm free to frolick at I can sneak in a super set if I want to.
2-- No young punks who think they know everything (ie..Godhand)
3--I am fresh and full of energy after I come to my senses.
4--I can do all the errands that I need to do.
5--I have the rest of the day to bullshit.

Originally Posted by BritishTang

Personally I'm a early morning man. I'm up at 4:50, eat, and then by about 6:30 I'm working out. Feels great to get working out done earlier.

What do you eat by the way.

I wake up at 5:00 eat only a banana ( I know, I know) then workout at 6:00 or 6:30 to finish at 7:00, 7:30. then Drink my whey with oatmeal and head to work at 8:30.

I get up and eat the same breakfast every morning. 12 egg whites, 7oz of red potatoes and 6oz of 99% chicken breast. An hr after that meal, I lift. Then immediately have 50grams of maltrodextrin, 60 grams of oats, 2 scoops of whey, 5 grams of creatine and 5 grams of glusomine. Because I'm on a cut, I only have one other meal with carbs which contains 5.5 oz of brown rice. I have 6 meals a day, 1 every three hours. Total cal's 2817

Before lifting I eat a nice full meal, even when I'm cutting. No need to put your muscle mass at such a high risk of being broken down by following one catabolic activity (Not eating for a long time) with another one (Weight training).

My breakfast consists of 50g flax cereal (Hemp or pumpkin seed), 3oz of 2% milk, 2 egg whites, 2 eggs, and a multivitamin. Portions change depending on my weight goals. I am currently maintaining.

I've found that working out in the morning is when I have my best performance...the problem is waking up and getting to the gym. I would much rather prefer to lay around home and put it off till later in the day but once I get my mind set, I'm good to go.

So you should eat something before you go and lift even if your trying to burn the fat?

I love to workout at 5 AM

Originally Posted by YSK

So you should eat something before you go and lift even if your trying to burn the fat?

I don't believe in working out on an empty stomach. Some people swear that it helps them lose that last nagging bit of fat. However, even if that is the case, then this is a totally unnecessary practice for someone merely trying to reach a level of body fat which lends itself to an asthetic physique. I would reserve this practice for a bodbuilding competition, where one has to pull out all the stops and sometimes take part in unhealthy methods of weight loss to achieve a level of body fat necessary to compete in the bodybuilding work.

You stated it wrong or miss spelled as spell check is not working. You love to drink until 5am

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

I love to workout at 5 AM

I have to be at work at 7am so I'm usually up at 3:30am, eat a light breakfast, drink two cups of coffee and am at the gym by 4:30 and out by 6:15. I've tried working out at various times throughout the day but I just can't do it any other time. The biggest problem I run into, though is working out on Saturdays and Sundays because I obviously don't workout as early on those days. Problem is, I'll sleep in and as the day gets going, the weather gets hotter and I always convince myself to not go to the gym. As such, first thing in the morning M-F has become the only way that I can workout.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

It is tough but after work is too hard me also.
1-- The gyms are always crowded.
2--Too tired after a stressful day of work.
3--Sometimes I have to do overtime and miss workouts because of that.
4--I have to attend my kids.
5--Miss out on ballgames.

You get used to waking up in the mournings after a while.

1--Hardly a soul at the gym, I'm free to frolick at I can sneak in a super set if I want to.
2-- No young punks who think they know everything (ie..Godhand)
3--I am fresh and full of energy after I come to my senses.
4--I can do all the errands that I need to do.
5--I have the rest of the day to bullshit.

i completely agree with you on all those points. however at this stage of my life, i'm too immature to get up that early everyday to head to the gym. i can barely get up in the morning to get to work, lol.

when i'm more mature, i'm sure early morning training will be for me because when you're older you have lots of shit to do after work and going to the gym isn't always the top priority.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Same here.

Ya getting ups a bitch

I've heard that as long as you go without eating for about 3 hours before your workout (regardless of what time you workout) you'll get the same benefits as when you work out in the morning. Is that true?

Originally Posted by jaim91

I've heard that as long as you go without eating for about 3 hours before your workout (regardless of what time you workout) you'll get the same benefits as when you work out in the morning. Is that true?

No... You are missing 2 keys points that I can think of right off...

1. working out in the AM your body has usually already started burning
fat stores, before you even start training

2. Even though you will be working out on an empty stomach
with the 3 hour thing, when you train first thing AM...
Your body will set a higher metabolism pace for the remainder of the day...
(In most cases)