What is the best time of day to exercise?

What is the best time of day to exercise?

I spent the best part of 3 years trying to ‘optimise’ my training by trialling all different times of the day. From waking up at 4am to go for a run and get a gym workout in before I started work at 6am, which I would work through until 8pm and then collapse when I got home through exhaustion. I tried training in the middle of a work day during my hour lunch break where I definitely wasn’t fuelled enough to perform at my highest level. I tried to workout in the evening once I had finished work which meant I was already physically and mentally fatigued from the long day as I walked into the gym.

Through all this trial and error I realised a very simple thing, for the average person who is trying to improve their overall health, strength and fitness; the answer is very simple, whatever time works best for you.

When I first started I had a job in a kitchen where I turned up at the beginning of my shift and left as soon as the clock hit my finishing time, this allowed me to spend any other minute of the day thinking about my training, what I was going to train etc and no other care in the world.

Then when I began my personal training at pure gym as a self-employed personal trainer I realised I could eat when I wanted, nap when I wanted and train whenever I wanted (within reason of course) as long as it was around my clients. I got myself into quite good shape (for me of course).

Then my whole thought process had changed drastically when I decided to open my own gym along with having a child. Sleepless nights, work and family time taking priority over me leisurely exercising for as long as I wanted whenever I wanted had long gone.

If I got the chance to go home for a few hours and see my daughter and partner I made sure I took it. I have seen so much of my daughter growing up that the vast majority of men have not had the luxury of seeing, I have not been able to exercise as much because of it and I don’t regret one little bit of it. The time I have spent with my family is invaluable to me, the moments I have been able to be part of can’t be replaced and I would do it all over again if I had the chance.

However, the one value I held in regards to when is best to train is; when I can fit it in my day without impacting my quality of time with my family.

So in essence the best time of day to train is whatever suits you best, pick a time of day that fits in with your lifestyle/schedule and that you are going to be able to stick to with minimal effort.

Some people like to exercise first thing in the morning, some like to exercise in the evening after work, some like to exercise in the middle of the day. There is no right or wrong answer to this, it is a case of whatever works for you as an individual and that you are going to be consistent at sticking with. I enjoy working out first thing in the morning but if I have the opportunity to spend time with my family and I am able to do something in the afternoon between clients, I am going to do it in the afternoon so I can have my family time.

One thing to remember is, exercise is extremely important for mental health. This is a main reason for why I exercise (that and I love my food). However the one thing that drives me to exercise is that when my daughter grows up I want to be able to run around with her, play football with her, do gymnastics with her, show her up at dance, beat the other parents at sports day and be able to spend as much of her life with her. That is why I will always have a level of health and fitness, and with this I will most likely be relatively pleased with how I look too, mainly because it is a by-product of my main goal.

I am never an advocate of missing a workout, BUT I am a huge advocate of spending time with family. So if you get a chance to go for a walk with your partner and kids as opposed to going inside a gym to run on a treadmill, do it.

This is why at FBC Harrogate and all personal training sessions I conduct I encourage you to bring your children with you so they can see you exercising and keeping yourself healthy.

If you are looking for a gym that allows you to bring your little ones, click the link below and leave your information and I will get back to you ASAP!