We hear so much about morning being the best time to workout. But what about the night owls in the crowd? Some of you simply can’t function like a normal human being before 7 AM and some of you have no choice but to workout at night because of your schedule. So let’s give a shout out to those who sweat past sunset and find out why it can be a good idea!
No Crowds, No Rush
With everyone trying to fit in a pre-work workout, gyms are crowded in the AM. Come past 8 PM and you’re the king or queen of the place. No fight for treadmills, no wait for dumbbells, and no line at the showers. Plus, when you don’t stress about making it to work in time, you can focus on your workout instead of watching the clock.
Make Healthy Choices
The quitting bell rings and next comes happy hours with friends and dinners out—potential diet disasters! But if you know you‘ll be taking a Zumba class in a few hours, you won’t go overboard with food and drink. And with post-workout healthy habits at the top of your mind, you’ll be less likely to veg out in front of the TV with a pint of ice cream when you get home.
Peak Performance
Let’s be clear: a calorie burned at 8 AM is the same as a calorie burned at 8 PM. However, your performance might be better or worse depending on how your energy and moods shift throughout the day. If you’re really not a morning person, you might feel stronger in the evening compared to the morning. And if you feel stronger at night, your workout performance will be stronger as well.
Decompress and De-Stress
When you’ve spent the last eight hours working, hauling around kids or running errands, a late night sweat session is just the stress buster you need. Jump on a machine or hit the weights and forget about the day. Or take a relaxing yoga class, zen out and wind down for the night. You'll be decompressed and ready to hit the sheets when you get home.
We know the night owls are already sold, but any morning movers making the jump?
Source: lifefitness.com/blog. Visit the Life Fitness blog for more health and fitness information
*Image of “runner“ via Shutterstock
