Getting this devoted morning bird to the gym after work is IMPOSSIBLE.

[cjobson]

I'm looking for some advice from ladies who normally workout after work regularly. How the heck do you do it?!
Prime workout time for me is 9-10 AM. I have the most energy then, as I'm a morning person. However, I work full time in the summer and since I have to be at work by 8:30 (sometimes earlier), that's a little impossible. I could definitely try to get a workout in earlier....but working demands some extra sleep of course, so I'm trying to prioritize things.

At my other job, sometimes I have to push my workouts to 2-3 pm, which is rough too but I usually make it 70-90% of the time if I really force myself. However, at this job, I'd be getting to the gym by 5 pm earliest, which I've never done before. Thinking of doing a heavy leg day at that time makes me cringe, especially after working all day.

I actually just bought a pre-workout in hopes that it could help, lol. Haven't tried it yet (as I'm continuing to work out in the mornings before this job begins next week...and in the morning my PWO is my coffee...). Any other tips you guys could give me? I'm thinking of wearing most of my stuff to work (since I work at a camp and active wear is very comfortable for moving), and making myself drive past the gym to and from work so I feel obligated to stop.

-Side note...what's a good lunch idea that is easy to make/pack, doesn't give you that 3 PM crash, and gives you ample energy for your evening workout? I was thinking overnight oats could work well.

[chamelious]

My GF works at 8.30 also and usually hits the gym before work in the mornings. If you have your energy in the mornings, get up earlier and work out then?

[GingerHanna]

I sympathise, I truly do. I've been able to shift my hours back so I can go to the gym in the morning before work (my boss and half my colleagues are on a -7 hour time zone to me so it works well).

Before then I had to make sure I removed all possible excuses and obstacles - gym bag, food etc ready the night before, go straight from work to the gym, do not stop, not pass go, do not collect $200.

What can help is finding a trigger action - when I shut my laptop down for the day I pick up my gym back and go to the gym. Therefore you start to associate shutting down your laptop with going to the gym. I'm not an expert in this field, but it's different from action/reward in that you trigger by association.

I can't comment on pre-workouts as I don't use them (I'm not too good with that much caffeine) but the thought and anticipation of the workout is often worse than the workout itself. You may cringe at a heavy leg day, but once you get to the gym and start your warm up you'll usually be 'in the zone' and will be fine. Our minds love to play tricks on us.

My 2c anyway.

[VO2Maxima]

I've done the 5am (or earlier) workouts in the past. I'm not a morning person, I try to avoid it if possible, but there have been points in my life when that was really the only time that I could get it in. If that works better for you, it's certainly an option. As far as the sleep thing goes, just get to bed earlier. It'll be rough in the beginning, and you'll likely spend some time in bed in the evening staring at the ceiling and then dragging yourself out of bed in the morning having not gotten as much sleep as you would have liked, but after about two weeks you'll have gotten used to it. Yes, it probably means you'll have to go to bed at 9 or 10, but if that's preferable to working out in the afternoon, then go with it.

[jessic2952]

I do any cardio / HIIT stuff immediately after work (around 430pm), then do the normal afternoon/evening junk at home like chores, dinner, etc. Then my lifting I do in the evenings a couple hours after dinner, around 8pm. Mind you, I have to get up at 515am to be at work at 730, so my work schedule is a little different than yours. There is no got-dang way I'm getting up at 330 or 4am to get my workouts in, so I just fit it into my evening routine. I go to bed about 30 minutes after working out and have no problem falling asleep!

[cjobson]

I do any cardio / HIIT stuff immediately after work (around 430pm), then do the normal afternoon/evening junk at home like chores, dinner, etc. Then my lifting I do in the evenings a couple hours after dinner, around 8pm. Mind you, I have to get up at 515am to be at work at 730, so my work schedule is a little different than yours. There is no got-dang way I'm getting up at 330 or 4am to get my workouts in, so I just fit it into my evening routine. I go to bed about 30 minutes after working out and have no problem falling asleep!

That is a good idea as well! Do you go back to the gym or lift at home?
Interesting you say that too, as I'm actually planning to just focus on lifting when I actually get myself to the gym so I'm not there for too long. Cardio will be trekking around camp/done on off days.

Thanks for all of these replies, ladies!

Yeah, since I'm so devoted to AM exercise I have a feeling that more often than not I'll be getting to the gym at 5:30 AM. I do go to sleep around 9-10 PM anyway, but for some reason I just need a lot of sleep. I normally wake up at 6:30-7 AM without an alarm normally. Getting up at 5 AM is a little tough but manageable.

[jessic2952]

That is a good idea as well! Do you go back to the gym or lift at home?
Interesting you say that too, as I'm actually planning to just focus on lifting when I actually get myself to the gym so I'm not there for too long. Cardio will be trekking around camp/done on off days.

Thanks for all of these replies, ladies!

Yeah, since I'm so devoted to AM exercise I have a feeling that more often than not I'll be getting to the gym at 5:30 AM. I do go to sleep around 9-10 PM anyway, but for some reason I just need a lot of sleep. I normally wake up at 6:30-7 AM without an alarm normally. Getting up at 5 AM is a little tough but manageable.

I lift at home thank goodness! I can't imagine how often I'd be all wanting to stay home if I had to load up and go to the gym. Having the equipment in my garage is helping keep me accountable... a no-excuses sort of thing. Same with the cardio, I have a treadmill in my bedroom. I used to go to the gym for that, but paying $40/month for a treadmill got to be ridiculous so I bought one off Craigslist.

You know, for the past 14 years I've had to get up at 5:15am to get ready for work. So on weekends I wake up naturally around 630-7 at the latest. If I could get up at 5am, get a workout in, then get ready for work and be there on time, I think I could do that. My only thing is I can't stand to work out in a fasted state, or in a very-recently fed state. I like a good hour or two in between my last meal and my lifting. Personal preference So that could affect morning workout for me as well.

[cjobson]

I sympathise, I truly do. I've been able to shift my hours back so I can go to the gym in the morning before work (my boss and half my colleagues are on a -7 hour time zone to me so it works well).

Before then I had to make sure I removed all possible excuses and obstacles - gym bag, food etc ready the night before, go straight from work to the gym, do not stop, not pass go, do not collect $200.

What can help is finding a trigger action - when I shut my laptop down for the day I pick up my gym back and go to the gym. Therefore you start to associate shutting down your laptop with going to the gym. I'm not an expert in this field, but it's different from action/reward in that you trigger by association.

I can't comment on pre-workouts as I don't use them (I'm not too good with that much caffeine) but the thought and anticipation of the workout is often worse than the workout itself. You may cringe at a heavy leg day, but once you get to the gym and start your warm up you'll usually be 'in the zone' and will be fine. Our minds love to play tricks on us.

My 2c anyway.

Lol, that is very very true. The worst part about it is just getting myself to get motivated to go after work. I never ever ponder and stew over what my workout will consist of for the day if I'm going my usual time, but after work it's like all I think about.

I lift at home thank goodness! I can't imagine how often I'd be all wanting to stay home if I had to load up and go to the gym. Having the equipment in my garage is helping keep me accountable... a no-excuses sort of thing. Same with the cardio, I have a treadmill in my bedroom. I used to go to the gym for that, but paying $40/month for a treadmill got to be ridiculous so I bought one off Craigslist.

You know, for the past 14 years I've had to get up at 5:15am to get ready for work. So on weekends I wake up naturally around 630-7 at the latest. If I could get up at 5am, get a workout in, then get ready for work and be there on time, I think I could do that. My only thing is I can't stand to work out in a fasted state, or in a very-recently fed state. I like a good hour or two in between my last meal and my lifting. Personal preference So that could affect morning workout for me as well.

That's gonna be my biggest problem - trying to eat something so early to get a workout in. I can't lift while fasted...thankfully I have a pretty strong stomach so greek yogurt/bananas/fruit and coffee roughly 30 min prior has always been alright. Weirdly enough sometimes if I work out in the afternoon and have a small snack beforehand (an hour or so prior even) I get a little queasy.

[euco09]

I feel your pain! I hate working out after work too. I had to train in the afternoon for a few weeks earlier this year and I didn't like it at all!

Sorry that's not much help haha. At the moment I get up at 6 am which isn't too bad but I would get up even earlier if it meant not having to train in the afternoon!

[cjobson]

I feel your pain! I hate working out after work too. I had to train in the afternoon for a few weeks earlier this year and I didn't like it at all!

Sorry that's not much help haha. At the moment I get up at 6 am which isn't too bad but I would get up even earlier if it meant not having to train in the afternoon!

Same here. Honestly, I think that's what I'm gonna wind up doing - getting up at 5 to get to the gym by 6 AM. But I'd like to work on making myself less stubborn about my workout times for conveniency's sake.

[TMStepanik]

I'm looking for some advice from ladies who normally workout after work regularly. How the heck do you do it?!
Prime workout time for me is 9-10 AM. I have the most energy then, as I'm a morning person. However, I work full time in the summer and since I have to be at work by 8:30 (sometimes earlier), that's a little impossible. I could definitely try to get a workout in earlier....but working demands some extra sleep of course, so I'm trying to prioritize things.

At my other job, sometimes I have to push my workouts to 2-3 pm, which is rough too but I usually make it 70-90% of the time if I really force myself. However, at this job, I'd be getting to the gym by 5 pm earliest, which I've never done before. Thinking of doing a heavy leg day at that time makes me cringe, especially after working all day.

I actually just bought a pre-workout in hopes that it could help, lol. Haven't tried it yet (as I'm continuing to work out in the mornings before this job begins next week...and in the morning my PWO is my coffee...). Any other tips you guys could give me? I'm thinking of wearing most of my stuff to work (since I work at a camp and active wear is very comfortable for moving), and making myself drive past the gym to and from work so I feel obligated to stop.

-Side note...what's a good lunch idea that is easy to make/pack, doesn't give you that 3 PM crash, and gives you ample energy for your evening workout? I was thinking overnight oats could work well.

My work report time is 7:15, so I feel you with the awful afternoon workouts! I swear by a pre workout. I love amino energy from ON. I usually have a small snack before I drink it too. Maybe an apple or a handful of almonds. It might be silly, but I also occasionally buy a new headband or workout shirt so I'm excited to have an excuse to wear it!