It can be challenging at times to combine both work and training times. The stress from your day to day job can get to you and by the time you get back home, all you probably want to do is just rest. Most people try to push all things training to the weekend when they supposedly have some more time, in any case, they are either unable to follow through because of one or more extra engagements that they ended up pushing to the weekend still.
To find time to train during the week with a busy or even moderate schedule is never easy. There is so much to consider and very little time to think things through. Sometimes, even eating well can be somewhat of an issue and it can make one feel lazy and unable to help themselves. However, these feelings are totally normal and many people battle with similar decisions every day.
Yeah, it may be normal to feel helpless and tired to do any workout or training during weekdays, but most of the problems can be as a result of poor eating habits and as a result stress disorders too can be taking its toll.
Just by changing your eating habits and introducing a healthy diet into your meal plan can help you towards achieving your training goals. Now you know how important nutrition is, but still, we need to figure out the best time to train and how to set up the right exercise routine.
Morning Workout Routine
Jim Rohn’s quote on sports nutrition caught my interest, “It is either you run the day or the day runs you”. I found that quote going through a blog post on morning exercises and how they can help change your life. Making the decision to wake up earlier than usual and go for a run or to hit the gym can bring about fundamental positive changes in one’s life. It is also a source of motivation for you to lead the rest of your day.
It is not uncommon to find that most people are not motivated to get out of bed earlier than they need to before getting ready for work. That extra 30 minutes to 1hour before you have to get ready to go is enough to run, hit the gym or just get into one of these exercises which can leave you to feel more energized and ready to face your day.
Regardless of the exercise you choose, preparation is key to ensuring you get the best out of the training. High-intensity training is always perfect for morning exercises because one only has a couple of minutes and endurance training helps maximize the benefits achieved from these kinds of exercises.
Should you eat before a morning workout?
Most of us would prefer to just get up early, get into our gym clothes and jump into training without worrying about food. There are a couple of ways to deal with this; one can choose to eat a proper diet with the night before and then in the morning of the exercise, hydrate properly with a science-based hydration product containing a blend of healthy carbohydrates and electrolytes.
Also, make an effort to avoid eating greasy foods, vegetables or fresh fruit before going for an early morning workout to prevent stomach upset which can end up ruining your training and eventually your day.
Should you eat after a morning workout?
Recovery is also as important as the training itself. In order to enjoy the benefits and encourage progress, one will need to have a perfect plan in place for recovery and consistency. For a post-workout meal plan, you should have a diet rich in protein and simple sugars as they help in building muscles, and restoring lost energy to the body. Best time to eat after a great training would be about 30 minutes after and also in small portions.
Lunch Break Workout Routine
It may not be possible to find the time to train before work in the early mornings, especially for people who work so late and need enough time to rest. If this situation correctly describes your lifestyle, you can consider finding some time during lunch breaks to train. Although this can be quite challenging for many, I will be giving a few tips on how one can create a lunchtime training routine.
First, you will need to consider how much time you have for your lunch break and then split it between eating and training. In any case, you cannot hope to have a full lunch meal and then go on to train 15 minutes after; needless to say there is everything wrong with that strategy. However, we have to consider everything that is important for your workout and also after the training.
Eating for one should be done in the morning if you are planning to exercise later in the afternoon. It is a part of the preparation that must be taken very seriously because training on an empty stomach can put so much strain on the body and make one vulnerable to injuries as well as illnesses.
Evening Workout Routine
After a long day at work, finding time in the evening to work out can help a great deal in relieving stress. For some, it is can be the only time during the day when they can find an opportunity to hit the gym or go for a long training run. The weather is also usually favorable since the sun has set and the surroundings are most likely cool.
Having an evening workout routine gives you enough time to properly prepare yourself, eat well, rest before the training and also hydrate. Your lunch before the evening should be balanced and filled with the necessary nutrients that will help fuel your body for the task ahead. Also, you can consider snacking on healthy forms of carbohydrates, be it in gels or natural bars.
Do not forget to snack after your evening training to aid recovery while you sleep and also hydrate with water or a science-based hydration product to aid digestion.
