Workout schedules

[GatorStyle]

I'm curious as to when and how often the guys in this forum manage to get to the gym.  I'm most interested in what time of day for those of you out in the working world.  

Obviously, schedules change big-time as between, say, college and the working world, as I have been lifting through both of those. With my current work-schedule and other obligations, I'm able to get to the gym 3-4 times per week, about 1-1/2 hrs. each visit.  Back in college, I could work out far longer and more often, usually 5-7 times per week, at my convenience.

The problem now is during the work-week, I can only get to the gym most days at about 9:15-9:30 or so, and I stay until 11-11:30.  I can't go right to sleep, so its another hour or two before I get to bed.  Then i'm up early and off to work.  Does anyone else have a similar schedule?  Or do you prefer very-early-morning or mid-day (lunchtime) workouts during the week. For me, I can't see doing either of those.  I'm curious to hear different opinions on what works best for them.  Thanks, boys.

 

[Michael]

The problem with working out at night:

When you do a very intense workout (strength building, not cardiovascular), you should eat a huge, protein-filled meal right after you work out to help build mass. Then, two hours later, you should eat another meal, probably regular size. I don't have the discipline to work out on a regular basis, but my friend who is competive in bodybuilding started this way and he got huge really quickly. Even if your goal isn't mass, but tone, have a pretty big meal right after you work out and then focus on stretching for a good hour or hour and a half, with plenty of protein, (natural peanuts are good) and you'll see very good definition begin. Of course, if you're an evening person and not a morning person, you won't reach your full potential working out in the morning, so evenings in that case would be better, but that's the only thing I can thinkg of that would make night workouts better than morning.

 

[GQ Lawyer]

The best way to burn fat is to workout on an empty stomach. Therefore, I am in the gym at 5:30 every morning. This way, my workout is over before my day begins (lift 5:30 - 6:45, run from 6:50-7:15) and I cannot spend my day inventing excuses to skip an evening workout.

 

[BuddahLax]

The best way to burn fat is to workout on an empty stomach

This is absolutely correct.

However I sit on ****** all day long satring at this computer so I like to go do my cardio at lunch, around 11am-12pm. I lift everyday Monday through Saturday (alternating bodyparts) around 6:30 to 8pm.