Gym? Before or after dinner?

[Anonymous]

DH and I are trying to get back into a routine at the gym. We can’t decide which of these options will be more attractive and help us stick with it. We’d ideally like to be going 2-3 times a week M-F (we plan to go at random times S-Su).

We have two teens, but they are home from any after school activities around the time I get home from work at 4pm. DH rolls in around 5pm.

Plan A is to have dinner around 6pm and then head to the gym at 6:30, and work out for around an hour and a half.

Plan B is to head to the gym as soon as DH gets home, work out for an hour and a half, and get home (6:30) and prepare dinner.

While it sounds nice to just get it done right at 5pm (Plan B), getting home and having to prepare dinner at 6:30 sounds awful.

On the other hand, will we hate getting back from the gym at 8pm and then basically heading to bed soon after?

(Please don’t suggest we go before work—we tried it before and found it too stressful and rushed and we didn’t stick with it. We aren’t morning people.)

[Anonymous]

We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

[Anonymous]

Why do you and DH need to go together? I’d drive to the gym straight from work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you and DH need to go together? I’d drive to the gym straight from work.

It’s something we want to do together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

I didn’t factor in drive time. Also I do weight lifting every other day.

[Anonymous]

Definitely before dinner. You don’t want to work out with full stomach and exercising too close to bed might negatively affect your sleep, particularly if you do any cardio or higher intensity stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

Gee, are you doing that now? No? So it's not pointless. The problem with newbs is that you come in all fast and furious, burn yourselves out, and then give up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

Gee, are you doing that now? No? So it's not pointless. The problem with newbs is that you come in all fast and furious, burn yourselves out, and then give up.

Yes, I do work out from home but I’d like more variety. I’m far from a “noob”.

It’s wild to me that you think an hour of exercise, twice a week is too much. For this reason alone, I don’t think I need or want your advice. But thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

Gee, are you doing that now? No? So it's not pointless. The problem with newbs is that you come in all fast and furious, burn yourselves out, and then give up.

Yes, I do work out from home but I’d like more variety. I’m far from a “noob”.

It’s wild to me that you think an hour of exercise, twice a week is too much. For this reason alone, I don’t think I need or want your advice. But thank you!

An hour of exercise twice a week is not too much, but shitting on someone else's workout schedule as "pointless" when apparently you aren't in optimal fitness is risible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

Gee, are you doing that now? No? So it's not pointless. The problem with newbs is that you come in all fast and furious, burn yourselves out, and then give up.

Yes, I do work out from home but I’d like more variety. I’m far from a “noob”.

It’s wild to me that you think an hour of exercise, twice a week is too much. For this reason alone, I don’t think I need or want your advice. But thank you!

An hour of exercise twice a week is not too much, but shitting on someone else's workout schedule as "pointless" when apparently you aren't in optimal fitness is risible.

You are imagining your own narrative. I have been working out consistently for years. I’m just trying to decide on a routine that will work best for family life. I in no way, shape, or form, suggested that I’ve never worked out on my own before. But I question someone who thinks you can get in a solid and effective cardio/weightlifting routine in just 15 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Before dinner. Because it’s uncomfortable working out on a full stomach and fixing up dinner and cleaning up dinner makes a nice excuse for not going to the gym because you’re running late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go before dinner. Once we get home we aren’t as likely to go back out. And we really don’t like to work out after a meal. We also don’t stay for 1.5 hours. That’s a huge commitment.

I used to be a morning person but job and life changes changed that too.

I factored in drive time. I’m curious, are you doing cardio and weightlifting? How does it not take you at least an hour?

DP. Split the time in half. Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. How many days a week are you going?

That would be 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weightlifting. That’s sort of pointless.

Gee, are you doing that now? No? So it's not pointless. The problem with newbs is that you come in all fast and furious, burn yourselves out, and then give up.

Yes, I do work out from home but I’d like more variety. I’m far from a “noob”.

It’s wild to me that you think an hour of exercise, twice a week is too much. For this reason alone, I don’t think I need or want your advice. But thank you!

An hour of exercise twice a week is not too much, but shitting on someone else's workout schedule as "pointless" when apparently you aren't in optimal fitness is risible.

You are imagining your own narrative. I have been working out consistently for years. I’m just trying to decide on a routine that will work best for family life. I in no way, shape, or form, suggested that I’ve never worked out on my own before. But I question someone who thinks you can get in a solid and effective cardio/weightlifting routine in just 15 minutes.

It doesn't matter when you do it because if you are crowdsourcing this kind of thing, you won't stick to it.