We do dinner around 7, kids in bed by 8/830, typically work out 9-930. I go to bed around 1130/midnight and I typically fall asleep easily, although when the workout slides to after 10pm it sometimes makes it harder to fall asleep (I think).

I'm not a morning person so it's always been evening workouts for me.

Pre-kids, I would have dinner at the firm, come home around 9, go to the gym in my condo, and then shower before bed and do random stuff before sleeping around 11/11:30. The warm shower after working out was relaxing and I would fall asleep pretty easily.

I eat dinner with the family whenever that happens - usually between 6-7. Get kids in bed at 8:30/9. Work out, shower and bed by 11 or thereabouts.

I work out in the morning because evening workouts too frequently got canceled or interrupted by various things. That pattern was set when I had a child at home. Now as an empty nester, I prefer to work out in the morning before breakfast and probably won't ever change that. But I do Pilates or another core workout in the evenings a couple days/week, and I try to do that immediately after finishing work for the day and before eating. When there's enough daylight, I'll walk after dinner.

This works for me because I don't have any children at home or family commitments to interfere with the evening schedule. If you do, I think it's much harder.

I work out as soon as I leave work. Either 5:15, or a 5:30 class. Then go home and worry about dinner.

My kids are older teens now, so I'm back to forcing my workout as an important part of our schedule.

I work from home and wrap up with work and 10 yr old's after school activities around 5:30 or 6:00. Throw dinner together for the kids at 6:00 and sit with them but I don't eat -- maybe have a granola bar or a snack. I leave for the gym at 6:30, back at 7:45.

DH gets home around 6 or 6:30 and takes 13 yr old to his activities.

DH usually makes dinner for the two of us and we eat at 9:00 or so, after 10 yr old is in bed.

This only started working for us in the last 6 months or so, since the 10 year old can be left alone for short periods. DH goes to the gym two nights a week, I go the other two nights a week, and we both go Saturday and Sunday mornings.

I posted a similar question not that long ago. The answers varied a lot! So I basically have 2 hours between when my kids are asleep and when I need to be asleep. I really can’t do a high impact workout and still fall asleep ok but apparently some people can. I walk on the treadmill or do yoga, and go with the something is better than nothing philosophy on those days. I try to fit in two more intense workouts each week- I can usually manage one lunch time workout and one on the weekend. If my husband can put the kids to bed and I can start more like 3 hours before bedtime I will run, but need to know far enough ahead of time to keep dinner very light.

Pre-kids I worked out after work and that was great. Will do that again when my kids are older.

Thanks all, this is helpful.

I either have a snack and hop on the treadmill right after finishing work at 5 or 5:30, or I wait until an hour or so after dinner. I've had nights where I've done it as late as 10 pm, but I'm usually up until 12:30 or 1 anyway (not a morning person and could never exercise before work).

It helps to be old with an empty nest (I'm 50, younger kid is a college senior) and a spouse who does most of the cooking.
I also work from home every day but Friday and usually take that day off from working out (long commute)

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, f the rules. It's hard to work out. Do it when it works for you. If you don't like the feeling of being hungry while working out, or it makes you dizzy, don't do it. If you don't feel good working out after eating, don't do it. Trial and error - you might find your body doesn't care and you have tons of flexibility.

For me - dinner is at 7, kids go to bed at 8. Sometimes I rest for 30 minutes and work out at 9pm. Often there's other things I need/want to do first. I try to go to bed at 11 and go to sleep at 11:30, and I would say more than half the time, I'm starting my workout at 10:30pm or later. And often that's immediately following my evening snack. Whatever, it works for me.

PP to add that for me, and my body, it's fine working out right after eating, and I'm fine going to bed right after working out (though I always read in bed for 30 mins before lights out). But I can. not. workout hungry or even close to hungry.

Honestly, f the rules. It's hard to work out. Do it when it works for you. If you don't like the feeling of being hungry while working out, or it makes you dizzy, don't do it. If you don't feel good working out after eating, don't do it. Trial and error - you might find your body doesn't care and you have tons of flexibility.

For me - dinner is at 7, kids go to bed at 8. Sometimes I rest for 30 minutes and work out at 9pm. Often there's other things I need/want to do first. I try to go to bed at 11 and go to sleep at 11:30, and I would say more than half the time, I'm starting my workout at 10:30pm or later. And often that's immediately following my evening snack. Whatever, it works for me.

I just work out after I finish work. Come home, hydrate and catch my breath, then make dinner. As long as I'm moving and eating healthy I don't really worry about the tiny details.

For those whose who work out in the evening, how do you schedule it? I know there are all these rules about not working out too soon before OR to soon after eating, so how do you follow those and get an evening workout AND dinner in?