Exercising at certain times can have a negative impact on your health. That is true. But often, the excuses we use are based in myth. The following will help you to ease into the routine and maximize the benefit.
As Soon as You Get Up
The belief is that you can pull a muscle or cause a heart attack by exercise in the morning. This is true to a degree. You should give your body time to wake up and to loosen up your muscles before you begin to exercise. But don’t let this deter you from your morning workout. Instead, stretch out your muscles and take your routine slow until you work yourself up to your routine. This gradual approach will ensure there aren’t any problems when you are working out.
Illness or Injury
This is true. You do not want to exercise when you are injured or ill. This increases the risk of increasing the injury you already have. You can also overtax your body when you are sick and this can prevent you from healing. Wait an extra day or two for your body to recuperate from an illness and wait until your doctor signs off on an injury before you head on back to the gym. Keep in mind that sore muscle and a headache, even nasal congestion, are not reasons for skipping the gym.
Evening and Right Before Bed
Yes, you can work yourself up into a state where you can’t sleep if you exercise at this time. That doesn’t mean you need to forgo working out if you accidentally made it to the end of the day. Any exercise is better than not exercising at all. If it is late in the day, focus on light activity, such as taking a walk, as this will still give you some exercise time for the day, without boosting your heartrate and blood flow that will keep you up all night.
So the next time you want to blame it on being a bad time to exercise, keep these things in mind. Then hit the gym and take care of your body.