Running Before Work:
Benefits:
- It helps your energy levels throughout the day; you will feel less tired in the morning, and your cup of coffee is waiting for you at lunch break to help you conquer the rest of the afternoon.
- It helps to burn fat throughout the day. Your metabolism is increased and you will continue burning additional calories over the course of the day. The benefits of this exercise vastly outlast the duration of it.
- Acts as a psychological boost and keeps your positives energy up for the day!
How to go about it:
- Remember to hydrate yourself before you sleep and in the middle of the night after you visit the toilet.
- Running any time before 7am would be recommended to avoid the mid morning heat. Though this may seem torturous early, it’s early about establishing a routine and prioritising your fitness.
- Have a light breakfast before the run and a proper breakfast after. A light breakfast could consist of two slices of bread or a bowl of cereal with milk.
- Always warm up thoroughly by jogging slowly for five minutes and doing the relevant lower body stretches.
- Run slowly and don’t go out hard. Your body is still adjusting to the workout after a night of rest.
Running After Work:
Benefits:
- Provided you don’t work till late and burn out all your energy, your body will be more ready for an evening workout. This is because energy levels are generally higher fro eating full meals throughout the day, and your nervous system will be better prepared after being awake engaged for the entire day.
- Having a run scheduled after work helps you to look forward to something, especially if it becomes part of a routine to keep fit. Besides, having the time to run or jog after work helps you destress and feel better about yourself after a long day.
How to go about it:
- Remember to hydrate sufficiently during work; always keep a water bottle by your side. Also have smaller and more frequent meals rather infrequent large meals. For example, have a light lunch and buy a serving of bread to have for tea.
- Start a running group! Invite some friends or colleagues to join you on runs and encourage each other along the way or talk about what has happened over the day during workouts. Running can be a great social tool as well.
- It is okay to go out harder and run faster for evening runs since your body is more ready for it. That being said, it still imperative to do the proper stretching and warm up before your workout!
While pursuing a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to know the limits of your body and prevent any injury. Running, being an impact sport, depends not only on your cardiovascular fitness but also the strength of your muscles and bones. Try not to run for consecutive days; have a rest day in between workouts for your body to adapt to the impact. A huge mistake that beginner runners make is that they go out too hard too soon, and end up injured for months afterwards. Challenge your body the right way!
On the other hand, if you find yourself procrastinating your runs or lacking motivation, just remember that our desire to pursue something depends on how we choose to prioritise it. If you respect your body and the goals you set for it, then a lack of time should never be an excuse. once you aim to prioritise running, don’t let any excuses stop you. The best time to run, then, may not be a matter of before or after work, or even about finding the optimal timeslot. The best time to run, is when you actually do it.
