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Although it’s not uncommon to see people at the gym or outside running at all times of the day—morning, afternoon, evening, and seemingly absurd hours—one might wonder if there is an ideal time to work out. Multiple studies have found that women often benefit more from exercising in the morning, while men experience improved metabolic health, including better insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control, when they work out in the afternoon.

Regardless of when one chooses to exercise, there are plenty of benefits, and individuals have their own reasons for when they choose to fit their workouts into their daily schedules.

When Dallas resident and White Rock Running Co-op member Aaron Byrkit began working from home during the pandemic, running at lunchtime became much more appealing, as he didn’t worry about needing to shower immediately. Because he still lives the work-from-home life most days, he has continued running in the afternoon.

“One reason I prefer to run midday is that I don’t have to get up any earlier than usual, and it’s a nice break from work rather than after the work day is over, and work has taken much of my energy,” he said. “I get up in the morning on Saturdays to do my long runs. That does take some motivating. The motivation usually comes from looking forward to the feeling of accomplishment, and that once I’m done, I’ll still have most of my Saturday to look forward to.”

For some individuals, such as Dallas-area resident and Brooks ambassador Kyle Burnett, working out once a day isn’t always enough. Burnett usually runs in the morning and plans for weights or cross-training workouts at lunchtime or in the evening after work, and he said it doesn’t take much to get the energy he needs.

“The easiest motivation is a dry scoop of pre-workout about 30 minutes beforehand,” he said. “When those jitters start, there is no going back.”

Dallas-area resident Jen Frankmann, who ran in the marathon Olympic Trials in 2020, finds that mid-morning runs suit her current lifestyle, as they allow her to drink coffee and eat breakfast, making her feel better each time she laces up her shoes and hits the pavement.

“I used to run early every morning before eating or drinking anything, and I just have a harder time doing that nowadays,” she said. “If work allows, I’ll do it after school drop-off for my kiddos. But if meetings prevent that, then I just block a slot on my work calendar for sometime in the morning before lunch.”

Those earlier workouts before the end of the workday allow Frankmann to prioritize what matters most to her: her husband and two children.

“I can almost never motivate myself to do it after work,” she said. “That would take me away from family dinnertime, and I just can’t sacrifice that.”

Dallas resident Becca Finke, who runs with the WRRC, is one of those athletes many people think is crazy, as she often runs before the sun even thinks about rising.

“I love getting up early and starting my day off with a workout,” she said. “Not only does it get it out of the way for the rest of the day, but it also wakes me up and clears my head for the day. I go into work in a much happier and prepared mood if I work out in the morning.”

In addition to feeling energized and better overall, there’s another strong factor that gets Finke up and running in the mornings.

“All you have to do to motivate yourself to work out in the morning in Texas after April,” she said, “is think about how hot it will be if you try to run outside after work.”

There are twice as many kangaroos as there are humans in Australia. The kangaroo population is estimated to be approximately 50 million.

When an individual becomes a bit angry or more irritable as the result of needing food, he or she is experiencing a real condition that many people battle on a daily basis: hanger. When one is hangry, that person is not the only one impacted, as he or she has the potential to take those feelings out on anyone and everyone in sight.

Dallas-area resident Jenna Hutt said hanger hits her at least once a week, causing her to become easily irritated and annoyed—a struggle for which she can only guess the reason.

“I think it’s probably partly personality, but scientifically, it likely has something to do with a drop in blood sugar or something,” she said.

Dallas resident Drew Mbiam said he is essentially hangry all day every day. He blames running for much of his situation.

“Marathon training makes my stomach a bottomless pit that no meal can fill,” he said.

And the symptoms he experiences are similar to those of an infamous Marvel character.

“Green skin, enlarged muscles, tiny ripped clothes, and shrinking vocabulary,” he said. “Alternatively, I could experience irritability, loss of focus, and a willingness to argue with anyone. People worldwide battle hanger every day. It is the real evil out there—when people are hangry, bad things happen that can’t be fixed by grabbing a Snickers.”

Dallas resident Alfonzo Gonzalez Jr. (a.k.a. “Fonz”) said he typically becomes hangry every Tuesday and Thursday, exhibiting symptoms such as a growling stomach, low energy, crankiness and edginess, and more easily losing focus.

“It’s a struggle for some people due to busy lifestyles/work on-the-go,” he said. “The more you wait to eat, the more you get hangry and annoyed with people.”

Dallas-area resident Morgan Fritz, who experiences hanger almost every day in the form of jitters and not feeling like herself, said one can more likely avoid the hangry state by having a food schedule.

“The hours that are the hardest for me are between 9ish and 11:30ish, but if I eat like twice in that span, I can do OK,” she said. “So, I would recommend having a set eating schedule.”

For Fonz, he simply realized he needs to have snacks nearby at all times and recommends others who suffer from hanger to do the same.

“It will reduce hanger until you eat a meal,” he said. “This helps me on days when I’m busy and don’t make time to eat. Someone can be a hero by offering me a snack, just like in a Snickers commercial.”

Dallas-area resident Kayla Wood knows the snack life all too well. While the benefit is for her, the snack is not—it’s for her often hangry fiancé.

“I always keep a Clif Bar in my purse now,” she said. “For a child, you ask? No, for the grown man.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

Happy 41st anniversary to NatNews dear readers Tamra + Kevin Roberts

Tuesday, May 23: World Crohn’s and Colitis Day; Stars vs. Golden Knights at the AAC (Game 3)
Thursday, May 25: Stars vs. Golden Knights at the AAC (Game 4)
Saturday, May 27: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint: Best Night Ever — Taylor’s Version at Granada Theater
Sunday, May 28: To Kill a Mockingbird at Music Hall at Fair Park