I've been working out regularly in the mornings(wake at 4:45, at the gym by 5:05) for a month now after years of doing it in the afternoons/early evenings... several things I've noticed:
Benefits
- I eat better throughout the day, since I don't want to ruin the good workout day with bad food
- I am more awake and vigorous at work
- I do not skip workouts, it's become the priority of my day since it's the first thing I do
- I feel generally healthier, and happier throughout the day
- A LOT less crowded, I rarely have to wait for squat racks/bench press stations as I did in the afternoons
Drawbacks
- I probably am not working out QUITE as hard as I did in the afternoons (not enough to notice though)
- The first 5 minutes of the morning is tough to get around (but it always was anyways)
My Conclusions
I'll never go back to working out in the afternoons, for my personal taste it fits perfectly to workout in the mornings. I never would have thought so a couple months ago, but the day just seems better generally. It allows me to put working out first, and no matter how late I have to stay at work, how tired I am, or what emergencies come up I've already worked out so it won't ever be skipped.