Exercising Before and After dinner: Too Much?

Very, very few people in America exercise twice a day. Some choose to do it before and after work while others do it on both sides of their last meal in the day. What are the benefits to doing it the latter way? And are there any downsides to it as well?

PROS

1.) Extra High Metabolism - Since exercise increases the metabolism for a few hours after you get a double benefit from this program. With this you can essentially burn off all of the calories from dinner right away, way before bed time. As an American we like everything double than normal!

2.) Break-Up the Run - Everything is easier to accomplish in parts. Running eight miles is not nearly as daunting as running four miles twice about two or three hours apart. Time will pass quicker and you will be less likely to get burned out by breaking up the work out.

3.) Variance - With two exercise sets there is more opportunity for variance. Does your dog need a walk before dinner and your girlfriend wants a run after? No reason to choose one or the other; do both!

4.) Boosted Energy - A number of people find that exercising gives them extra energy. Thus, doing a second exercise later will have the added benefit of leftover energy from earlier. Three miles might be hard the first time around whilst it will be undoubtedly easier the second time around.

5.) Warm Up - It is also easier to jog when your muscles have been stretched. Doing a mile and then resting to do another mile means that the second mile will be vastly easier. This principle is taken to another scale with a full routine a while later.

CONS

1.) Too Much Work - There is such a thing as too much exercise. My old health professor used to say "Good things consistently, bad things in moderation." He did not say "Work out all the time." Consistent is far, far better than overdoing it.

2.) Motivation - Since motivation is a big factor in exercise it may be a bit hard to work out twice in a day. Doing it one time is more than enough for most people. Two may be asking too much from them.

3.) Time - Working out twice will also take a massive amount of extra time. As time is money this can be detrimental to some people. You either have the time or you do not; there is really no other way around it.

Is this work out plan for you?