Exercise in the morning for better weight loss… A black coffee is the best pre-workout breakfast… Hit the gym during your lunch hour to avoid the post early afternoon crash… There’s a myriad of myths that, depending on who you talk to, are the ‘golden rules’ of the most productive exercise.
Well… We’ve got one thing to say about that.
Ignore them…
OK, perhaps not completely. But when it comes down to when exactly is the best time to exercise, the reality of the answer is, ‘when it feels right for you’.
But…. (yeah, there’s always a but). It seems that there is some scientific evidence coming to light that you might want to consider when working out the right exercise profile that fits your lifestyle.
Morning workouts
It’s likely you’ve heard that morning workouts burn more fat. The reason (apparently) is that if you haven’t eaten your body doesn’t have any easy fuel to burn. Therefore the body needs to break down fat to create the necessary energy.
Sounds believable, huh?
Well, when you dig deep, there really doesn’t seem to be any current evidence to support this theory.
However, according to various sources, including study from the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA, the body’s hormonal profile in the morning (higher levels of growth hormone and cortisol) predisposes to better metabolism of fat. And this is whether you’ve had a cuppa and a slice of toast (or whatever) before exercise or not.
In addition, an early workout can, in some cases, mean less of an appetite throughout the day, which can also have an impact on knocking off those unwanted pounds.
Morning exercise might also have the following positive effects:
- It can shift the body clock: Meaning you get tired earlier, get better rest overnight, and therefore wake earlier with more energy ready for your next morning workout.
- Stress reduction: A sweaty workout can lead to reduced stress levels, better mental health and therefore productivity throughout the day.
Sounds good, right? But what if you’re the kind of person that simply doesn’t have the motivation to workout in the morning? Well, don’t sweat it. Because although these benefits sound great, for every study that seems to prove they’re true, there’s another that completely debunks the theory.*
So that leads us to the benefits of working out later in the day.
Lunchtime and afternoon workouts
The one big positive about working out at this time of day is that you’ve eaten food during the hours before. This means you’ll have a higher blood sugar, and therefore more ready fuel (AKA energy) ready to burn. And this is hugely advantageous, especially if you’re looking at a more intense workout.
In addition, such workouts can:
- Avoid that end of day crash: Or that post-lunch sleepiness that blights so many of us
- Shifts your body clock forward: Pretty much as effectively as working out in the morning
- Helps you to refocus: Meaning a more productive afternoon and evening
- Burn more calories during your workout: Now, this is inconclusive, but a preliminary paper published in the Journal of Physiology suggests that your body might burn up to 10% more calories working out in the afternoon
Evening exercise
There’s some evidence, especially if you want to push weights and build muscle, that training later in the day could mean slightly enhanced results. This might be because the hormonal levels within the body are more primed for such exercise. However, many people worry about late workouts because it might prevent them falling asleep.
But for most people, as long as you’re not working out, showering and going straight to bed then it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Indeed, because exercise is great at reducing stress levels, timed right it can even aid the sleep process.
The bottom line
To be honest, the most important aspect of exercise is that you actually do it. And it doesn’t really matter when. In short, get your workouts in whenever feels right for you. If you’re an early bird then fill your boots at first light. But if you’re a night owl, then there’s little to no evidence to say that working out at this time is any less effective.
Bailey Fitness Gyms in WA can assist with the best workouts to fit in with your lifestyle, no matter what time of day you like to work out. And another massive advantage is that our expert staff can help you devise a program that’ll not only get results, but will keep you fired up and motivated thanks to different types of exercise. And we all know that genuinely keeping to a fitness regime is all about that vital desire to exercise. Find out more at baileyfitness.com.au and discover options for morning, lunchtime and evening training that’ll easily slot into even the busiest of lifestyles.
