Most of you having probably wondered at some point, and/or even asked as some point “what time of day is the best to exercise?” As a Fitness Professional, I’ve got to say this is most definitely on my list of top 10 questions asked by clients. The answer: It’s not that simple. Is there a definitive answer? Yes. However, I’ll get down to the brass tax of it all to show you why it truly doesn’t matter.
People are always trying to find the easiest, most surefire way to lose weight. They want a magic pill, a food, a piece of equipment, or even the right time of day-to give them the edge to finally lose the extra weight they've been carrying around.
Most trainers are happy with the fact that their clients do cardio anytime outside of training at all, and almost all will live with the motto do cardio “whenever you get a chance.” Most fitness professionals agree the difference in calorie burn between morning and afternoon workouts is minimal and want a client to pick a time to work out that is best for them to be consistent. ACSM (known as the Gold Standard for Fit Pro’s & Exercise Rx) recommends cardiovascular exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity more than five days per week and 30 to 60 minutes a day, with no time of day is specified. Some clients feel great in the morning and are able to get up early and get that workout in before starting the rest of their day, but some clients hit their stride in the late afternoon to early evening. Ultimately it doesn't matter. As long as you consistently incorporate exercise into your daily routine, and adhere to the ACSM's guidelines, you will be successful in your weight loss efforts.
So back to the question at hand: “When is the best time to workout?”
It may sound like an easy question, but there is actually a lot of debate over this issue. There are pretty much two opposing schools of thought. Some people believe that a morning workout is the way to go while others swear by working out late in the day. And there appear to be pros and cons to both ways of thinking. One thing that is generally agreed upon however is that the best time is when you can fit it into your busy day.
Now, it seems to be a widely held belief that it is best to workout first thing in the morning. People seem to respond well to morning workouts and there is some research evidence that shows that more people will exercise more consistently in the morning. There are several factors that may contribute to this:
- There are a lot fewer distractions in the morning
- It is easy to free up the time just by getting up earlier
- Morning workouts get you blood flowing and increase your energy level
- Increased blood flow to the brain raises your mental awareness (you feel smarter)
- Increased blood flow to the brain raises your emotional levels (you feel happier)
- Lower glycogen levels after fasting force your body to burn fat instead of all the food you have eaten during the day
- It can be difficult to focus on, or commit to a workout later in the day after dealing with a hard days work and all of the drama that includes
All in all, a vigorous morning exercise routine can be easier to adjust to and just makes you feel good to face your day. So now, you may be thinking that you should definitely hit your workouts first thing. However, there are a few drawbacks to early workouts. These include:
- Low body temperature when you first wake up
- Decreased levels of blood flow in the morning could lead to more muscle injuries
- Decreased blood flow also makes you feel tired and listless so it can be hard to get started if you just are not a morning person.
- Lower glycogen levels after fasting also contribute to the tired feeling
- Increased blood flow and body temperature in the afternoon increases your strength and endurance for training, leading to better results
- Working out later in the day can lead to better, deeper sleep
Here are some examples of when people typically fit cardio into their daily routines:
· First thing in the morning
· During the middle of the day, maybe during the lunch hour
· After dropping the kids off at school
· Before bed
· Directly after a weight training workout
· Before a weight training workout
The bottom line: No matter when you choose to workout, you will receive those benefits. Get moving and you will get results.
To lose weight, physicians, dieticians and fitness professionals all agree that you need to move more and eat less. Food equals calories going into your body, and exercise burns them. When these two factors are equal, your weight will be maintained. If you begin putting more calories in than you are putting out, you gain weight. And obviously, the opposite is true.
If your goal is permanent fat loss, you need to burn enough calories to make a significant impact. Here's why: In order to lose a pound in one week, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit; in other words, you need to burn off 3,500 more calories than you eat. A 30-minute power walk on flat ground burns about 120 calories. So, to burn off 1 pound of fat by walking, you'd have to hoof it for more than 2 hours a day.
Don't worry, nobody would suggest that you exercise two hours every day J! The best way to lose fat is to create a calorie deficit by burning calories through exercise and cutting calories you eat. For example, over the course of a week, you may cut 250 calories per day by switching from mayo to mustard on your sandwich at lunch and snacking on light yogurt instead of Fruit-on-the-Bottom. Meanwhile, you could burn an extra 250 calories a day by taking a one-hour walk or a half-hour jog.
Cardiovascular exercise is only one part of a weight-loss plan. You also need to revamp your eating habits and embark on a weight-training program. Also, keep in mind that losing weight is not as easy as it sounds on TV diet commercials. It takes a lot more commitment than just drinking that delicious shake for breakfast. And it takes time.
It doesn’t matter what time of day you get your cardio workout in. You are always burning calories every time, as long as you put in a good effort.
BUT, what you want to know is, which of those times is the most effective?
In a two-part answer, both. Essentially the term “workout” can mean a few different types of training and are therefore, not completely accurate.
Basically Cardiovascular training produces more of a benefit in the morning, and strength training produces more of a benefit in afternoon workouts. How large of a difference in benefit does the time of day make? Literally less than 1% and up to 2% difference in results VS time.
Below is a brief explanation of both cardio & strength training in relation to the time of day concerns:
· Cardiovascular Training-Best Time of Day?
o Morning(a.m.)
o Why?
§ When you do cardio first thing in the morning, you haven’t had a chance to eat anything for the last 7-8 hours. You were sleeping. When your body sees that there aren’t many carbohydrates to burn as fuel, it goes directly to body fat stored throughout the body to get that fuel. You want to get rid of body fat, right? Well, why not give yourself every opportunity to make that happen.
§ When you do your workout some other time during the day, not first thing in the morning, you spend most of that time burning off carbohydratess that you have eaten all day long. But, when you do it first thing in the morning, there aren’t many carbohydrates to burn. So all that your body can burn is body fat!
§ By raising your heart rate for cardiovascular exercise first thing in the morning & beginning to burn fat & calories at such an early point in your day, essentially-you’re setting the tone for your body’s metabolism for the rest of the day. Not only for your training metabolism, but also for your basal metabolism rate (BMR). This way, your metabolism will remain somewhat elevated for the duration of the day, & thus burning calories at a much higher rate while you’re just sitting at work all day!
· Resistance Training-Best Time of Day?
o Afternoon (p.m.)
o Why?
§ Very simple-
§ If 76% of muscle recovery & body recovery happens when you sleep, then obviously the closer to “sleep time” your training-the more likely your body is to recover & rehab more efficiently.
§ Also, by training in the afternoon your are far less likely to overuse the same muscle group(s) used during your strength training that day. If you did your strength training in the morning, then had to go to work & use those same muscle groups throughout the day, it wouldn’t be long before you started feeling cramps & very much over-fatigued.
CONCLUSION:
The truth is, everybody's body is different! And everyone's body will perform best at different times of the day. As long as you warm-up, stretch, eat, and workout properly, you will do fine no matter what time of day you workout! Are there differences in the amount of calorie burn & benefits associated with training in the morning VS training in the afternoon? Yes;However, the difference or increase/decrease of benefits associated with the time of day the workout is performed is literally so minimal, you won’t notice it.
The most important factor to yourself & your trainer(if you have one) is to pick a time when your schedule & availability doesn’t come into question.Where you can pencil your workout into your book & leave it there, no questions or excuses possible.
So when is the best time to workout? The answer is there is no correct answer. It is going to different for everyone. The best advice is to try exercising at different time throughout the day and see what works best for you. You should try a routine for at least a week or two though, and just see how you feel. This will allow your body’s rhythms to adjust to your new routine and you can get an accurate picture of how you will feel. There is one more consideration to think of though. If you are training for a specific activity, you should definitely adjust your workout time to when that activity takes place. This way, when it is time for your event, your body will be expecting to work out and you will perform at the top of your game.
So there you have it! Regardless of when you train, there are only two types of people in this world: Trained & Untrained! Which are you?
Keep it fit!
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