If you are simply not a morning person, you should exercise in the late afternoon. A fascinating study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that both strength and flexibility are usually at their highest levels in the late afternoon. Women who worked out in the morning lost more fat, while those who worked out in the evening gained more strength and strength in their upper body. For men, performance improvements were similar regardless of when they exercised.
Those who did this in the evening had a significant drop in blood pressure, among other things. On average, I lost more weight in weeks that I had mostly exercised before eating my one meal (I only ate one meal a day during my fasting days) than in weeks of completing my workout routine a few hours after eating. While exercising just before bed seems to interfere with sleep, exercising in the morning, afternoon, or early evening seems to have its own advantages and disadvantages. They can vary depending on the type of exercise and the result you want — whether you want to lose fat or build strength, for example. The team found that evening training for men was more effective than the morning routine, while results varied for women and different health outcomes improved with different training times.
But who would do that? The only right or wrong thing about exercise is the form of exercises that a person performs based on their fitness level and abilities. Set aside about a week or two for each workout to determine when you’ll enjoy the exercise more and how you’ll feel during and after your workout. The exact mechanisms “remain elusive,” the authors wrote, but “morning exercise is increasingly recognized as conducive to exercise adherence and weight management in overweight (and) obese individuals. Here’s what science says about the best time of day to work out and what to expect if you decide to train later.
If you want to get the best results from an exercise, or if you want to train at the highest possible intensity, the best time for you is when you experience the highest temperature during the day. If you develop the habit of exercising every day, no matter what, you will find a time of day to dedicate yourself to training. People who exercise in the morning feel very good about achieving the first, said Jack Raglin, an exercise psychologist and professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, previously TODAY. A morning sweat can also lead to better mental health and productivity throughout the day, as exercise is great for relieving stress.
Most people suggest exercising early in the morning as it allows for a healthy start to the day, but I prefer to exercise in the evening. Performance aside, the timing of exercise can provide powerful health benefits for men with type 2 diabetes or those at high risk for it. If you decide to exercise in the morning, take time to warm up properly, and if you decide to exercise in the afternoon, follow a routine. Such workouts on an empty stomach aren’t for everyone, even for diabetics who are undergoing insulin treatment and could increase their risk of hypoglycemia, said Javier Gonzalez, co-author of the study and senior lecturer at the University of Bath Department of Health, TODAY.
References:
- What's the Best Time to Exercise for Older Adults? – SilverSneakers
- This Is the Best Time of Day to Work Out, According to Science | TIME
