What's the best time to work out?

It’s a tricky question to answer as it needs a little context.

Are you a morning person or a night owl? When are your energy levels (and mood) highest? When is your diary free? All those answers, and your personal body clock, will influence whether you train in the morning, at lunchtime, or night.

Here are a few science-driven facts to help you decide.

Unsplash

1. You could burn more fat in a morning sweat session.

Even more so if you do it after fasting (on an empty stomach), but that’s not for everyone. Research also shows that regularly working out early in the morning creates a more effective training habit.

But that’s not all: there’s research to show that early bird sessions can help improve your sleep and can even reduce your appetite later.

The biggest negative about morning training: your body temp and heart rate is lower, so it takes longer to warm up properly. Oh, of course, there’s also having to get out of your warm bed. 

Getty Images

2. You’ll build more muscle and endurance working out in a later session.

Science shows that evening sessions are better for muscle growth, building strength, and developing your cardio fitness – which is better for your metabolism in the long run.

Your body is warmer and better primed for training, and hormones are on your side.

It’s also a brilliant way to destress after a long day. The downside: most people don’t have the time to train later, and if they do, some feel too tired to train effectively. 

3. There’s no wrong time to exercise.

It doesn’t really matter as long as you get the training session in. The first prize would be to keep the sessions at the same time, as then you’re building a strong habit that will keep you motivated and training.

Our tip? Make it easier by cutting out the gym commute or finding parking hassle. Even better, find a digital training plan that you can do at any time.

The Movement Empire has workout plans using just your bodyweight that you can do anytime, anywhere – you just need an exercise mat.

This article was originally published on The Movement Empire (TME).