After all those Christmas dinners and New Year’s Eve feasts, it is the time of the year whereby people making resolutions to hit the gym, to burn fat and stay healthy.
However, in order to achieve this resolution, it is important to find a consistent and realistic workout schedule. If you are still struggling to set one, then you should know that timing is just one of the factors that affect your work out performance.
Best time to work out for weight loss? Morning.
If your objective is to lose weight then you should workout in the morning.
A research published by British Journal of Nutrition shows that those who work out in the morning on an empty stomach able to burn up to 20% more body fat, which is much easier to achieve in the morning compared to night time.
Our blood sugar levels tend to be lower in the morning, therefore if you have not eaten before your workout, your body will look for other energy sources which your stored body fat for its fuel.
Moreover, your fat-loss hormones also known as cortisol are at high levels in the morning. While you are exercising, your cortisol will speed up your metabolism hence allow you to burn off extra body fat compared to night time.
Weight loss aside, another reason why we choose to workout in the morning is because it kind of serve as a way to kickstart your day. Besides that getting your workout done first thing in the morning means you won’t have to think about it for the rest of the day. Cedric Bryant, the chief science officer of the American Council said, “If you work out before your day distracts you, your chances of exercising regularly go way up.”
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Work out for performance? Afternoon.
Not to say that working out later in the afternoon does not help in weight loss, afternoon workout sessions able to give you better performance compared to working out in the morning.
Your body muscles are more flexible and less stiff during the late afternoon because your body is more warmed up. That being said, the working out in the late afternoon increases metabolism as well as the amount of fat you burn.
Reduce Risk of Injury
While your body temperature normally increases throughout the day, your body muscle strength and endurance will raise in the late afternoon. All of which combine together to perform your workout efficiently while minimizing the overall chance of injury.
Relax and Chill
A study carried out at the Clinical Research Center of the University of Chicago found that people who go to the gym after work tend to achieve a higher degree of fitness compared to early bird exercisers. Besides that, going to the gym after work is also a good way to unwind and relax. When you are working out your body releases endorphins in the brain, which helps to relax body muscles and relieve tension.
Final Verdict
As you can see from the comparison, working out in the morning or night does not really matter, the answer depends on your goals.
Just make sure that you set a realistic workout schedule that you could commit to. As long as you are willing to live a healthy lifestyle, any time is a good timing to work out.
– Cover Image: popsugar.com
Also Read: Get In Shape While Snacking
