When is the best time to exercise? This is a common question from exercisers. The answer is not the same for everyone, but I’ll try to make it clear. The answer depends on your goal, schedule and individual preference.
How Goal Affects Best Time to Exercise
In general, there is no exact best time to exercise unless your primary goal is weight loss or fat burning. In these cases, mornings have an advantage for two reasons:
- If you haven’t eaten since the night before, your blood sugar levels are at the most stable point that they will be all day, This is advantageous because when you exercise, your body generally uses sugar in the blood before it turns to stored glycogen and then body fat. By exercising before you add sugar to your blood, your body can skip the first step and get right to glycogen and fat.
- By exercising in the morning, you may elevate your metabolism for several hours throughout the day resulting in increased calorie burning during the day. Keep in mind that the intensity of your exercise must be high enough to cause this. Low intensity, aerobic exercise will have limited affect on your metabolism. See exercise for weight loss for more.
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How Your Schedule Affects Best Time to Exercise
Although the above statement is true, if we’re being practical, we should acknowledge that your schedule can trump it. Meaning, if you don’t have the time or energy to exercise in the morning, you won’t be as consistent as you should. Regular exercise during any time of the day is better than spotty exercise in the morning.
How Preference Affects Best Time to Exercise
It’s no secret that some people simply feel better in the morning than others. Some folks simply need more time to get going. If mornings aren’t good for you, you may be attempting the impossible by becoming a morning exerciser. Again, there’s what’s optimal and then there’s what’s practical. I suggest practical every time.
Summary
Only when your goal is weight loss or fat burning does time of day matter. In those cases, although mornings have a slight advantage, nothing is better than consistent exercise to achieve your goals. I recommend finding the time of day that works best for you and your schedule and make it consistent.