When is the Best Time to Exercise During the Day?

In the realm of fitness and well-being, one question that often surfaces is, "What is the best time to exercise?" As each of us tries to incorporate fitness into our bustling schedules, this question becomes not only one of health and wellness but also one of practicality.

While some fitness enthusiasts are early birds who like to conquer their workout before sunrise, others are night owls who prefer to save their exercise for the evening hours. As diverse as these preferences are, they all revolve around the search for the optimal time for physical activity.

So, let's dive into this long-standing debate - is it better to exercise in the morning or the evening? what are the pros and cons of morning and evening exercise?

Morning Exercise

Going to bed early and getting up early is said to be good for the body, and exercising in the morning seems to be the most accepted time for a workout.

1. Morning exercise is effective for fat loss. After an overnight fast, our bodies mainly rely on stored energy - fat - for fuel. Therefore, exercising on an empty stomach in the morning will indeed burn more fat. However, morning exercise also faces the issue of inadequate blood sugar supply, so the exercise should not be particularly intense.
2. Morning exercise can enhance work efficiency during the day. Yes, morning exercise can increase the metabolic rate for the entire day. Many people feel fresh and active all day after a morning run. This feeling is very evident when you first start exercising, but may noticeably decrease after several days. That's because the fatigue accumulated over several days bursts out, coupled with the lack of sleep from getting up early. If you start work at 8 AM and want to exercise early, you may need to get up at 5 AM. Therefore, you need to sacrifice some entertainment time the night before and go to sleep earlier. This is a significant reason why it's hard to stick to morning exercise. However, if you can smoothly pass this period and get your body used to this rhythm, the full-day energy state will return, and work efficiency will also be higher.

Evening Exercise

1. Evening exercise is easier to maintain. Especially for young people these days, many would rent a house near their company to sleep in a bit longer, even having breakfast on the go. Thus, it's more feasible to find time to exercise in the evening.
2. Evening exercise helps with sleep. Research shows that the body's fatigue will gradually become apparent 1-2 hours after exercise, making it an ideal time to go to sleep. Therefore, after a run, taking a shower and getting organized sets a perfect rhythm for sleep.
3. Evening exercise is also beneficial for weight loss. Compared to morning exercise, the weight loss capacity of an evening run is not inferior at all. A suitable dinner can allow those exercising at night to have better performance. As long as you don't have a meal after the exercise or get attracted to a barbecue stall, the weight loss effect is quite significant. If you're very hungry, fruits like apples and oranges are excellent choices.

Whether you choose the morning or evening, maintaining a consistent exercise routine at the same time will help make it a habit. If you only exercise once every few months and still ponder whether morning or evening is better, that is completely redundant. I'd suggest you might as well not exercise at all, as sporadic exercise not only lacks health benefits but also greatly increases the risk of sports injuries. Regardless of the type of exercise, without consistency, don't dream of seeing results.