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THIS is the best time to exercise!

Are you always struggling whether you should plan your work-out in the morning or evening? This is your guideline!

By Emma SmithPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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THIS is the best time to exercise!
Photo by Derick McKinney on Unsplash

To me, it has always been a big question in my work-out routine. When is the best time to exercise? I read all these theories about how working out in the early morning is the best, but the next day I read about how working out in the evening has many more pros. Today, we are going to find out for real.

Many people work-out simply when they have a gap in their busy schedule, for some this will be in the evening, or afternoon or the morning. Others feel they can work-out more effectively in a particular part of the day. These two factors influence people's opinions of when to work-out, but what is actually the best time, looking at our body?

One notion is to base our work-out scheduling on circadian core body tempature cycles, considering that research have shown that diurnal peak performances patterns tend to follow similar curves. Based on the data, we should train when our bodies are the warmest, which is rougly during 4 to 7 PM. But the thing is, findings have shown that these strength and aerobic performance patterns can be heavily influenced by adaptions to temporal specificity. Which means, to achieve the greatest performance improvements, it's best to always schedule your work-out around the same time of day. This is especially imperative for competitive athletes.

So, as our first conclusion: train around the same time everyday.

But this cannot be said about muscle growth, only about performance. In the morning, testosterone levels are higher which makes the morning superior when focussing on muscle growth. I can hear you think, why the morning? Why can't I just stay in my bed? Well, here are some benefits on working out before eating your breakfast:

1. After working out, people are more likely to make healthier food choices throughout the whole day.

2. Your alertness is increased. Cortisol is a hormone that keeps you awake and alert. It’s often called the stress hormone, but it only causes problems when there’s too much or too little of it. If you have a healthy circadian rhythm, your body might be more primed to exercise at this time.

3. Regular exercise is excellent for boosting energy and reducing fatigue. When you work out, oxygen and nutrients travel to your heart and lungs. This improves your cardiovascular system, endurance, and overall stamina. By exercising early, you may feel more energized throughout the day.

4. Physical activity also improves focus and concentration, regardless of when you do it. But if you have trouble focusing during the day, a morning workout might be just the ticket.

5. Early workouts may be best for losing weight, according to a small 2015 study published in EBioMedicineTrusted Source. In the study, 10 young men exercised in the morning, afternoon, and evening over separate sessions. The researchers found that 24-hour fat burn was highest when they exercised in the morning before breakfast.

6. In general, exercise helps regulate your appetite by reducing ghrelin, the hunger hormone. It also increases satiety hormones, like peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1. In the morning this helps even further.

7. Getting an early workout might be just what you need to get a good night’s rest. The same 2014 study in Vascular Health and Risk ManagementTrusted Source demonstrated that adults got better sleep on the days they exercised at 7 a.m. After the morning workout, the participants spent more time in deep sleep and experienced fewer nighttime awakenings. It also took them less time to fall asleep.

To conclude, listen to your body and do what you think is right, with the point above in mind.

fitness
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About the Creator

Emma Smith

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