Early birds and night owls know a clear difference between morning and evening workouts. Early risers swear that getting in an early sweat energizes them for the rest of the day. On the other hand, the night owls say their late-night workouts are more effective in building muscle and burning fat.
So who’s right?
Is there a magical time of the day when your body responds better or worse to your workouts? Well, the answer, of course, is not so black and white. There are pros and cons to both sides of the coin, as with anything in life. Keep reading to see which time of the day might be best for your goals.
In one popular study published by the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers looked to see if working out before breakfast would make runners hungrier throughout the day, or calorie-burning machines. Half of the study’s participants were asked to run a treadmill before eating breakfast, which we’ve come to know as “fasted cardio.” The rest of the participants were asked to eat breakfast before their run.
After the workout, the participants’ food intake was monitored over the day, and it turned out that the sweat-before-breakfast group did not have larger appetites than their counterparts. In fact, the workout-first group consumed less than the other group before their workout and ate about the same amount as the other group throughout the day. Also, the first group burned 20% more fat than those who exercised after breakfast. So, score one for the early birds.
Conversely, research has also shown benefits for workouts done after the sun goes down. A study in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that strength workouts are more effective at night than in the morning for a few reasons.
First, at night, your body is less stiff and the muscles are more active. Therefore, the muscles can respond better to the pressures of an intense strength workout. Next, your anaerobic capacity (capacity to exert short bursts of energy rather than steady aerobic activity) is seven percent higher meaning the body can withstand a longer and tougher workout than in the morning hours. That’s a point for the night owls.
Further complicating the debate, researchers have also found that testosterone and growth hormone levels are highest in the morning, which means if you want to put on muscle, A.M. strength workouts could be more beneficial.
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Okay, so when should you hit the gym?
While the science still hasn’t resolved this debate one way or the other, trainers agree that the best timing for a workout depends on the individual. If you have a hectic job, demanding family, bustling social life, or all of the above, the morning might be the only time you can even fit in a workout. Although you may come to life at night, realistically, an evening workout just may not fit into your schedule.
If this sounds like you, skip the research, and turn on that alarm clock. Gradually start to wake up five minutes earlier each week until you are able to get at least 30 minutes of sweat before you start your day.
In the same vein, some people are not cut out for that early morning life. You may have tried and failed over and over. They have never, ever been able to sleep before 1 A.M.
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If this sounds like you, then work with what you got. You’ll be most successful by front-loading all of your responsibilities in the morning or afternoon, and hitting the gym after dinner if you have to. Don’t worry about not being able to sleep. Science has found working out in the morning or at night can help you fall into a deeper sleep. Just give yourself a couple of hours before bedtime for a good night’s sleep.
Alternatively, if the early morning is not a possibility for your exercise routine, you might consider a midday workout during a lunch break so that you don’t fall prey to after-work temptations like happy hour, or Netflix and chilling.
So, the answer to this ongoing debate is, to do what works for you. If your schedule allows you to get to the gym at the end of the day and this is when you feel most energized, then that’s the time for you. If you leave work with zero energy and constantly skip out on your post-work gym time, then a morning or even a midday workout is your best bet. The time of day when you can consistently block out 30 minutes to an hour is the time that is best for you, plain and simple.
What time do you prefer to work out? Tell us in the comments!
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
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