What’s The Best Time To Workout, According To Science

By  //  July 1, 2022

You’ve seen people going to the gym before they start their day, people in the gym in the evenings, and people in the gym at night too. So, you might wonder, what is the right time to work out? Today, we answer this question for you. We go into detail about different times of the day for workouts. If you’re interested, keep reading! 

How to Prep for Your Workout?

Before we talk about the best time to work out, let’s first discuss how exactly you prepare for a workout! Here are a few things you may do to get yourself ready for a fantastic workout session!

■ Involve some stretching

Stretching before a workout appears to be a no-brainer for a successful gym visit. However, you’d be amazed at how many people rush through or ignore this crucial stage. Stretching warms up the muscles and helps prevent soreness after a workout.

■ Eat the right food.

When it comes to pre-workout meals, carbohydrates and lean proteins are the greatest options. In the hour leading up to your workout, Mack suggests having a low-fat supper. Chicken, fish, Greek yoghurt, and a carbohydrate like sweet potato, rice, or beans are some of her favourites.

■ Consider taking a supplement.

If you’re new to exercise, adding a pre-workout supplement can be intimidating. Research has shown that consuming pre-workout supplements – in the work of a dedicated supplement or as a pre-workout meal – can be extremely beneficial if you have an intense or a long-duration workout. For training sessions that last 30 minutes or less, you won’t need to bother. But if you are going for a long run or have an hour-long intense weight lifting session in the gym, a pre-workout supplement will help fuel your efforts and assist you in getting the most out of your training.

Workout in the Morning

You’ve been fasting all night, and your body is deficient in fats. Sugar is scarce in your muscles. As a result, your body will be compelled to use fat reserves. As a result, if you exercise first thing in the morning before eating breakfast, you will burn more fat.

So, if you want to lose weight, reduce your fat intake, and exercise first thing in the morning to maximise fat loss. It also jumpstarts your metabolism, which remains boosted all day. This implies that you will not only burn fat throughout the day but you will also avoid intestinal issues.

However, if you want to improve your endurance, strength, or shape and build muscles, you should not exercise first thing in the morning. These activities need a significant amount of energy, which your body lacks first thing in the morning.

Never exercise on an empty stomach if you have diabetes or your blood sugar levels vary often. You can exercise first thing in the morning, but remember to consume a small, healthy snack first.

According to several studies, persons who exercise first thing in the morning have a better chance of sticking to a consistent training regimen. Working out early in the morning, as early as 7 a.m., according to a study published in the Journal of Physiology, may cause the body clock to change earlier. 

This means you’ll wake up feeling enthusiastic and aware, but you’ll be weary by the end of the day, perhaps priming you to get just enough sleep to wake up and repeat the process the next day. Exercising first thing in the morning also boosts productivity and improves mental health by reducing stress.

Workout in the Late Afternoon

You’ve had a meal and snacks throughout the day. That suggests you have plenty of energy and high cortisol and adrenaline levels. Your body will be capable of performing even the most strenuous exercises. So, if you’re doing strength training or preparing for a marathon or a hike, now is the time to do it.

A study says that our body temperature rises during the day and peaks in the late afternoon; the argument holds that our muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance do. There’s also the benefit of our reaction speed being the fastest and our pulse rate and blood pressure being greatest in the afternoon. All of this works together to increase athletic performance while potentially lowering the risk of injury.

You’re undoubtedly aware that testosterone is a vital hormone for men’s and women’s muscle growth and strength. Your body produces more testosterone during resistance exercise in the afternoon than during the same workout in the morning. Furthermore, the stress hormone cortisol, which has been associated with fat storage and accumulation and muscle atrophy, peaks in the morning and gradually lowers during the day.

Workout after Dinner

This may sound surprising, but working out after your dinner may not be a bad idea, especially for people who tend to be super busy during the day and for the night owls. 

If you want to get into the routine of working out after dinner, you need to remember to not work out immediately after having a heavy dinner. If you have heavy dinners, you must wait at least 2-3 hours before you can work out. A good solution here would be to inculcate a habit of early dinners. Otherwise, you can also try having light dinners for a good workout. 

Working out after dinner will help to relax all of your sore muscles. It will assist you in releasing all of your excess energy. You will be able to get a good night’s sleep due to this. There are also the standard advantages of decreasing weight and remaining fit.

Final Words

While we can’t tell for sure when the optimal time to exercise is, we know that it is critical to begin and maintain a programme. If you want to see any noticeable progress, you must be consistent with your workouts, whether they are done daily or numerous times a week. Making a plan and sticking to it will increase the likelihood of exercise becoming a habit for you. 

If you want to continue a regular exercise routine, avoid attempting severe or intricate workout regimens; the simpler the plan, the easier it will be to follow. Healthy and proper food is more vital than exercise, regardless of whether you aim to lose weight or gain muscle mass; without it, no exercise will affect you.