Here's What Time You Should Really Work Out Every Day
If you're going to go to the effort of working out, you want to make sure you're getting the most out of it that you can. And while any kind of exercise is better than no exercise, if you're serious about staying fit and healthy, experts believe that the time of day you choose to work out should be taken into consideration — ultimately, the benefits of working up a sweat in the morning far outweigh the benefits of getting your heart rate up in the afternoon (via Health).
First off, when you exercise in the morning, you're more likely to make better decisions for the remainder of the day. As Zack Daley, CPT, head coach at Tone House in New York City explained to Health, "When you start the day working on your health, you'll strive to maintain that healthiness." In other words, you'll probably reach for fruit rather than a pack of chips when you crave a snack.
According to Katherine Gundling, CPT, trainer at ICE NYC, "You'll also get a feeling of accomplishment knowing that you've made time for yourself first thing and have made your mental health a priority," she revealed to Health. When you exercise in the afternoon or at night, you obviously don't get to enjoy the endorphins (or mental clarity) for nearly as long.
When you exercise in the morning, your metabolism is at its peak
Another benefit of morning workouts is having an easier time with weight loss. If you tackle your exercise routine in the morning, especially on an empty stomach, then your body will be better able to burn calories. "In the early morning hours, you have a hormonal profile that would predispose you to better metabolism of fat," Anthony Hackney, a professor in the department of exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, explained to TIME.
Basically, working out shortly after you wake up means you "draw more of your energy from your fat reserves." Additionally, you may find yourself less hungry as the day goes on, and you could find your body clock resetting so you're more alert and awake in the mornings, which will make your future morning sweat session easier to bear as time goes by.