May 24

May 24 Your exercise appetite: Morning, midday or evening?

A lot of things come together to create the ‘ultimate’ workout regime. What are you going to do? Where are you going to do it? How often are you going to do it? Then, when you’re all set to get started, when are you going to do it??

Many of us live busy lives these days, and looking at your calendar without exercise can seem daunting as it is! So what’s the best time of the day to squeeze it in, to get the best bang for your buck? Let’s queue the most common answer in the history of answers...

It depends.

Specifically, it depends on what you’re wanting to get out of exercise. Below, we’ve broken down the research-backed benefits of exercising at different times of the day. Think of it as a menu of the different benefits - which one looks the most appealing to you and your circumstances??

Breakfast Menu (exercising first thing in the morning)

This is the most efficient time to burn fat stores due to lower carbohydrate stores and elevated circulating levels of various fat-enabling hormones

Exercising in the morning improves sleep as a result of stabilising and promoting a healthy, consistent circadian rhythm.
This is the best time to form good habits. Research suggests that positive habits formed in the morning are most likely to be sustained long-term compared to those formed at other times of the day.
Morning exercise also helps to wake up and energise you for the day!

2. Lunchtime or Afternoon Tea Menu (exercising midday / early afternoon)

This is the best time for endurance training - simply because you’ve got more fuel in the tank! A couple of meals in the bag means more energy to push yourself to levels that promote fitness-related benefits.
Exercise at this time helps to bust through the end-of-day slump. We all know that feeling you get when 2.00pm rolls around... Exercising around this time breaks up the day, and can help to re-energise and re-focus.
Research suggests that exercise at this time is best for muscle and strength gains, again because of circulating hormones - different ones to first thing in the morning, that help with muscle development.
Research also suggests that exercising at this time of the day can help with metabolic health - such as your blood glucose control, cholesterol control, and metabolism through the evening!

3. Dinner Menu (exercising at night)

This is the best time to relieve the stresses of the day - if you’re someone who finds it hard to switch off after a stressful day at work, a night time session may be worth considering!

Opposite to the morning time, research suggests that night time is commonly when bad habits are formed (think Netflix and ice cream…). For that reason, exercising at night can be the best time to help replace bad habits!
Keep in mind however that high-intensity exercise sessions in the evening can keep you up and energised later into the night! If you have trouble winding down at night, this time may not be the best time to exercise for you.

Different people may be better suited to different times of day, depending on whether you’re seeking aesthetic gains, athletic gains, the formation of positive habits or a reduction in stress.

With all of this considered however, the best time to workout is whenever you can. Even more so, whenever you can, consistently. After all, getting there in the first place is going to make the biggest difference!