Are results the same regardless of when I work out?
Recent results of a new study showed that the results of a 12-week exercise routine were different, depending on whether participants exercised in the morning or in the evening.
They found some very interesting outcomes that are different between men and women!
Whereas women who trained in the morning lost more fat, women who trained in the evening gained more strength and power. But for men? Performance improvements were pretty must the same regardless of the time of day of their workouts but those who exercised in the evening had other benefits, such as dropping their blood pressure. Fascinating, right?
This study isn’t alone in finding that the time of day matters to the outcomes of your workout, not just in terms of losing fat or gaining strength, but also in cardiovascular health, emotional health and more.
A study from a few years ago showed that men exercising between 3 and 6 pm saw significant improvement in their blood sugar management than men who worked out in the morning. They also lost more fat, even though every participant was following the same exercise programme.
Conclusion
In reality, the answer to the question of when to exercise depends on your goals. Ultimately, exercising at all is infinitely better than not exercising so the answer for many of us is simply, “whenever we can make it happen”.
With busy lives and commitments, the most important thing is finding a routine that works. There is no point trying to work out in the mornings if you can’t sustain the programme. But if you have a choice, think about the research outcomes and connect those with your goals.
Are you a woman looking to lose fat? Get that morning workout in! Are you a man with type II diabetes? Work out in the afternoon to early evening.
All exercise is good exercise and you will achieve your goals with consistency and a positive mindset.
I have gained some weight and have been trying to shed some, this will definitely help me know that mornings are the best for fat loss and once I reach my desired size I will switch to evenings for endurance and power building. Was age taken into consideration when conducting this study?
After one month of going to the gym and doing regular physical activities, i feel better in myself and also i can manage stress and anxiety better.
Great stuff!
I am a man with type II diabetes and I was so glad to find out that working out in the afternoon to early evening would benefit me the most.
I started the year determined to fetch my body after having a baby last year. With a baby and a busy life, mornings made sense to me because then my husband can watch the baby while I work out. I have been at it now for almost three months and I am absolutely loving the results. The main focus for me was to lose fat which I am and will only start muscle building maybe around summer. So I can definitely say that this study discussed here is truthful.