When Is The Best Time To Excercise?

[_Machino_]

Just a to start healthy habit to lose weight over long period? Any idea if it is better to exercise in the morning or in the evening?

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

I don't think there is a best time to exercise. I think the ONLY important thing about exercise is to be consistent.

That being said, I do a 5 day a week program. Two days on, one day off. My workouts are 1.5 hours, and mainly weight lifting.

I also find (for me) working out in the early morning hours best. My reasoning? The gym is barren when I get there (weekdays at 4:00 am, and weekends at 9:00 am), and I'm not coming off the end of the day, where I might get lazy, or I'm stressed from a bad day, or other reasons. Getting it done first thing in the morning gets me going and I have accomplished something right away.

My ONLY problem is getting to bed early enough to get decent sleep, which I struggle with as I am a night owl. However, after more than a year doing the early morning workouts, I am becoming a morning person.

🙂

[Esya]

Any time that works for you is a good time. I typically work out in the evening after dinner, but also go to a yoga class on Sunday morning. It does not really matter when you work out, but try to build up a routine so it becomes more of a habit.

[WavyDavey]

In my experience, for weight loss, it's a little better to exercise in the morning. It makes for a long day of calorie burning.

[GershonSurge]

Old studies done with runners suggest those who run in the morning tend to stick with it longer. Those who run in the evening tend to progress faster. In both groups, few stick with it if they don't run at least an hour including up to 20 minutes of warm up by walking and 20 minutes of cool down by walking. (Note the "up-to.)

The reason for this is the endorphins don't start until 20 minutes into the run. Running isn't fun until this happens. During an intense run, the endorphins will flow for about 20 minutes. If a person runs slowly and quits before the flow stops, they can hang around for hours after the run.

The number of calories burned is a function of miles walked/run with only small differences. Generally it's about 100 calories per mile plus or minus weight, efficiency, and maybe speed. Note: you burn more basic metabolism calories/mile when you walk than run. Some of have discovered we burn 10 to 20 calories per mile when walking than we do when running. 

This is getting to be a long answer, but the what you burn (fat or carbs) makes a difference. When we exercise at a heart rate of 180 minus your age, you burn 70% fat and 30% carbs. At only a few beats higher (say 10), you burn 70% carbs and 30% fats. This is important because the human body has no ability to turn carbs into fats. Therefore, burning carbs doesn't do anything for weigh loss. Since the amount of carbs we have in our system governs our feeling of hunger, burning carbs may make a person more hungry after running.

Turning this into an answer for you for weight loss, run when you can. Run slowly enough to keep your heart rate under 180 minus your age to maximize fat burn. You may need to alternate running and walking. (Use the average for the whole run as your heart rate measurement.) Don't be afraid to go so slowly you are barely above a walk. 

What you eat makes a difference, too. If you eat a high fat diet (above 10%), your next meals will simply replace the fat because extra fat goes right to fat in your body. If you eat a low fat diet, the fat stays gone because the extra carbs can't turn into fat. It doesn't violate the calorie equation. You just won't get hungry.

I know this goes way beyond what you asked, but I'm hoping it stimulates discussion.

[Corney]

Machino:  I found the best time for me was early in the morning, it didn't take time away from my family, the air was always fresher without all the car exhaust and it was usually less windy.  Exercising after work has it's problems, will you have family obligations to deal with, do I exercise before or after supper, do other obligations come up, school, church, business meetings?  The best time for you is the time that you can do consistently.

[Rebucket]

I've gotten into the habit of working out early in the morning (4:45 a.m.) before work, and I've grown to enjoy it. There's something nice about knowing your workout is finished while you're facing the rest of the day.

As far as is there one that's objectively better? I'm not so sure.

[exhile]

Definitely early in the morning before 07:00.

[Baltoscott]

I like to get activity throughout the day and because of my commute generally have a bike ride both in the morning and evening.  But on gym days I try to go early to avoid the crowds.

As far as losing weight goes, exercise can be helpful or harmful depending on whether or not you compensate by eating more.  Honestly, as much of an exercise freak as I am, I think weight loss/management is 90% developing good habits and strategies on the eating side of the calorie balance equation.

[SunsetRunner]

I agree... 90% of exercise is diet 🙂