| What's the best time of the day to workout? | | | | |
| | | | Here are some facts that will help you pick |
| Very simply, the best time to workout is | | | | the right exercise time for you: |
| whatever time you can consistently fit into | | | | |
| your schedule. | | | | Morning exercise allows you to maximize the |
| | | | benefits of something exercise physiologists |
| Ideally, you're not exercising in the morning | | | | call EPOC. EPOC stands for "excess |
| one day, mid-afternoon the next, and maybe | | | | post-exercise oxygen consumption". Research |
| squeezing in an evening workout in a couple | | | | shows that exercise increases your resting |
| days. | | | | metabolic rate to varying degrees. People |
| | | | seem to maximize this effect when exercising |
| It's best to get into a consistent pattern. | | | | in the morning. |
| | | | |
| I generally encourage clients to try to fit | | | | Lunchtime or afternoon exercise, if it can be |
| exercise into their morning routine. I can | | | | squeezed in, will generally help you avoid |
| tell you that morning exercisers are simply | | | | the mid-afternoon energy dip which naturally |
| more successful at sticking with their | | | | plagues humans due to our circadian rhythms. |
| program for the long term. Morning exercise | | | | |
| becomes a lifestyle. Exercising before you | | | | The only thing that I can think of that's |
| head off to work allows you to start the day | | | | really beneficial about evening exercise is |
| feeling great. You feel productive and ready | | | | the social implications. Generally evening |
| to take on the challenges of the day. | | | | exercisers are a more social crowd. Want to |
| | | | meet someone special in the gym, rather than |
| You may say, "Doug, I'm not a morning person. | | | | a bar? Evening exercise will maximize your |
| I have to be at work at eight o'clock and | | | | chances. |
| there's no way that I'm getting up at 5:00 or | | | | |
| 6:00 AM to exercise." Every once in a while | | | | I should also mention that you probably do |
| I'll get this response. Fine. Then get your | | | | not want to workout too late at night. |
| workout in later on. Maybe over the lunch | | | | Late-evening exercise may interfere with your |
| hour or right after work. But I'll tell you | | | | ability to sleep for several hours after the |
| that you will generally run into more issues | | | | workout. Of course, if you feel that you need |
| that make it easy to miss workouts if you try | | | | more energy in the evenings, exercising right |
| to schedule it later in the day. When the day | | | | after work may be a good option for you. Test |
| gets busy and push comes to shove, your | | | | it and see what works for you. Everyone is a |
| evening exercise sessions will likely be | | | | little different in regards to how exercise |
| disrupted. | | | | affects their ability to sleep. |