Just be cautious about the fact that body temperatures are low in the morning. Hence, you need to spend more time on warm up than usual. Lack of proper warm up can lead to muscle injuries.
Best exercises for mornings: Walking, Yoga, Running, Jumping jacks, Crunches, Skipping, Lunges
Why Later Is Better
Experts have observed that afternoons or evenings are good for high-power exercises like sprinting, swimming, biking or weights. This is because endurance and strength is better in the afternoon. For many people, exercising in the morning means fighting it out whereas by afternoon, body falls into a rhythm by itself. You are also less prone to injuries in the afternoon.
Just be sure to eat after you work out and not before.
Exercising in evenings is okay too but make sure you do not exercise too close to your bedtime. It is pertinent not to exercise beyond 6 pm.
Best exercises for afternoon: Strength training, Dumbbell Exercises, Biking, Swimming.
Weight Loss
If your goal is weight loss, the best time to exercise is morning on an empty stomach, whether it is aerobic exercise (cardio) or strength training (weights). In the mornings, your body is low on blood sugar levels and carbs because of overnight fast. When you work out without eating anything, your body draws in stored fats to meet caloric demands of exercise. Whereas, if you eat and exercise, your body relies on carbohydrates from your meal, and you do not use any accumulated fats. If you cannot exercise early morning, wait for 2-3 hours after your first meal to exercise.
Other tips to achieve optimal results:
- Never exercise immediately after a meal. Allow at least a 90 minutes gap.
- Never exercise when you are unwell. Do not push your body for results during weakness.
- Have a consistent sleep schedule.
- Combine exercise with a good diet.
- Every workout must be followed by protein intake to build muscles back. Fish, turkey sandwich, lentils, eggs, dry fruits, yogurt with fruits, banana milkshake, apples or orange juice are your best options.
- Do consume water while exercising to stay hydrated.
- Have a heavy meal before 3 pm. 40% of day’s total calorie intake must be ideally consumed during lunch. This actually boosts metabolism.
- Do not weigh yourself every day. Your body will not react so soon. And it can be discouraging. Weigh yourself twice a month.
The bottom line is there is no best time to exercise. Find out what is best for you. While it would be great to stick to an unchanging exercise schedule, it is not always possible. In that case, it is better to exercise at any other time than turning into a couch potato. Some exercise is better than nothing.
Happy Exercising!
