Many people prefer exercising in the morning, while others prefer the evening.
Your preference depends on many factors - did you get enough sleep the night before? Do you have to stay late at work? Do you have a lot of errands to run?
In addition to the environmental factors that impact our workout schedules, research determines the best time for men and women to work out based on biology. According to science, the results may vary.
The participants were observed and separated into groups based on their sex - men and women. Each participant was healthy, as they frequently exercised before the study and had no known cardiovascular diseases. A select group of men and women exercised in the morning (6:30 AM-8:30 AM), while the other group worked out in the evening (6:00 PM-8:00 PM). The workout consisted of the RISE method - resistance, interval, stretching, and endurance. Participants were evaluated before the study began and at the end for 12 weeks. They measured the following:
Body weight
Body mass index (BMI)
% Body fat
Each individual received a meal plan curated by a dietitian that emphasized a healthy amount of macronutrients, micronutrients, and meals structured at particular times.
The exercises were completed four days a week, with the workout duration being less than an hour, except for the endurance training, which was an hour or longer—each participant trained under the supervision of the research team.
The Results
The study indicated that the time of day significantly impacted the cardiometabolic, body composition, and physical activity levels of participants who did resistance, interval, stretching, and endurance workouts. The results showed the following.
Women Morning Exercise | Increase total body fat loss | Increase abdominal fat loss | Lower blood pressure | Increase lower body muscle power |
Women Evening Exercise | Increase upper body muscle strength | Increase upper body muscle power | Increase upper body muscle endurance | Enhance mood |
Men Morning Exercise | Mood improvement | | | |
Men Evening Exercise | Lowers systolic blood pressure and fatigue | Stimulates fat oxidation | Mood improvement |
Overall, women who worked out in the morning saw more remarkable cardio and body composition changes. This study sought to understand the best time to work out based on the performance in body weight, body mass index, and % body fat. This background can be beneficial as you determine the best time for you to exercise. Consider the factors that may also affect your performance, like the activities performed throughout the day. Consider when you have the most energy; that’s a great place to start when developing your workout schedule. If you’re interested in reading the comprehensive research, check out the source below.