Best Time to Workout

Many people often ask the question, "When is the best time to workout?", and the truth is that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that can give a satisfactory answer to this. The best time to workout will differ for each individual depending on their body type and also on their body cycle. It would not be a logic defying claim to say that each individual should workout when they are at their most energetic during the day, and this ideal time depends on a lot of factors.

Some people feel that the best time to exercise for them is early in the morning, but some other individuals cannot even think of exercising till a few hours after they wake up. It's all a matter of personal preference as each person's body clock and energy levels will vary. It also depends on the kind of exercise that is being performed. For instance, going running and jogging as soon as one waked up is probable, but you cannot possibly assert that the best time to lift weights is immediately after waking up.

Best Time for Cardiovascular Exercises
Now, cardiovascular exercises are something that can be done at any time during the day. They will always have positive results, no matter what. But is there really a best time of the day to workout or perform these exercises? The answer is yes, and this is early in the morning right after you wake up. The reasoning for this is quite simple and elementary to understand. If you perform these exercises during any other time in the day, you will simply be burning up the calories from your last meal. But when you perform these exercises right after waking up, (when your body has not eaten anything for the last 8 hours), the calories that are burned are those that are stored as body fat. This is exactly the result that you want, and that is why the best time to workout for weight loss is soon after waking up.

Again, the best time to workout during the day depends heavily on the nature of the exercise. Try lifting heavy weights soon after eating and you will definitely cramp your stomach muscles. If you try to do so in the middle of the afternoon you may not accomplish much, as the body becomes very lethargic at this time. Thus, you have to figure out the best time to workout for yourself by paying a lot of attention to the nature of the exercise that you plan to carry out. The advantage of cardiovascular exercises is that you do not even need to go to a gym for it. If you have a treadmill or an exercise bike at home, you can use them as soon as you wake up without wasting any time at all.

Body Clock
Each individual has their own personal Circadian rhythm, also known as their body clock. It is based on the 24 hour rotation of the Earth and it determines whether an individual is a morning person or a night person. The best time to exercise is heavily influenced by this rhythm as it plays a part in determining many functions of an individual like the blood pressure, body temperature, hormone levels and the heart rate. It is very important to take all these factors into consideration before determining what is the best time to workout for yourself. Analyzing one's body clock to determine when energy levels are at their highest will help a person accurately ascertain the best time to exercise.

Best Time to Workout - Morning or Night
Many experts recommend that everyone should workout in the morning. There are many reasons for this assertion, the most logical one being that the stored up calories are the first to be burned. It's also true that most people find it hard to find time to exercise later in the day, so by doing it first thing in the morning there is no chance of missing out. Plus, the fresh air and the lower temperature in the morning make this a better time to workout.

In order to make the most of this best time to work out one should maintain a healthy lifestyle and sleep on time. Sleeping too late or too little can make waking up in the morning a very difficult task indeed. You should also eat a balanced diet to get more energy and maintain better fitness levels. Simply performing exercises at the best time to workout is not enough, as it must be supplemented with other acts of healthy living as well.