What is the best time to workout? I guess for many it’s simply a case of managing their time. Many people have jobs that start earlier than the gym or are busy getting the kids ready for school. For others it’s a question they may have contemplated at some stage of their fitness journey. Let’s look at some pros and cons.

According to those of you that wake early for the gym the benefits of morning lifts are:
•    Everything you eat for rest of day is all recovery food
•    Due to bodies mechanics this is the best time to workout for burning calories due to metabolism
•    Gets it done and over with so you don’t have the rest of the day to run you down or for things to come up which will prevent your night workout from happening

With all good reasons to do something, they are easily knocked back by ‘genuine’ reasons not to –

So what are the excuses for morning lifts?
•    Have to get up early!!!!
•    Doesn’t leave much time for a pre-workout food and supplements
•    Too tired for rest of day

That leaves an evening session as an alternative, so what are the benefits of a late night gym trip?

•    Gives you the day to focus, energize, or use supplements

•    You can sleep soon after which is the best form of recovery

•    Can sleep in a little later or get out of work on time

And the excuses?
•    The day may tire you out or allow yourself to talk you out of the gym
•    Some find it hard to sleep soon after working out hard due to your body “waking” up
•    Not much time remaining for recovery foods.
•    Training at night makes me hungry so I go home and eat junk

Facts or fiction?
The truth is that there's no reliable evidence to suggest that calories are burned more efficiently at certain times of day. But the time of day can influence how you feel when exercising!

Research suggests in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do better," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer with the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

I guess if you can get into any habit whether its morning, afternoon or evening workouts, you are on the road to change. We all have regular habits, some bad, some good but we can be consistent if we choose to.

If I can talk from experience, those that regularly train at the same times and the same days see the best results, whereas those that chop and change become inconsistent and eventually miss days as they haven’t got into a habit of training. Pick your times and stick to them for as long as you are able! If that doesn’t work for you then at least you tried and you can move on to try something else.

Happy training!!!!