- by Stephanie Fowler
- 3 minute read
What’s The Best Time Of Day To Workout?
Here’s a common gym question: What’s the best time of the day to train?
Short answer: It’s always a good time to work out.
Many people don’t workout at all, so it’s better to train at any time that works for the individual than to skip a workout because the time isn’t “perfect.”
People are incredibly busy, and time is precious. Parents are always taking kids somewhere, shift workers are managing wild schedules, some people face long commutes before and after work, and so on. The phrase “I don’t have time” is very common.
So our advice here at the house is to work out whenever you can. The time doesn’t really matter that much.
But here’s a tip: it’s sometimes better to get a workout in earlier in the day so unexpected issues later on don’t throw you off track and force you to skip your evening training.
Another tip: No matter what time you plan to train, schedule your workouts and block off that time on your calendar so it’s locked in.
And while our advice above seems simple, there are other considerations, too!
Working out later in the day can affect sleep for some people. If you’re one of them, don’t do a high-intensity workout that gets you fired up right before bed. Try to get your workouts in earlier in the day so you can gear down and get the sleep you need.
Other people really don’t like training after a meal because it upsets their stomach. We recommend a gap of one or two hours between a big meal and a training session. If you have a smaller snack, you can likely leave a smaller gap before training.
And in some cases, a little food before a workout is OK as long as it’s reasonable amounts of carbohydrates and protein that your body can process easily. Fatty foods are a mistake before training, but a banana and a protein shake are fine for many people.
Some studies have suggested that your body will perform best in the afternoon, when body temperatures tend to peak. And you might have heard about studies that suggest morning workouts and “fasted training” burn more fat.
Here’s the thing to remember about studies and research: The body is complicated, and individual physiology makes it very hard to isolate all factors. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the results of many studies conflict with the results of others, and sometimes the reported benefits of training at a certain time vs. another are so small that they’re almost irrelevant.
It’s hard to make firm conclusions at present. And even if it were clear that training at exactly 1:43 p.m. is best, how many busy people can train at that time?
One more thing to consider: your mental state affects your workouts, too. For example, if you’re a morning person who always crashes in the afternoon, it doesn’t matter if a study says you might be a little stronger at 3 p.m. Or if you hate mornings, any benefits of early training will probably be wiped out by your distaste for the wee hours.
With all that in mind, the best advice is to work out whenever you can and whenever you feel best. Experiment to find out which time slots suit your schedule, your body and your mind. We have ways that we help with accountability, and we do this in a manageable way. PLUS, you can earn a sticker every month, and earning stickers gets you closer to prizes!
The best news: we have a ton of options so you can train when you feel best. Group sessions run throughout the day, and personal training can be booked at your convenience.
We’d be happy to help you figure out when you should train to get the best results. We’ll find out what you want to accomplish and then provide a plan that takes your preferences and schedule into account.
To book a consultation today, click here: https://empowerhousegym.com/