What science says
Some research suggests you can optimise workouts by choosing times of day for your body rhythms, and both early morning and late afternoon training sessions have been shown in some studies to improve performance, depending on the exercise you do. However, there are disagreements when it comes to peak performance times.
Exercising on an empty stomach (before breakfast) may have an advantage by also encouraging your body to burn fat, when carbs are in short supply. But you need to take care, because not eating may leave you lethargic or light-headed if your blood sugar is low.
“This is also known as a fasted state, which has become popular with intermittent fasting,” says Durban-based fitness consultant and sport performance coach Hayley Cassim. “It’s advisable to first check in with your doctor if you have any health condition that may be affected by what you eat and how you exercise. You’re your own best guide, so listen to your body and do what feels best for you.”
“The important thing is to exercise, period,” adds Cape Town life coach, teacher and biokineticist Erin Martin. “Whatever time of day you prefer and that best fits in with your lifestyle is what should guide you, so you keep doing it.”
What motivational factors suggest
The most important factor in getting regular exercise is to be motivated. Some people feel most energetic right when they get out of bed, making early morning schedules a natural choice.
“A morning workout can also jumpstart your metabolism, and allow you to get in your workout before other distractions crop up, depending on your clock gene, which is the gene that controls rhythms in physiology and behaviour,” says Klerksdorp biokineticist Isabeau van Heerden.
“You tend to draw more energy from your fat reserves in the morning, which can potentially help with fat loss,” says Cassim.
However, not everyone is a morning person, and if waking at dawn feels like torture, it can derail your hard work as you drop off and drop out, she says. If you’re someone who feels more alert later in the day, a lunch hour or after work schedule would be a more sustainable choice.
Some people are also motivated by a group workout class, or training with friends, and if this is what keeps you going, be guided by that in the time you exercise.
“Working out with a group also offers the benefits of consistency, conversation and inspiration,” says Cassim. “Cancellations get noticed by member of the group and a bit of positive peer pressure can help curtail the urge to miss a workout.”
What practicality demands
If your work schedule and lifestyle (ferrying children, fitting in study classes) doesn’t allow you to choose when you exercise, choose activities based on the time of day you have free. If there are days when you can only exercise late in the evening, consider something like a moderate yoga workout; or if you enjoy intense exercise, use yoga or something similar to come down afterwards for bed.
“Remember, most exercise makes you alert, which is one of its great benefits – but not that great when you want to go to bed a few hours later,” says Martin.
The bottom line
Whatever time you settle on to exercise, there will be days when you balk at going – hitting the snooze button before an early-morning session, or feeling too drained after a hectic work day for an evening session.
To increase your personal motivation:
- Vary your routines. If you start feeling bored doing the same series of movements in your workout, you will be less likely to do it, or to do it properly; your body will also adapt and plateau. “By varying your routine, you can not only stay physically challenged, but mentally stimulated,’ says Cassim.
- Vary your activity types. Switching activities can help work areas of your body not targeted by your usual routine. You can also increase motivation by changing the scenery or making it social with variations in your workout, such as biking, jogging, swimming and boxing.
- Schedule a refuel as a reward. Packing a healthy, tasty snack for afterwards, or planning a meal you enjoy, can give you something to look forward to while you workout, whatever time of day. Think fruit and protein smoothie, peanut butter and banana or cottage cheese and avo on toast, or a veggie omelet, suggests Martin.
“It’s also important to replenish your glycogen stores for growth and repair of muscle tissue,” adds Cassim.
The bottom line is that enjoying exercise and doing it regularly is more important than doing it at a specific time of day.
“For the best results, though, try to keep it consistent, by keeping training times the same,” Van Heerden says.
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