Is There a “Best Time” to Work Out?
You don’t have a name like Eric the Trainer without being asked about everything related to a healthier lifestyle. Thankfully I have answers to a lot of the questions, but one that stands out in particular to me is “What’s the best time to workout?” The answer for me is clear – get your sweat on as soon as you can! I wake up, brush my teeth and BOOM, it’s time for a BIG workout!
I do this for several reasons – working out in the morning boosts your metabolism and keeps it at pace throughout the rest of the day. This means you get a bonus to your fat burning ability and are working with better circulation throughout the entire day.
Working out right after you wake up is also beneficial for your mental health. Exercise is a natural deterrent to depression because once you hit the zone your brain generates endorphins, which are natural anti-depressants. When you’re going through your day with a full tank of happiness, you’ll start to notice a difference in your mood, which is the best hidden benefit of a morning workout.
If there’s some restriction keeping you from hitting that ideal wakeup and gym routine, exercise in all its forms at any time of day should be considered a win. Every workout is a series of tiny victories you try to best over and over again, always keep that in mind regardless of when you workout.
For the morning warriors, you must get your butt to bed early! If you’re a night owl, become an early bird. Record your favorite late night shows to watch during your workouts, or binge one less episode of that show on Netflix late at night. Sleep is where the magic happens. If you’re not getting 8 hours, you’re basically wasting your workout. Most of your workouts effects take shape at night. That’s when protein synthesis occurs and damaged muscles are repaired, also known as muscle growth!
The bottom line is that you should be working out regardless of the time of day. If you can, hit that gym or station as soon as you can. It’ll wake you up, bump your metabolism and get you ready for the day before everyone else.
