Exercise in the evening may be more potent – as opposed to morning workouts – for improving metabolic health. This is according to a useful new study of exercise timing. The study, which looked at high-fat diets and overweight men, made the finding that late-day workouts were responsible for moderating the undesirable health effects of a greasy diet, while morning exercise did not.
The study involved only men who were eating a fatty diet, however, adds to growing evidence that exercise timing matters and, for many of us, working out later might have particular advantages.
Although we may be only dimly aware of this, operations inside our bodies follow busy, intricate as well as mutable circadian schedules. All of our tissues contain molecular clocks which coordinate biological systems so prompting our blood sugar to rise and dip throughout the day, along with our hunger, heart rates, body temperature, sleepiness, gene expression, muscle strength, cell division, energy expenditure and other processes.
More Research On Exercise Timing
Some individuals are morning exercisers. For these people, an early run or swim is as much an integral part of their wake-up ritual as their first cup of coffee. Other people can’t abide the idea. They really do need a night-time workout in order to rid themselves of the day’s stresses.
However, does it really make a difference? A number of recent studies suggest that it does. However, it’s complicated.
One study indicates that morning exercise could activate certain genes in the muscle cells, so boosting their ability in order to metabolise sugar as well as fat. While scientists say this finding needs further study, they think it ultimately might assist those who are overweight or are suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
An evening workout, on the other hand, consumes less oxygen, making these types of workouts more efficient as well as improving athletic performance, potentially a boon for serious competitors.
How Can You Make Your Workout More Efficient?
- Don’t Push Your Body Too Much
Don’t try to kill yourself in the short amount of time which you have committed to exercising each week. You should really have a realistic approach and understand that exercise only is probably not going to generate desired results as it accounts for a very small portion of your daily calorie burn. You will need to take into account a number of different factors such as NEAT, diet, sleep quality and medication.
- Shift The Focus
Make sure that you pay more attention to the quality of movement (form, technique, etc. in order to avoid injury) as opposed to the quantity of movement (squeezing in a few extra reps in order to burn a few more calories).
- Remember The Progressive Overload Principle
The Progressive Overload Principle says that for a muscle to grow stronger, the body needs to be forced to adapt to a tension which is above and beyond what it has experienced previously. If you’re doing what you’ve done always, your body will never change. You have to challenge your body to change your body.
- Learn To Enjoy
Exercise for many is not something that they necessarily want to do, however rather something which they feel obligated to do. It’s a means to an end. Learn to revel in exercise to the point where you choose to participate voluntarily as opposed to out of some obligation. If you dread going to the gym, seek out a fitness class, a sport, or some other type of activity which allows you to have fun while you move your body.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you want to do learn more about exercise then you should do our Personal Training Diploma. Read more about this course here.