How and Why Fitness for your life. Exercise, exercise equipment and nutrition. | What time should I exercise?

Many of us would love to lose weight, but never have the time to exercise. And for those of us who have time, there are always questions like when is the best time of day to exercise – in the morning or in the evening? One fact is for sure – in order to lose weight, one needs to exercise and there is no way round it. There are a lot of experts who claim that exercise is an important aspect of our lives but no one seems to agree on what is the best time of day to exercise to achieve optimum fitness levels.

Best Time of Day to Work out

Proponents of morning exercise say that starting in the morning sets the pace and develops a good habit. Mornings also do not have as many distractions. Also, working out in the morning boosts your metabolism, allowing you to burn calories/fat quicker and gives you energy for the day.  In the evenings, distractions are common and exercises are almost postponed for some reason or another.  Moreover, it really is hard to get on the treadmill after a long day’s work.

Other reason for morning exercise is that one can improve your sleep pattern. When one exercises in the evening and is tired, hot and sweaty, getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult. Another problem is that exercising at night revs up your metabolism, energizing you and making it difficult to settle down for a good night’s sleep.  Several studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning tend to fall asleep faster and better than individuals who do the same exercise in the evening.

Another reason for exercising in the morning is that the weight loss for the same exercise done in the evening is much greater. Some studies have shown that brisk exercises in the morning can help one with weight loss. Some experts say that morning exercise should be like any business appointment. You arrive on time, perform a function and leave. This induces self discipline and helps one achieve personal goals.

When starting exercises in the morning, habits take time to develop and one should start slow. Integrate walking as part of your regular life. One does not need to put on jogging shoes at 5 a.m. and start running round the block.

Incorporate physical activity slowly as a part of your daily life style and there is nothing simpler than walking. Develop good habits, walk to the grocery store, take the staircase and do not always park your car at the office front door. Other relatively easy exercises that one can start off with include yoga, biking, jogging or swimming. All these are great morning work outs. To make the exercise effective, perform the exercises for at least 30-45 minutes. For the individual who is just entering a fitness program. 45 minutes is a long time and can be an immediate turn off. So try 10 minutes and increase by a few minutes each week to a point where you feel satisfied and comfortable. When you do not feel like exercising, at least take the dog out for a walk, twice a day.

While health clubs offer a lot of good advice and have fancy equipments, one should avoid joining a program right way. Most people who join sports clubs or gyms never make it past the three months and end up losing a whole year’s subscription fee. Try out the club for a month or a few weeks at a time and see if it is for you. Getting up at 5 am and going to the gym is not fun and can quickly wear one down. Choose an exercise which you like and are most likely to perform. If you work out five days a week, take the weekends off. Exercising every single day can make any fitness program dull and monotonous.

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