Experts are divided on the opinions about the best time to work out. Some argue in favor of a.m. workouts, and others in favor of p.m. workouts. However, fixing the best time to work out doesn’t have to be a mindboggling “exercise”, pun unintended.
Everyone has an optimum time for working out, one that is dependent on personal scheduling, preferences, and energy levels. The time of the workout isn’t as important as ensuring that you have a regular, consistent pattern of working out so that you actually get the fitness or weight loss results you are looking for. How then do you determine your own personal best time to work out?
Work Schedules
If you are a working person, your best time to work out can depend a lot on your availability. Do you start work bright and early in the morning? Does your work require you to do night shifts? Do you have a varying work schedule?
In such cases, you may have to do a few trial and error sessions at different parts of the day to narrow down on the workout calendar that works best for you. It can be challenging when you have work schedules that can vary, but experimenting and planning go a long way in determining the best time to exercise for you.
Going to the Gym
Needless to say, if you prefer working out at the gym, your local gym schedules will determine when you actually get to do your workouts. Also, understand your preferences when it comes to the gym environment. Early morning workouts attract lesser numbers of people which means you can zone out and exercise with minimal distractions, particularly beneficial if you’re not a people person.
Evening workouts at the gym are more popular amongst office goers and may be suitable for you if you like the buzz and noise generated by having a lot of people around you on a similar mission.
If you dislike gyms altogether, or the time schedules just don’t match up, make use of the huge availability of exercise DVDs or YouTube videos to plug and play at the time that’s most convenient for you.
Waking Up vs. Winding Down
Doing cardio exercises such as running in the morning can leave you feeling fresh and energized for the day, particularly if you have to drag yourself to work otherwise. Remember to top up with a nutritious and healthy breakfast so you are able to sustain yourself energy wise at work till your next meal.
Purefit nutrition bars are high-protein nutrition bars that are a great part of a healthy breakfast or snack.
Evening workouts can be very effective for stress relief at the end of the day and to help you wind down and relax enough to sleep on time and restfully.
Eating Patterns
Take into account eating patterns as well when planning your workouts. A workout should ideally take place a minimum of 2 hours before or after a full meal, or at least 30 minutes before or after a snack, such as a vegan nutrition bar.
A full meal would be your main breakfast, lunch and dinner meals with a good ratio of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating immediately after or before a large meal can be an uncomfortable experience as the body has to pull internal resources away from digesting the meal to help sustain the energy required for your exercise.
All in all, finding the best time to work out is a very individual thing. Use the parameters above, test different schedules and arrive at a workout calendar that you can work with regularly and consistently, and which leaves you feeling your best.
Purefit high-protein nutrition bars can help you to sustain a high energy level between your workouts.
