You hear you burn more calories doing fasted cardio, so you try performing your cardio first thing in the morning upon waking. Or maybe you should fuel up before a workout, and focus on a great breakfast. Then you hear that exercising first thing in the morning is best. But wait, someone said “Don’t eat too late at night if you exercise at the end of the day.”
There is so much information out there and boy can it get confusing! The more you read the more directions you are being pulled in and you really don’t know what to believe!
There actually has been no scientific based studies that prove that there is a better time to workout when it comes to weight loss. Truth is, the time of day you choose to workout should be what works best for YOU and one you can adhere to!
According to Webmd.com “The truth is that there’s no reliable evidence to suggest that calories are burned more efficiently at certain times of day. But the time of day can influence how you feel when exercising.”
Studies show and researchers agree, that the time of day you exercise is not what’s important. The fact that you get your daily dose of fitness is whats important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Training in a fasted state has NO benefits whatsoever on weight loss. Studies show it’s actually better to fuel up your tank with a light meal before your workout. You will have more energy from the food to push your workout a bit harder, thus increase your intensity and burn more calories.
Some people feel that if they exercise in the morning it sets them up to be more health conscious, making better decisions throughout the day. If this works for you, then by all means you should try to exercise in the morning!
There is no research that shows that eating after your workout, even if it’s late at night, will deter your weight loss progress. Meal timing is irrelevant when it comes to weight loss, as long as you are in a calorie deficit for the day.
My clients can attest that while weight lifting will always be my choice of exercise, if you are looking to simply lose weight it doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, just MOVE.
I am forever saying that there are no “magic pills” when it comes to health and fitness. And exercise falls in to the same category. It’s not easy, it takes work, and its something that you need to incorporate into your lifestyle in order to see results. Go for a stroll at lunch, take the dog for walk, take the stairs when you are able to. These all add up to more movement during the day, which adds up over time.
The most important time to workout is one that you can stick with and make a habit out of it.
Looking for a personalized way to keep you motivated and get you results? Check out my various programs here.
And be sure to check out my strength training app that tracks everything for your personalized health and fitness journey! You can grab your 7 day FREE trial here.
Take the guesswork out of the equation making it super simple to reach your goals. All you have to do it show up!
Bottom line – do what works for YOU and to ensure that you will do it!
