When is the best time to exercise?

Question:

When is the best time of day to exercise?

Short Answer:

If looking to shed the pounds or body-fat, working out fasted in the morning is your best bet. However, if another time is better for you and your schedule, that is the right answer.

Longer Answer:

If looking to lose weight or body-fat AND you have a flexible schedule, exercising fasted in the morning (but after loads of hydration, of course) will be your best course of action. And if you are delaying your breakfast and can do your routine right before having your first meal, that is even more ideal since you have the potential to burn the most fat, while also enjoying an extremely effective concept called Nutrition Partitioning (absorbing the nutrients from your food).

 See below for some of the other reasons to perform your workout in the morning:

  • As mentioned before, if doing it fasted, you can enjoy a tremendous fat-burning boost. Not only are you using more stored body-fat as fuel for your workouts, you are capitalizing on the fact that your fat-burning hormones are highest of the day during the morning hours, making you a fat-burning machine.
  • You can enjoy a metabolic and thermogenic boost that can last you throughout your day (which can be blunted when exercising in the evening when you go to sleep). Also if exercising in the evening, it may be more difficult to fall asleep after getting your heart-rate going beforehand.
  • The tone of the day has been set with your extra energy and endorphins flowing throughout your body.
  • And most importantly, you check-off the routine, ensuring no other obstacles can pop up later in the day to prevent you from completing it.

However, if exercising later in the day works better for you and your schedule, and it allows you to complete the routine fully, consistently, and with great intent, that is much more important than any of the factors listed above. So to sum: fasted in the morning if your schedule allows...otherwise, whenever works best for you to do it consistently. 

Yours in Health & Friendship,

- The Fit Father Project 
Customer Success Team

*DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. This FAQ content is for informational purposes only. See our full terms and disclaimer here. Always talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have.