People often ask me what time of day they should work out for optimal performance and fat burn. Immediately my science background brings up images of hormonal circadian rhythms and sympathetic nervous system spikes. I could talk about how in the late afternoon cortisol primes our bodies for action or how men’s testosterone levels are highest in the early morning. Then of course, we must consider that some people are “morning people” while other are “night owls” and that this can influence individual’s performance levels throughout the day.
However, the truth is WHEN you work out is not nearly as important as ACCOMPLISHING the workout. For example, while camping on the beach with friends a few weekends back I awoke to screaming children at 6:30 am. I tried to go back to sleep but the thin tent walls made that impossible. I could have laid there for an hour with a nagging headache. I am certain my hormonal levels were not in optimum “workout mode” at that time but I realized this was a WONDERFUL opportunity to run along the deserted calming beach. The first few minutes were tough but after about 10 minutes, I felt great. Sipping my sangria later that afternoon, I knew if I hadn’t gotten my workout in earlier that morning, I wouldn’t have done it. Maybe I would have burned an extra 42 calories if I had worked out at 5:37 pm because my hormones would have made me push a little harder; but in reality, I burned 400 calories that morning rather than the 0 I would have burned if I waited till later that day.
The point of my story is
- Know you MUST get in your workout for the day (like brushing your teeth, working out is not an option)
- TAKE ADVANTAGE of the free time you have (spending 1 hour looking at online jokes or my space pages of friends you haven’t seen in years and will never meet up with again is considered free time)
- SCHEDULE you workouts in when you ARE MOST LIKELY TO GET IT DONE (for me this is often first thing in the morning).
There are a few guidelines worth worrying about when deciding when to work out:
- Eat 3-4 hours before you workout so your body has some energy to work hard. If you work out first thing in the morning, grab an easy to digest snack like a cereal bar or banana before heading to the gym and then have a larger breakfast when you get to work.
- Be sure you are well hydrated. Drink a few glasses of water (14-20 oz) during the 2 hours before your workout. During your workout try to drink 4-6 oz every 15-20 minutes. Be sure you re-hydrate after working out. Most people do not drink enough to replenish their fluid loss because they don’t feel thirsty.
- Warm-up and Cool-down with about 5 minutes of cardio at a low intensity before and after aerobic or strength training.
