When is the best time to exercise?

Question

What time of day? Before you eat or after you eat? How long when just starting out? When do I increase amount of time of exercising?

Answer 1

Here's an article from CNN. It's ultimately up to you when you work out.

Whether trekking on a treadmill or slicing through a pool, for many people, exercising in the morning is like drinking a cup of coffee. The early physical activity stimulates them and gives the day a strong start.

"I feel great after morning exercise," said Orlando Suarez, a 39-year-old director of special events in Los Angeles, California. "I feel very energetic, very clear. It's like I have a sustained energy throughout the day."

But one neurologist is challenging the old convention of the morning workout. In fact, Dr. Phyllis Zee of Northwestern University has a different opinion about when is the ideal time to exercise.

"The best time to work out is in the late afternoon," Zee said. "The reason for that is your muscle strength is at its peak, its highest. You're going to be less likely to injure yourself. It's also a time when people are most awake and alert."

The science behind Zee's assertion resides with delicate rhythms of the brain called circadian rhythms. According to Zee, circadian rhythms explain why working out later in the day might be more productive and beneficial.

"One of the things that circadian rhythms does is that it determines when your best performance time is," Zee said. "Your ability to perform changes throughout 24 hours."

Circadian rhythms operate like an internal clock in the body. Neuron signals are fired out by the hypothalamus [a region of the brain], controlling sleep patterns, blood pressure, even our moods.

"These are rhythms that are innate," Zee said. "They are in almost any organism, whether you are an animal or a plant, and they recur every 24 hours."

Circadian rhythms also control body temperature, a key element of a more productive workout. According to Zee, by the afternoon, body temperature is between one and two degrees warmer than in the morning, making muscles in the body more supple and lowering the risk of injury.

Another circadian expert agrees.

"Maximum body temperature happens between 2 and 4 p.m.," said Dr. Michael Vitiello, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. "After that, [body temperature] starts to decline for most people.

"It all depends on whether you want to exercise in early afternoon or early evening. But we're not talking about a gigantic difference [from the peak period]."
Challenging popular notions

David Padron, a 28-year-old graphic designer in Fresno, California, finds that his afternoon workouts aren't only easier on his body but also that his performance increases, too.

"I look forward to it all day," Padron said. "I feel more relaxed. In the afternoon, I have the energy to lift 20 more pounds than in the morning."

Some health experts recommend exercising in the morning because the body's metabolism will get an early start at burning calories and sustain that higher metabolic rate during the hours after.

But for one fitness expert, that might not be enough of an argument for morning exercise.

"There is some evidence that morning exercise promotes more fat burning than other times of the day, but the difference is so small that it really wouldn't matter," said Richard Cotton, an exercise physiologist. "And if you're going to exercise inconsistently in the morning, then it's not worth it at all."
Some better than none

Recently, a government study found an alarming exercise trend among American adults. A staggering 60 percent of Americans don't exercise enough, and more than 25 percent aren't physically active at all, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cotton, who is also a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, agrees that afternoon exercise might be a good way to prevent injury and get maximum performance, but said the most important thing is a consistent exercise regimen.

"In middle-aged and younger adults, it's probably not a big difference for them in terms of their exercise time," Cotton said. "It is really their lifestyle and what works for them that's really important when determining your exercise time."

Health experts agree -- it's better to exercise some than not at all. They say if people prefer to exercise in the morning, they need to spend a few more minutes warming up to stay on the path to good health.

Answer 2

The best time to exercise is the time of day that works best for your schedule. The most important thing to remember is that you have to fit it in your schedule like everything else. Some days it may work better for you in the morning, some days in the afternoon. Find the time that works best for you. As far as eating is concerned, sometimes on a full stomach, you may feel nausea as you try to do cardio movement. Some people need to eat before to keep their blood sugar steady. Personally, I have the most energy after dinner, around 7:00pm, I usually wait 30 minutes after eating. If your just starting out, take it slow. Start with 10-15 minutes for the first week and increase by 5 minutes each week until you can exercise for 45-60 minutes most days of the week. Best of luck!!

Answer 3

Before you eat or after you eat?
you should definetely NOT exercise just after eating . it is dangerous even for heart deseases.
What time of day?
exercising in the morning has a big advantage:the metabolism of your organism gets activated and you burn more fat during the day.but generally if you eat at 16.00 then start exercising at 18.30 or later.but whenever you find time to exercise it gives you a lot of benefits
How long when just starting out?
if you dont want to be an athlete and you just want to be fit ,gym trainers recomend 3-5 times a week for about one hour each time
When do I increase amount of time of exercising?
there is no need to increase the time of exercising.it is better to repeat more times the exercises you do or try doing harder and more difficult exercises

pay attention to these
1.exercising is more worth if combined with a balanced diet including lots of water,fruit,vegetables,roasted meat no fried stuff no fast food
2.dont exercise alone.ask a specialist for some help.ask an instructor to show you some exercises and then practice those alone carefully and just as you were told to do them.i focus a lot on that because if an exercise is executed incorrectly then there is a possibility of harming your body

hope i helped you a little bit
good luck

Answer 4

You are going to get some wildly varying answers on this. It mostly comes down to personal preference. There are some hard facts however.

You should not exercise on an empty stomach, but neither should you after a full meal. It is best to have a light snack, say a protein bar, just before, and a sensible meal about fifteen minutes after.

Also, early morning is generally considerd the best time to exercise. Working out first thing when you wake up causes your metabolism to be higher throughout the day, burning more calories.

Answer 5

The best time to exercise in the morning before breakfast. It gets your metabolism going. When you're just starting out, probably 40 minutes to 1 hour. In terms of weightlifting, you increase your max weight by 5% after 1 week of training. In cardio terms, gradually shorten the time to reach a goal( e.g. 1st session= 14 seconds for 100 meters, then 2nd time= try to get 13.5 sec). Lot of variations on cardio, but try to really push yourself (i.e. a hard sprint is more benficial than running at a gradual pace).

Answer 6

A friend of mine was in the Navy, and they did studies that said 5am cardio makes for happier, sharper people.

I've heard that early morning exercise can be a shock to the system, in terms of deep rest to running.

So, I'd recommend getting a Heart Rate monitor. And do 15 minutes of warm-up at 110-120 beats per minutes. 30 Minutes of 130-145, and follow that with a cool down, 110-120.

Swimming, Biking, Running, Dancing. All of these are good.

Answer 7

I don't think it matters; but psychologically, I think first thing in the morning is good because a person gets it over with and therefore avoids a day of excuses or even real reasons that could sabotage the daily exercise plan. I think starting out depends on one's current physical condition. If a person is morbidly overweight, walking ten minutes is better than nothing and they can build themselves up. If a person is in fairly good shape, you could walk 30 minutes on a treadmill or just powerwalk in your neighborhood and build your speed as your body builds endurance. Always check with the doctor to make sure your body can support exercise. Good luck!!!

Answer 8

The best time to exercises is in the morning. Numerous studies have found that when you exercises in the morning your body's metabolism is "kick started" for the rest of the day. As a result you will burn up to 50% more fat through out your day not to mention being more alert mentally.

Answer 9

Well personally I am not the one to give advice on these matters. However, my mother starting walking 2-3 miles a day at 56 and stopped at 85 the year she passed away. Every day she'd get up have her coffee and oatmeal and get dressed in layers in all seasons all kinds of weather...she'd wait till she made a trip to the bathroom before going out. It became addictive in a very short time and she loved it...she knew every dog within miles and some would follow her home. She'd put them in her car and drive them home. One dog was famous...her name was Martha...she was pictured in People Magazine with her owner, a presidential candidate... and her neighbor. the late Sen. Paul Tsongas, D-MA

Answer 10

the best time to exercise is in the morning and after you eat

Answer 11

Get up, stretch, exercise, cool down by showering and then eat breakfast.

Other exercise times will work but aren't as good.