Is there a best time to work out for weight loss, muscle gain, or health? Are morning workouts or evening workouts better? Here’s what you need to know to make the best decision for your personal goals and lifestyle.
Is it better to work out in the early morning or when you get home from work? Is lunchtime the best time? Or is after dinner OK? What about right before bed?
Here’s the short answer: The best time to work out depends on your own personal preferences and lifestyle.Whatever time in your life allows you to break a sweat and do some hard work consistently…. that’s the best time!
Put another way: Let’s say science said you could burn more calories doing workouts at 4 am. But 4 am isn’t really an option for you… so you end up skipping your workouts as often as doing them. Is that “best” time really best for you? Probably not.
Your “best” time to work out is whenever you can consistently knock out workout after workout, week after week, month after month!
That said, you can be a little strategic in HOW you approach workouts at certain times of day. So let’s compare the benefits of different times of day, and work on making your “best” workout time even better!
How to Get The Most out of Morning Workouts
If you have trouble with making excuses or consistency, morning may be your best time to exercise. Once you adapt to setting your alarm a little earlier, you can start the rest of your day knowing that your workout is done and out of the way!
An early morning workout can also set the tone for a healthier day, making it easier to stick to your meal plan and leave you energized for the day.
But if you are going to work out in the morning, there are a few things to consider.
A lot of the V Shred workouts that people love most are high-intensity interval training, like the ones in Fat Loss Extreme For Men, Fat Loss Extreme For Women, or MOVE. Those workouts are best to do when you’re hydrated and have a little something in your stomach.
You don’t have to have a big meal. In fact, if you’re eating a full meal, it’s probably better to let it digest before HIIT training. But you’ll have a better workout, and feel better doing it, if you have some fuel in the tank.
Here are a few great options:
- A Sculpt Nation PROTEIN shake and a piece of fruit.
- Sculpt Nation BCAAs in water.
- Sculptnation Pre Workout, which contains both caffeine and BCAAs.
Now, if you are going in for a heavy or long lift, like the ones in our CLEAN BULK or RIPPED IN 90 DAYS programs — we recommend having a meal or two in your stomach.
But here’s the thing: at V Shred, we’re all about the minimum effective training dose. It’s pretty rare that you’re ordered to hammer legs for 2 hours, so in most cases, a solid breakfast, maybe some BCAAs, and of course a pre-workout like PRE should be enough.
How to Get the Most out of Afternoon/Evening Workouts
A lot of us aren’t morning people and have low energy upon waking. Others barely have enough time to get the kids up and out the door, let alone work out.
If mornings aren’t your thing, an afternoon or evening workout may be best. And there are actually plenty of benefits to working out later in the day.
Your strength, endurance, and flexibility are all better after you’ve been up and going for a while and have some meals to use as fuel. Exercise is also a great stress reliever, so getting in a workout after a long day at work is a great way to blow off some steam.
One potential negative about working out later in the day is that it’s easier to make excuses–and a better chance of life getting in the way.
Here’s where that “calendar” tool in your phone can be your best workout buddy. If you need to work out later in the day, mark it in your schedule like you would any other important meeting you wouldn’t miss!
What about late night workouts? Many people find that exercising too close to bedtime negatively impacts their ability to fall asleep. But this definitely isn’t true for everyone. In fact, certain people find they sleep better after an evening sweat session!
If afternoon or evening workouts are your only option, consider prioritizing supplements with herbs that can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer — like the ones found in Sculpt Nation BURN PM.
Don’t think you have ANY time to work out? We can help!
Maybe you’re looking at your life and wondering where you can fit in a workout at all. Morning… evening… they all look booked. In that case, it might be time to get a little outside help.
V Shred’s team of highly knowledgeable personal trainers and nutritionists can help you build a customized diet plan and workout program that fits with your life and schedule. They can help you find space you didn’t know you had, and make the most of every minute of it!
Click this link for more information, or email coaching@vshred.com to connect with one of our expert coaches!