Exercise is beneficial regardless of the time of day, but a recent control study showed that exercise can affect different parts of the body depending on the hour of the day.
Scientists have proven that exercise in the morning and evening leads to different results.
For 12 weeks, 27 healthy and active women and 20 healthy and active men participated in an experiment that included a strict diet and exercise program. The weekly routine included four days of exercise: sprinting, resistance training, stretching, and endurance training, as well as three days of rest on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Half of the group did their one-hour daily exercise in the morning before breakfast, and the other half did their regular exercise before dinner in the evening.
All participants eventually showed significant improvements in their fitness and health, but morning and evening exercise had different results, especially for women.
Women’s results
Women participants who exercised in the morning burned 7% more abdominal fat and lowered their blood pressure by 7% more than women who exercised in the evening. The morning routine also led to greater leg strength.
On the other hand, women who exercised in the evening showed greater gains in upper body strength, improved mood, and increased food cravings. Moreover, their muscle strength increased by 29% and endurance by 15% compared to those who exercised in the morning.
Men’s results
Compared to women, men were less affected by an hour of exercise. However, evening workouts resulted in lower blood pressure and increased fat oxidation compared to morning workouts. Evening workouts also reduced fatigue by 55%.
“Based on our findings, women interested in reducing abdominal fat and blood pressure while increasing leg muscle strength should consider exercising in the morning. Because evening exercise improves overall mood and food intake, it’s better to exercise,” explains physiologist Paul Arsiero of Skidmore College.
“On the contrary, evening exercise is ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional well-being,” he added.
