Are you someone who sets their alarm for 5 a.m. to ensure you make your 6 a.m. workout? Or are you someone who gets all their work and responsibilities done throughout the day, and plans their workout for early or late evening?
Or are you someone embarking on a health journey and you’re unsure when to plan your exercise? Results from a recent study published in Obesity may be of help.
Compared to those who worked out later in the day, researchers found that working out between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. was associated with better weight loss outcomes.
“This is exciting new research that is consistent with a common tip for meeting exercise goals – that is, schedule exercise in the morning before emails, phone calls, or meetings that might distract you,” said clinical psychologist and behavioral weight management expert Rebecca Krukowski, PhD.
Early workouts yield better outcomes
To better understand what time of day exercising yields optimal weight loss outcomes, the researchers analyzed data from over 5,200 participants enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2006.
Over the course of the study, the participants wore accelerometers to measure their activity levels for at least four consecutive days but up to seven days total. Then, based on when they worked out, they were put into one of three groups – morning, midday, or evening.
The two primary factors that the researchers measured were body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. The study revealed that those who worked out in the morning had both lower BMIs and lower waist circumferences, on average.
More to consider
It’s also important to note that other factors may have affected these results. For instance, participants who regularly worked out in the mornings were older – by at least a decade – than participants in the other two groups.
They also had never used tobacco or alcohol, had the most female participants than any of the other two groups, and also had the most amount of sedentary time of the three groups.
While the findings from this study certainly provide insight into health, wellness, and weight loss, experts say that there is more to consider.
“It is not known whether people who exercise consistently in the morning may be systematically different from those who exercise at other times, in ways that were not measured in this study,” Dr. Krukowski said. “For example, people who exercise regularly in the morning could have more predictable schedules, such as being less likely to be shift workers or less likely to have caregiving responsibilities that impede morning exercise.
“Predictable schedules could have other advantageous effects on weight that were not measured in this study, such as sleep length/quality and stress levels. In addition, the ‘morning larks’ who consistently rise early enough for morning exercise may be biologically different from their ‘night owl’ counterparts.”
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2023-10-10 14:23:51
