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What time do you work out? Depending on your gender, the optimal timing could be different.
For women, the best time for exercise may be evenings whereas for men it is mornings, according to a new US study.
Previous research into this area of fitness research has predominantly focused on men. But the new study shows that women burn more fat during morning exercise whereas their counterparts do the same in the evenings.
The factors that differentiate the sexes are likely to be hormonal differences. biological clocks and sleep-wake cycles, the authors said.
The study from Skidmore College, New York State looked at 56 people (30 men and 26 women, all healthy between 25-55) over the course of 12 weeks.
They were monitored during fitness programmes which included sprinting, stretching, resistance and endurance training.
One group worked out for an hour, before 8:30 while the other between 6pm and 8pm. Both ate a specially designed meal plan.
Researchers looked at everyone’s blood pressure and body fat during the 12 weeks, also taking into consider their strength, flexibility, and aerobic power.
The good news is that all who took part in the study saw better overall health, regardless of when they exercised. So whether you’re a morning person or an evening person, keeping moving is the way.
“The best time for exercise is the best time you can do it and fit it into your schedule,” said Dr Paul Arcerio, the study’s lead author and professor of health and human physiological sciences at Skidmore College.
The differences may result from women being more likely to store abdominal fat than men, which coupled with the body’s internal rhythm. Researchers want to study the two more to find what exactly causes the optimal times to vary.
But there’s a bit more to it, said the authors, who stressed the ideal times can also vary for men and women, depending on the kind of training they do.
Based on the study’s results, if women want to reduce their blood pressure and lose fat around the middle of their body, they should stick to mornings.
But if they are trying to do strength training, particularly targeting their upper body, as well as improving mood and food intake, evening exercise may be best.
In comparison, men were found to be less sensitive to timing and were able to improve fitness regardless of timing. But, Dr Arcerio added: “Evening exercise was found to be ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional wellbeing.”
Move celebrates exercise in all its forms, with accessible features encouraging you to add movement into your day – because it’s not just good for the body, but the mind, too. We get it: workouts can be a bit of a slog, but there are ways you can move more without dreading it. Whether you love hikes, bike rides, YouTube workouts or hula hoop routines, exercise should be something to enjoy.
