There are benefits to both morning and evening workouts. In the morning your body is freshly rested, and working out first thing will jump start your metabolism and give you an energy boost for your day. Additionally, morning exercisers will generally have an easier time falling asleep at night as night-time workouts can elevate your body temperature and interfere with the falling asleep process.
In the evening your body is warmed up from moving around all day so your strength and endurance will be increased and therefore might be able to workout harder and have higher success in building strength. You will also have more fuel in your system from your meals throughout the day.
I don’t think its necessary to mix up the time of day, however it’s important to mix up the type of workouts you do. You’ll benefit from doing a variety of both cardio and strength training—that’s where the changing up factor comes into play by keeping your body guessing in order to get fitter and see results.
So…my overall answer is simply to exercise at the time of day that you can maintain consistently. It may seem harder to do as we age because we have more obligations, less free time, and less stamina. But just like the other obligations in your life, exercise should be included. The more you can make it a habit, the easier it will become and the better you’ll feel. Regular exercise gives you more energy. Its actually more important to do as we age in order to maintain the health and strength we had so naturally when we were young.
Get your own personalized plan!Written by Amy Hall, Group Exercise Director and Personal Trainer at Elite Sports Club-North Shore