Whether you thrive on your morning workout ritual or routinely spend your happy hours up in the barre (class), as long as you're working out on the regular you're reaping the maximum amount of weight loss benefits...or are you?
To find out how timing your workouts actually impacts your weight-loss goals, we asked Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., to clarify. Here's what he had to say:
If You Like To Rise And Grind
While sweating it out in the morning doesn't technically have any direct weight-loss benefits, Matheny says that getting it done in the a.m. often results in working out more overall per week. "Typically, morning is the time of day when people have the least amount of obligations that may prevent them from getting their workout in," he says. And that makes sense since a lot of us have had our gym bag packed when a last-minute proposal got tossed on our desk and squashed our cycling class plans. (Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with Women's Health's Bone Broth Diet.)
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If You Love To End Your Day On A Sweaty Note
Like a.m. workouts, there is no direct correlation between working out at night and losing more weight. However nighttime workouts can help manage stress levels after a tense day, which can boost your progress towards weight-loss goals, says Matheny. That's because getting sweaty (especially after an annoying AF day) squashes the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to an increase in belly fat.
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Tight on time? This quickie workout will help you squeeze in some exercise.
The Takeaway
While morning and nighttime sweat sessions both have their advantages, Matheny says the most important factor in creating a workout schedule that results in weight loss is finding times to sweat that fit your personal schedule. "The best time for you to work out is when you feel the best physically and mentally," he says.
