Finding the motivation to get moving can be difficult.

Routine is key for sticking to a healthy lifestyle, so when is the most beneficial time to exercise?

There’s a ton of information online about choosing the best time to exercise. It can be overwhelming to see influencers post their break of dawn trips to the gym because most of us struggle to get up in the morning, anyway! Or, we see people staying up until odd hours of the night, spending their evenings in the gym. And most people advocate for their own rituals, which means we are constantly hearing arguments for both morning and evening workouts as the best time to schedule exercise. In order to cut through the melodrama of fitness advice from so many sources, we figured it best to lay out the benefits of both times so that you can make the best decision for you and your life! And don’t worry, you only need to wake up before the sun or stay up until dawn if it works for you! 

Image by Bruce Mars 

1. Exercise and Sleep

Exercise plays a huge role in our sleep routine! Maintaining a regular exercise routine helps to regulate a healthy sleep schedule that, in turn, contributes to our overall well-being!

Morning 

Exercising in the morning is a great way to start your day the right way. It gets your blood flowing and your body moving, giving you a boost of energy better than any cup of coffee. Setting a routine of morning exercise can help you to not only feel more energized throughout the day, but the release of endorphins helps to improve your sleep quality too! 

Evening

Exercising in the evening can be the perfect way to unwind and let go of all the stress that’s kept you down throughout the day. Finding some time before bed to break a sweat releases a lot of tension in your muscles as well as helps to clear your mind, leaving you relaxed and at ease for a restful night’s sleep. 

Image by Samuel Scrimshaw

2. Energy

Exercising takes a lot of energy, but it also gives you more in return! 

Morning 

Make your mornings more motivating and energetic with a morning workout! When you feel tired and groggy in the mornings, that can set the pace for the rest of your day. Even though it can be hard, get yourself moving! Morning workouts lead to overall more productive days and can make you feel more energized and driven to accomplish all your goals of the day! Once you start to work out, your body produces more and more energy to give you a bigger boost for your exercise!

Evening

Waiting until the evening for your exercise can possibly lead to faster and more noticeable results. After being active for the day, your body is already warmed up and ready to take on a more vigorous workout. Night-time workouts mean you’re raising your body temperature higher, getting your heart rate up more quickly, and burning more calories. This can be great for anyone trying to lose weight or build up their strength relatively quickly! 

Image by Sven Mieke

3. Motivation 

Everyone has days where going to the gym just seems more trouble than it’s worth. Yes, even the influencers that boast about ‘living at the gym’ have these days. Overcoming these feelings is what leads to lasting results and a healthy lifestyle. Luckily, the more you workout, the easier overcoming these obstacles becomes. Not to mention, there are benefits to finding motivation depending on the time of day you decide to workout!

Morning 

What better way to build confidence and motivation than by looking forward to a nearly empty gym in the mornings! Free from distractions, judgement, and crowding, you have full freedom to do what’s best for your body in comfort. Spending this quiet time bettering yourself at the start of the day can be very inspirational and keep you motivated on those tough days. 

Evening

On the other hand, there is a lot of freedom in waiting until the evening to schedule your daily exercise. Whereas in the morning you may have the place more or less to yourself, in the evening, you don’t find yourself limited by time constraints. You (most likely) don’t have to be somewhere like work or school and you can take as much time as you’d like in building your strength and bettering your health. Exercising without time restrictions is much more freeing, allowing you to take that time to reflect and relax from your day. It’s a time to look forward to, making it much easier to find motivation to stick to your workout routine! 

Image by Marissa Daeger

4. Mindset

Mindset is everything when it comes to bettering your health. Exercising isn’t all about the physical aspect, there’s a great deal of mental work involved in exercise and being healthy. 

Morning 

Scheduling your exercise in the morning can help you energize yourself for the coming day. This time can be taken to meditate on the goals you hope to accomplish and figure out the best plan of action to take, all while waking your body and building your strength. Use morning workouts to charge yourself and have better, longer lasting moods throughout the day!

Evening

For night-owls, choosing to exercise in the evening can be just as beneficial to developing a productive and successful mindset. Mornings can be almost sacred to a lot of people, a time to get yourself ready for the day that is best utilized in a calm, quiet, and collected manner. Moving your workouts to the evening frees up your mornings to get you prepared for your days, that way you’re able to maintain a motivated mindset!

Image by Yayan Sopian

5. Benefits

This goes without saying, but exercise has a lot of benefits. It’s essential to anyone wanting to lose weight, stay in shape, build strength, and lead a healthy lifestyle!

Morning 

Choosing to exercise in the morning is especially great for those trying to lose weight. Managing a healthy weight means maintaining a balanced diet. This is much easier said than done, but exercising in the morning can jumpstart your metabolism! 

Evening

Waiting until the evening to exercise, on the other hand, increases the strength and flexibility your body has to work with, helping your body to burn more calories and helping you see more results!

Everybody’s body is different and everyone has different needs for their health journey. Choose the time that works best for you, your schedule, and your life. Use these tips to create the perfect workout plan that keeps you motivated and keeps you healthy! 

We hope you enjoy this article about When is the Best Time to Work Out. If you tried incorporating these things into your regular routine, make sure to let us know! For more recipes, follow us on social media and make sure to check out our weekly blog posts where we share our new favorite recipes and must-know facts about food and living a healthy lifestyle! Check out the other meal options Mealfit provides such as our Weekly Specials, Individual Meals, and other Meals by the Pound.