A new study from Skidmore College assigned men and women to workout times of either the morning or the evening. While everyone got in better shape over the three month study, the women who worked out in the morning lost more abdominal fat than women who worked out in the evening. The men in the different workout time groups didn’t have any measurable differences. I read about this in People Magazine and found it really interesting. Here’s part of their writeup:
Working out in the morning instead of the night can help women lose more fat around their waist as well as improve their blood pressure, according to a new study published in May in Frontiers in Physiology.
Researchers tested for health, strength and fitness in men and women, splitting them into two groups. One group exercised four times a week in the morning, between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m, and the other group worked out between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. There were 65 participants, and half were women.
According to the Washington Post, the research was designed to reflect real-world demographics, said Paul Arciero, the director of the Human Nutrition, Performance & Metabolism Laboratory at Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and the study’s lead author.
The workouts were the same at both times of day and consisted of either lifting weights, interval training for 35 minutes, yoga or Pilates, or running or other aerobic exercise. The study lasted 12 weeks, and all volunteers came back in generally better shape regardless of when they worked out.
But there was a noticeable difference in women: Those who worked out in the morning saw their total body fat drop an average of 3 percent more than the evening exercisers. They also shed an average of 7 percent more abdominal fat, and their blood pressure lowered significantly more.
The women who worked out at night saw an increase in upper-body strength, nearly 7 percent more than the morning group.
“Based on our findings, women interested in reducing belly fat and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing leg muscle power should consider exercising in the morning. However, women interested in gaining upper body muscle strength, power and endurance, as well as improving overall mood state and food intake, evening exercise is the preferred choice,” Arciero shared in a release. “Conversely, evening exercise is ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional wellbeing.”
Overall the difference doesn’t seem that dramatic and the important thing is that everyone benefitted from working out. Again, this is People’s writeup of The Washington Post’s interpretation of this study. WaPo did not mention any information about controlling for diet whatsoever. It’s also worth noting that everyone did the same type of workouts, they just rotated them. Plus they didn’t account for whether people typically woke up early or stayed up late.
I get so hungry when I work out at night and I typically eat junk after dinner like popcorn and ice cream. I would guess that women who work out later eat more at night. When I work out in the morning it helps me stay on track with my food for the rest of the day and it’s a reminder to eat healthy. It helps set the tone for the rest of the day. It’s hard to work out in the morning though! I typically am working at this job at that time. I’ve heard that working out in the early afternoon is best for your circadian rhythm, like between 1 to 4pm. As that linked article states though, whenever you’re most motivated to work out is the best time for you. I feel that way about the type of workouts you do too – it should be something you consistently enjoy and want to keep doing.
Photos credit: Victor Amenze and Anastase Maragos on Unsplash and Blue Bird on Pexels
Ooh this is interesting. I used to go to the gym on my way to the office and now that I’m freelance I try not to schedule things first thing so that I can work out (at home, I’m still doing on demand) AND not have to get up extra early- (what’s the fitness version of having your cake and eating it?. It’s just so much easier to get it done then shower, wash my hair, etc. Quite often things I’m working on run into the evening anyway and I just don’t enjoy it so much, I want to wind down and relax and/or head out for a walk. My pilates classes are in the evening but I can live with that.
I go just after a typical lunchtime because my gym is quiet and my schedule allows it. It’s nice having the gym mostly to myself.
I agree with the “workout when it works for you” since you’ll most likely be more consistent and make it a habit.
Hmmm if I were to hazard guesses about why the correlations were appearing, I would guess morning workouts for women get more fat loss because once you start your day moving, it’s easier to get moving, if you’re working out in the morning it’s a commitment, and nutrition. I don’t imagine many women working out in the morning immediately jump to rewarding themselves with food, the day gets in the way. Nutrition & it’s partnership with morning workouts may be the strongest explanation for the correlation.
As far as the arm gains, I think if you’re lifting at night/not morning, the stresses of the day can be put into the workout but you might be more likely to reward yourself with food.
At any rate, I don’t think fat loss should be a primary goal for anyone, it is not a simple mechanism (listen to the podcast Maintenance Phase to kill calories in/calories out & diets in general) & it is autonomous. Moving your body how you like, when you like, to maintain mobility & for the mental health perks is more important. You can get a lot out of just walking every day, and taking walking breaks if your work involves sitting a lot, it does not have to be complicated.
I’ve been making a concerted effort to lose weight and get in better shape these days, but if I worked out in the morning I’d have to get up at 5 a.m. and there’s no way I’m doing that. I get my two hours in after work because that’s reasonable for me, although losing thigh and belly fat is what I’m really after. My weight loss has definitely plateaued, however. Anyone got any tips?
Hi, Sandy123! I’ve lost and gained weight over the years, and I always found success with routines and sticking to a day to day plan of what I eat. It doesn’t matter how much I work out, for example. I can work out every day—jog two miles, lift, etc—and I will get more toned, but I won’t lose weight. If I am trying to lose weight, I stick to eating pretty much the same thing on weekdays for breakfast and lunch with a sensible dinner. I have a few recipes in my rotation that I will eat for my breakfast and lunch, but I pretty much try not to stray from those on the weekdays.
And you don’t need to count calories, per se, but if I were you, I would document what youre eating for a day or two and see how many calories, fat, etc. you’re taking in. I don’t count calories, but sometimes I need to stop and assess how much/what I am eating. I use one of those food diaries like myfitnesspal. I am always suprised how much I can eat in a day and don’t realize it, hahah.
And I am also trying to lose some pregnancy weight (although, LOL, my baby is now 3 haha). I am an older millenial, and I will say I can tell my metabolism is slower. I really have been working out everyday, and I see a difference, but I need to eat less to really start losing.
Hello! From a fitness perspective, I’d recommend you get in as many steps per day as you reasonably can, in addition to your scheduled workouts.
As far as diet- do you use any kind of calorie tracker? I swear by MyFitnessPal, and I don’t pay for Premium. It keeps me organized and accountable. It’s easy to forget snacks here and there you have throughout the day, or to just guess how many calories were in your salad dressing, etc. Calorie trackers are great for awareness. Usually when weight loss plateaus, from what I’ve seen, people are not aware of/being honest with themselves about how much they’re eating. There is so much truth to “a six pack is made in the kitchen.”
HelloDolly! and Hootenannie, thank you both for your kind advice.
I actually do monitor what I eat quite strictly, I’m doing a salmon and sesame rice ball in the morning, high protein and veg lunch with very little rice (I live in Asia, hence all the rice), then perhaps a small snack of nuts in the later afternoon if I’m at work and can’t wait until dinner, then usually a chicken salad for dinner. It was easy to calorie reduce in the summer because it was too hot and uncomfortable to eat much, and it’s easier to control my eating on my days off actually because work = boredom lol. I try to stay away from dressings and I only drink green tea these days….bottle after bottle of it. I don’t eat sweets and i don’t know what else I can deny myself and still make life worth living lol. I’m only into maybe my 4th week of dieting and I’ve lost 8 kilos so far. 10 more kilos until my goal weight, which is still 6 kilos more than pre-baby weight. I don’t have a fitness rest day, does that make any difference? Anyway, I’m not giving up!!
@Sandy it really sounds like you’re not eating enough AND like you’re expecting instant results. 4 weeks of dieting and you’re down 8 kilos? That’s great! A plateau is to be expected after a few weeks.
but I would honestly try adding in a few more calories a day, sometimes that can help me lose weight, as counter intuitive as it sounds.
But also, try to find something that is sustainable for YOU. What you are eating doesn’t sound sustainable because you’re using terms like “deny myself” etc. so try to find a compromise and go easy on yourself.
Not a registered dietitian, but I saw your response down thread and wanted to share what a dietitian did tell me years ago. You might be too restrictive in your caloric and food intake and that could be a reason for your weight loss plateau. If you have one available, it was so helpful working with a dietitian to help me understand it’s not just how much you eat but how your body uses and what it needs when you are exercising and trying to lose weight.
Sandy, I hit a plateau earlier this summer, and it drove me crazy. Think about everything you’re currently doing, and change things up for a bit to see it if you can jumpstart your program. For me, I have to strictly monitor salt, sugar, everything under the sun…… and working out which consisted of at least 30 minutes on the elliptical, walking, etc. So sometime in August, when I’d jump on the machine, instead of going for length of time, I’d put in 5 to 10 minutes of soul crushing levels (fast and hard). Then get off, that’s it. Later in the day, I’d do it again or at night. Believe it or not, things started moving again lol. Just evaluate and tweek!
Mabs A’Mabbin, I came back to this thread to say the very same thing! I’ve found that heavier weights and some short sprints really have taken my weight loss and general wellness up a notch. I workout the same amount of time almost everyday—-roughly 35 minutes–but now I use 10 and even 15 pound weights when lifting. I also bought for 32 bucks a 20 pound weighted vest that I wear while walking on an incline. I am almost 40 and have a history of severe osteoporosis in my family–I swear taking calcium, collagen, and upping my resistance training has made my body happy and strong!
Eh, I think the most effective time of day is the time that you’ll stick to. I cannot work out in the mornings, at least not during the week. No way. I also love my runs in the evenings because it helps me get into a different headspace. It’s like intermittent fasting. For some people it might be the best thing to ever happen to them in terms of weightloss but overall, you can achieve the same results with a calorie deficit. It depends on what works best for you longterm.
I used to run in the mornings during a particularly hot summer 2 or 3 years ago because it was the only time of day remotely bearable. I ate more. I think it’s because that meal after my run satisfies me but then I just get such a huge appetite for the rest of the day. If I go to bed, problem solved.
“This deification of morning people has to STOP.”
— Me, a Genetically Hardwired, Constantly Sleep-Deprived Night Owl
Haha @neners – same. Very effn much, same.
I’ve been following whatever my body wants since childhood and have stayed pretty much the same, barring pregnancy/life changes that disrupted usual patterns of eating and moving.
Body wants: no breakfast, light,/no lunch, giant dinner with seconds of everything. Meat, fish, wine, spicy veg, chocolate.
If i eat breakfast i feel gross, sleepy and end up eating more all day. I think this is now called intermittent fasting but i got so much crap for my “unhealthy” habits for decades.
Yoga, dancing and taking the subway everywhere (walking/stairs) used to be it for exercise, but since i moved to a car place, i try to park far away, take stairs or just randomly do calisthenics when i feel my ass and thighs going numb from all the sitting. I’ve never had a taste for carbs/baked goods but pandemic baking was a BAD idea. Turns out i love my *own* baked goods (because my ego was involved) and eating half a pie regularly had a very predictable effect on the waistline.
I’m young genX and i can’t pull all nighters like i used and maybe lose muscle faster but not much else changed over time.
Idk. I guess I’m impressed by all the hardcore routines and everyone’s schedules but also think loving our bodies should mean getting to know what our bodies want and why and listen.
I work out between 10 am and 12 pm most days, so no clue where that puts me, lol.
But I actually find if I work out in the evenings (which is very rare these days but I used to do it more when I had to go into the office), I eat healthier throughout the day bc I have to be careful of how its going to affect my stomach. Like I won’t have that iced coffee and pastry at 330 before picking up the kids because that’s going to feel really gross when I’m running an hour or two later.
I try to workout 2x a day. So every morning and evening. My moring workout is a 10 min HIIT Workout. In the evening, it’s a 30 min Full body Workout.
Every body needs different things. I think a few small workouts throughout the day is best, especially if you sit a lot when not working out. But I do cardio first thing because I’m insulin resistant and wakeup cardio is good for like priming your insulin for the day. Taking a wall after meals is good for insulin too!
hi sophie 👋 do you have any other tips to manage insulin resistance? do you take metformin? thanks!
I’m fairly dedicated to a 6a.m. workout at my gym three days a week. Though the other three days when I go for a run, it’s an afternoon run because, UNFORTUNATELY, that’s when I feel safest. My friend and I did go at 7am on Saturday and it was lovely, but we both commented that there was no way we could have gone alone at that time. It sucks, I love working out early as I am one of those annoying morning people.
I have to work out in the morning and get it over with. I hate working out and if I wait to do it later I talk myself out of it or find something better to do. In the morning before my brain is awake enough to revolt works best for me.
I’ve trained people at dawn, mid morning, afternoon and evening. The majority of morning people try so hard to be chipper and cheerful it’s nauseating. Almost as if they’re trying to convince themselves they’re go getters and superior to others. I appreciate the real ones in the morning who are like I’m here aren’t I? Let’s get this over with. The evening people get in right after work and are devoid of energy mental and physical. The mid morning mom crowd has the most energy and the afternoon childless but work situation allows a long enough lunch break workout crowd is the most well adjusted. Your timing is dependent on what your privilege allows and not everyone has the same 24 hours. Your workout results have a lot to do with your levels of stress, money, DNA, discipline and access to relevant scientific information applicable and sustainable specifically for you. Ive trained women who wanted “abs” to show and women who wanted to look “toned” and the modalities which they expected versus what actually helped them reach their goal were a complete surprise to them.
“Your timing is dependent on what your privilege allows and not everyone has the same 24 hours.”
I really appreciate you saying this. I have to be in the office by 7, so I already have to wake up at 5 (to account for getting ready and commuting). Waking up even earlier sounds unbearable. Afternoon workouts work for me because I’m awake enough to pay attention to my form and it gives me something to look forward to as my day unfolds.
@Myeh, absof@ckinglutely. Our workout decisions are based on our lives every bit as much as our physical need to exercise.
For me, it has to be in the morning. If I’m not at the gym or running before 8am, it doesn’t happen. If I have more than a cup of coffee in my system before I leave, I feel slogged down. For a variety of reasons, I also start work later in the day, so my work day often extends into the evening. By the time I’m off work, I’m done – all I want to do is curl up on the couch with my husband and watch tv. I ready to be in my pjs, not my running shoes.
Long ago, I had a coach who said “the best work out is the one you are willing to do.” I hate to swim – it’s never going to be a good workout for me because I just will not do it. But I love to go to the park up the street and go for a run. It clears my head and relaxes me. As a bonus, it’s safe – if anything the trail I use can be a little too crowded at the times I’m there.
I used to love my morning workouts but now get to the gym from 3-5pm, which is my normal snacking time. It’s also my kid’s worst time of the day so they get to play at gym childcare instead of fighting at home. I avoid stress snacking, kid meltdowns, and overall lower my cortisol.
If I work out too late, I can’t sleep. I feel like doing it in the morning wakes me up! Over lockdown I was working out at lunch, and that was great too. It was a nice way to break up the day and work off some my stress about work emails and stuff. Plus I could sleep in later. I’m not a morning person, but did mornings for a while because I didn’t want to run in the dark after work.
You’re more likely to be working out on a completely empty stomach if you work out in the morning, so it makes sense you’d tend to lose fat better then, because that’s all your body has to burn.
However, you’d then expect the same result for men, so who knows?