I’ve been asked this many times both on and offline. It seems that people have this misconception that there is a magical time during the day at which your body will melt the fat and burn off tons of calories. This simply isn’t the case.

I will concede that you can burn slightly more calories after a good rest and on a somewhat empty stomach.

The short answer: The best time to workout is when you have the time to do it. Fitting workouts into your already busy life can be difficult but it’s essential to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Here is the long answer. This is just from my experience and the results I’ve seen. When it comes to aerobic activities like running, biking, rollerblading etc. the rule I follow is that – motion creates energy – So I do my cardio workouts when it’s most beneficial to have or create lots of energy. This means first thing in the morning. I need that energy boost to start my day.

I’ve found that an early a.m cardio workout wakes up my whole body, reduces any anxiety or stress I have about upcoming tasks that day and makes me more creative and productive. This is of course after refueling with a good healthy breakfast and a hot shower

Weight training or strength training workouts are best suited for the early evening/night. The reason is you’re breaking down your muscle fiber during these workouts. If they’re done properly they should leave you feeling a little shaky and a bit weaker. Your body’s reaction to this is that it wants to rest and rebuild. What better way is there to listen to your body, than to give it 8 hours of sleep!

Final Thoughts

I have found that cardio sessions done at night keep me up all night and I just can’t get a good rest. Weights in the morning make me tired and I do nothing but yawn all day.

Experiment with your schedule and see if you can fit this way of exercising into you routine. You can remember it like this – Burn in the morning, build at night – It’s worked for me.

If you’re thinking that I am just a morning person? Wrong, I’m the snooze button King.