Myth #1: Morning is the Best Time of Day to Workout

Just about every day I encounter someone new, who wants to burn some body fat.  You are probably in this same position.  You have an extremely busy schedule, yet you still want to burn fat.  Having a crazy busy schedule encourages you to go out and find that one thing that will help you lose weight.  You want something that will fit into your lifestyle, not make you eat things you don’t like or waste all of your time at the gym so that you do not have to waste your precious time.

I know that there are thousands (if not millions) of books, video games, programs, foods, pills, and people who have that one thing you are looking for.  I would love to be able to tell that there is a pill, food, shake, or one exercise that you can do to lose all your weight.  Unfortunately, I cannot do that.

I will not fill you with the false belief that weight loss can be accomplished overnight with just one thing.  If this was the case, everyone would be fit and healthy.  We would all be perfectly thin and the dieting world would be out of business.

While helping several busy moms lose weight and while losing my own weight, I have come across several myths about burning fat.  I want to share these myths with you.  My hope is that through busting these 5 myths you will gain a better understanding of how to exercise and alter your lifestyle just enough so that you lose as much weight as possible.  I want you to have the best results without wasting precious hours during your day that you could spend with loved ones or your favorite hobby.

Let’s start with the most common question I get – “When is the best time to exercise?”

 

Myth: Morning is the best time of day to work out.

Fact:  The best time of day to work out is dependent upon your lifestyle.

 

In the world of controversy in health and fitness, this is probably toward the top of the list.  There has been a multitude of research done on this question, alone.  The two most common answers are morning and mid-afternoon.

Why is this?  The research consistently shows that it has to do with your circadian rhythm, your body’s natural 24 hour cycle.  If we want to get extremely scientific, mid-afternoon is technically the best time to exercise because your body temperature, strength, and endurance are at their highest levels.

This is fantastic news!  Now, if all of our schedules would allow us to workout at 2pm daily we would be able to have a perfect exercise routine.  Unfortunately most of us cannot exercise regularly at 2pm.  You most likely have a job, children, family obligations, or a multitude of reasons that the middle of the day does not work for you.

Here’s some better news – “…scheduled exercise could be used as a tool to modulate daily rhythms and, when applied, may counteract some of the negative impacts of ageing and disease on the circadian system.” (PubMed.gov)

You can alter your circadian rhythm to fit into your schedule.  Getting adequate rest and giving your body the fuel it needs will help along with daily exercise.

Choose a time that works best for you.  Through much trial and error, I have discovered that mornings actually work best for me.  I do not get interruptions, I feel most excited about my workout, I get it done and over with, and I do not have time to generate a billion excuses as to why I can’t complete my workout.  By completing my exercise in the morning I also seem to have more energy throughout my day and better eating habits.

Find the time that fits your needs:

• When are you less likely to be interrupted?
• When are you less likely to have excuses?
• When do you have the most energy for exercising?
• When do you feel the most excited about working out?
• What time of day will allow you to follow through with your workout?

When you find the time that works best for you, you will become more consistent.  Not only will you become more consistent in your exercising, but you will become more consistent in your weight loss, energy levels, and sleeping patterns.

Give yourself credit for knowing yourself best; if you try to limit your workouts to the times that authorities tell you is best, you will find barriers and excuses for not getting it done.  You need to take control of your personal health.  Use your body and lifestyle dictate the best time for you.

Want to learn more nasty myths that the weight loss industry is hiding from you?  Download your free report here.