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Morning or Evening Exercise?


I was once asked, "Does it matter when I exercise?" I thought to myself and often gave them the answer that there is no such time for exercise. Boy!! Was I misinformed!!! Time has link to the human biological system. The internal body system functions well in tandem with time. There is also an internal clock that acts to guard it.


With this in mind, it is important to know the time to exercise depends on the goals of the exercise.


Losing Weight

Here is the exercise science part. When we wake up in the morning, we had already fasted the whole night. Remember when your PT told you not to eat or drink before you go to bed, he or she is right. This is because the glucose level in your body will decrease. The glucose is needed to give you the energy to walk or jog.


With the lowered glucose levels, the body will seek alternatives. It will target the fats which is stored in the body tissues. This fat will be used as fuel to give you the energy for your body to exercise. Consequently, this usage will help to reduce the fats that are stored in your body. Your body will feel lighter and as you always want it...A SHRINK IN THE SIZE OF YOUR CLOTHES!!!


On the contrary, if the person decides to have a light or heavy breakfast. Then, the body will 'burn' the food that is consumed and not from the body. Therefore, the purpose of losing weight will not be materialised.


Henceforth, it is highly encouraged and more effective that you exercise in the morning without breakfast. Furthermore, the body is burning 20% more fats according to a research.


Gain muscle tone

It is also encouraged that if you are into toning your muscles, the time of exercise will be in the morning. This is because the physiological make up of human is constantly changing in a day. One such hormone is the testosterone. The level of this hormone is high in the morning and thus important for muscle building.


Increases the 'Feel Good' mood

Exercises as simple as walking (I mean brisk walking not leisure walking in the shopping centres or malls) can help to increase the neurohormones of a person. Some of the hormones that are released include:-

Serotonin - This hormone helps to regulate anxiety, happiness and mood. It can help to increase the quality of sleep and the appetite for food.

Endorphin - Apart from decreasing pain levels, the secretion of this hormone helps to boost feelings of euphoria, release of sex hormone and enhancement of the immune response. The American Journal of Psychiatry (2016) reported that low levels of endorphin will lead to depression.

Dopamine - This hormone is closely related to a person's motivation, memory, focus and body movements. As a consequence, high levels of dopamine lead to high levels of motor activity and impulsive behavior; low levels of dopamine lead to torpor and slowed reactions.


Exercise at Night

While some scholars indicate the unsuitability of exercising at night. This is because night time is suitable for preparation of sleep. On a personal note,exercising at night depends on the time too. I workout from about 6.30pm and will not go beyond 9.00pm for any types of workout.


In my opinion, having a good exercise in the morning is good for you. Though, for those who are press for time in the morning, then my suggestion would be to do exercises that keeps up with your level of 'busyness.' For more exercise tips, subscribe to us.




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