Most people either exercise in the morning before the day starts or later in evening before retiring for the day. But what time of the day is best to loose abdominal fat, reduce blood pressure and increase muscular performance.
According to a US study, exercise is good for the body whenever you do it, but the time of day to achieve the best result may vary for women and men.
The research found out that women burned more abdominal fat during morning exercising, whiles men achieve their in the evenings.
The of participants of the research were nonsmoking, healthy, trained women and men with no known cardiovascular or metabolic diseases as assessed by a medical history and a comprehensive medical examination. And all participants were highly active, lean, middle aged (25–55 years), and weight stable (±2 kg) for at least 6 months prior to the beginning of the research.
For 12 weeks, participants were monitored on varied fitness programme, including stretching, sprint, resistance and endurance training.
All participants were divided into two groups with each person randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- One group (consisting of 15 women and 14 men) performed resistance, interval, stretching, endurance training in the mornings
- While another group (consisting of 15 women and 12 men) performed same exercises in the evenings.
All participants followed a Under a supervised program of progressive exercise training for the 12 weeks and were assigned either participants were assigned early morning exercise sessions (6:30-8:30a.m.,) or evening sessions (6:00-8:00p.m.,).
All testing procedures (see below) were administered pre-intervention (week 0) and post intervention (week 13) unless noted otherwise. Upon arrival at the laboratory, anthropometric and body composition measurements and blood sampling for subsequent analysis were performed.
The participants were checked and tested for blood pressure and body fat over the course of the research, as well as their flexibility, strength and aerobic power at the beginning and end.
And all those who took part in the research improved their overall health and performance over the 12-week trial, regardless of when they exercised.
Impact of Exercise Time of Day on Body Composition
The research impact on Women:
Both women who exercised in the morning and evenings significantly reduced total body fat, abdominal and hip fat, and increased fat-free mass following the exercise training the research revealed.
However, the magnitude of improvement was significantly greater in women who exercised for total body fat mass and abdominal fat percentage.
The research impact on Men:
Total body fat mass and body fat, abdominal and hip fat decreased, and fat-free mass increased significantly in men for both morning and evening exercises with no differences regardless of the group.
The men in the research study were less sensitive to the time of day they exercised, improving their strength in the mornings and evenings.
But evening exercise was found to be “ideal for men interested in improving heart and metabolic health, as well as emotional wellbeing,” says Dr. Arcerio who told the BBC.
It’s not clear exactly why men and women’s responses to the time of exercising were totally different, and the researchers say more research is needed to find out more about this.
The research was published in the frontiersin.org.
The research concluded that morning exercise in women, enhances total and abdominal fat loss, reduces blood pressure, and increases lower body muscle power, whereas, evening exercise greatly increases upper body muscle strength, power, and endurance, and enhances overall mood. For men, evening exercise lowers systolic blood pressure and fatigue, and stimulates fat oxidation compared to early morning exercise.