- READ MORE: Fitness professionals share their insights on the optimal time for exercise
The eternal question remains: When is the optimal time of day to exercise?
However, a fascinating recent study appears to have addressed this issue.
A study conducted by researchers in Spain revealed that individuals who engaged in physical activities such as jogging, biking, or similar exercises around 6 PM exhibited lower blood glucose levels compared to those who worked out earlier in the day.
The scientists contended that this indicated late exercisers exhibited greater activity metabolism and found it easier to withstand hunger cravings.
This indicated that they would both expend more calories throughout the day and take in less energy, they proposed.
Research indicates that typically, muscle cells tend to lose their ability to take up blood glucose during the evening hours due to a decline in insulin levels at that time.
However, working out in the evening increases insulin levels, which helps cells more effectively take up glucose from the blood and use it as fuel.
In this study, the researchers monitored 186 middle-aged Spaniards, primarily those who were obese, over a period of two weeks.
Every participant used an accelerometer to record physical activity and a continuous blood glucose monitor to track their blood sugar levels.
The exercise periods were divided into three segments: morning from 6 am to 12 pm, afternoon from 12 pm to 6 pm, or evening from 6 pm to 12 am.
The researchers subsequently compared blood glucose levels between inactive participants, who abstained from exercising for one day, and those who engaged in physical activity at various times.
Dr. Antonio Clavero-Jimenez, a sports scientist at the University of Granada, Spain , among others, stated in the study: 'Engaging in exercise during the evening seems to positively impact blood glucose levels in inactive adults with obesity.'
The research was conducted solely among individuals who were obese or overweight, suggesting that the findings may not be applicable to people with a healthy weight.
However, it aligns with previous research indicating that working out later in the day is most effective for shedding pounds.
A research conducted at the University of Sydney, Australia, revealed that overweight individuals engaging in physical activity post-6 pm exhibited roughly a 36 percent decreased likelihood of developing heart disease.
Of those who exercised prior to this period, the advantage was only half as much—or equating to an 17 percent lower likelihood—of developing the condition.
A study from Germany published in 2022 and conducted with 5,000 individuals who were either overweight or obese discovered that participants exercising in the evening experienced up to a 25 percent decrease in insulin resistance.
Several weight-loss studies indicate that exercising in the morning may be most effective for shedding pounds.
These findings are derived from data indicating that individuals who work out during these hours typically maintain lower body weight compared to those who exercise in the evening.
However, these elements do not consider additional aspects like individuals who are more health-conscious being prone to beginning their day with an exercise routine.
Doctors state that any level of physical activity at any point during the day can contribute to weight loss in individuals who are obese, provided they do not consume more calories than their body requires.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), individuals should engage in physical activity for a minimum of 150 minutes per week.
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