When Is the Best Time to Exercise?

Hey guys,

It is mid-week and I feel exhausted!

Due to work commitments, I couldn’t go to the gym this morning (which has now become my routine) and I hit the Promenade for a run after work. It was hot. I was hungry. I was tired. I didn’t feel comfortable at all! And yet… I finished!

I don’t even want to write about my meals anymore, cause it seems so boring.
Egg whites and toast for breakfast.
Meal replacement shake for snack.
Skinless chicken thighs and salad for lunch.
Protein bar for snack.
Egg whites, toast and salad for dinner. (I was too dead to cook!)
There were a few pieces of fruit (two, to be precise) as well – sometimes during the day.

I was having a look in the mirror this evening and I can definitely see that my legs look different. The size appears to not have changed much (according to Jeni’s stupid tape measure) but the look of my legs is different. May be Jeni is just doing something to make me feel bad? ;)

Mel

Jeni:
Hey,

Mel, I can assure you, I am not fudging your numbers! And yes, you do look completely different than you did 6 weeks ago. I wish you had let me take pictures and publish them on the blog!

Regarding exercise in the morning vs. the evening – it is a highly debated issue.

My personal preference is to exercise first thing in the morning. Why?

Firstly, it increases your metabolism. Studies have found that by working out in the morning, you can increase fat burn by two to three times compared with exercising at other times of day. Clearly, if you that are trying to lose weight, you will immediately appreciate the difference this could make.

Secondly, exercise in the morning increases your energy and alertness for the rest of the day. Even a light brisk morning walk can help you immensely in fighting fatigue.

Thirdly, when you exercise during the day or in the evening, it is a lot easier to be distracted by other parts of your life. We all have competing demands on our time and in most cases, people will say that their barrier to regular exercise is lack of time (which I clearly disagree with…). Bottom line – it is much easier in the morning. Get up, get it done and get on with the rest of your day. Plus, it is a great time to be alone with your thoughts!

And forth, exercise in the morning is also proven to improve your quality of sleep meaning you will sleep more soundly throughout the night.

Having said all that, I have a lot of clients who swear that exercising in the evening works much better for them! I even read a (controversial) study once from someone who claims he studied at Stanford Medical School and claims that according to their study, exercise in the evening helps subjects work off the fat and calories they have consumed during the day, whereas exercise in the morning makes them hungrier and prone to eat more during the day. I guess it all depends on the duration, quality and intensity of exercise but with the average person consuming in excess of 2,000 kcal a day, I can’t see how subjects burn that off. (The average calorie consumption of a 70kg man running a 42km marathon is slightly less than that!)

Anyway, to make a long story short… the recommendation is FIT YOUR EXERCISE IN! Morning, evening, mid-day, 4 sessions of 10 minutes each throughout the day… Whatever works for you! Just do it! (No royalties to Nike !-))))

Ciao!
Jeni