Sport in the morning or in the evening? While essential for our health, physical activity will have different effects on our bodies depending on the time of day it’s performed.
Indeed, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers, exercise has significantly different benefits on the body when done in the morning on an empty stomach versus in the evening before dinner. Researchers conducted tests on 47 “healthy” individuals who trained over a 3-month period, four times a week. The program included: an endurance session, weight training, stretching, as well as cardio. The group was split into two: half trained in the morning on an empty stomach, the other half in the evening before meals.
Better mood and reduced blood pressure
And, the observations after three months are quite interesting. Women who exercised in the morning “burned 7% more fat than those who exercised in the evening, reduced their blood pressure by an additional 7%, and gained more muscle in their legs,” reports Futura-Sciences. Conversely, women who trained in the evening “gained 29% more muscle power than those training in the morning and improved their endurance by an additional 15%.” They also appeared to be in a better mood.
For men, although the differences are less significant, researchers observed a significant reduction in fatigue among those who trained in the evening (55% greater than the morning practice), coupled with better fat oxidation and a reduction in blood pressure. In both cases, the amount of fat burned was the same.