Exercise stands as one of the most potent methods for weight loss, but did you know that exercising at particular times of the day can yield more significant results? A recent study, published in the journal Obesity, suggests that engaging in physical activity during the morning hours, specifically between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, may have a more pronounced effect on weight loss.
Morning Workouts for Enhanced Fat Loss
Tongyu Ma, an assistant professor and researcher at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, explains that exercising in the morning before breakfast may offer superior results in shedding pounds compared to working out at other times of the day. Ma, who also serves as the lead researcher in the study, shared, “The advice that I can offer from this study is that if we opt to exercise in the morning before eating, we may potentially burn more fat than when we exercise at other times,” as reported by NBC on Thursday (September 21).
Studying Exercise and Lifestyle Patterns
In their study, Ma and his team scrutinized the eating habits and lifestyles of over 5,200 adults aged 20 and above. During the study, participants were equipped with accelerometer devices to record their activity levels.
Morning Exercisers Exhibit Lower BMI
From the amassed data, researchers discovered that individuals who engaged in morning boasted a smaller body mass index (BMI) compared to those who worked out in the afternoon or evening.
The Science Behind Morning Exercise
Ma elucidated that working out in the morning, especially before having breakfast, aids in burning more body fat. “Because people do not eat while they are asleep, exercising before breakfast can help burn fat rather than carbohydrates. The benefits are also felt for hours after completing the exercise,” Ma clarified.
Psychological Factors Favor Morning Workouts
Ross Andersen, a professor of exercise physiology, medicine, and nutrition at McGill University in Canada, pointed out that there are psychological factors that make morning exercise more optimal. He stated, “It’s very easy to find excuses not to take care of yourself and say, ‘I won’t exercise today because I’m too busy and there are more important things to do.’ But if exercise becomes the first thing you do in the morning, it can become a daily habit.”
Resetting the Body’s Clock
Cameron Mitchell, an assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, explained that morning exercise can help reset the body’s molecular clock, which plays a role in metabolism. He noted that several studies have already shown that exercise can restore this clock to its normal rhythm, ultimately boosting metabolism and fat burning.
