What time of the day do you work out? Right after you wake up? During your lunch hour or after work? There is a lot of debate over whether you get most benefits from working out in the a.m. or p.m. On one hand, research shows that people who exercise in the morning are more consistent with their work outs, which might lead to better results. On the other hand, other studies claim that you are more likely to work out harder later in the day. So confusing! I turned to super trainer Jillian Michaels for some clarification, and guess what time of day she recommends?
According to Jillian’s latest book, Slim for Life, the best time to work out is… the same time every day. By working out at the same time of the day, your body gets conditioned to release energy-boosting hormones like testosterone that help fat metabolism and muscle performance. But if you can’t work out at the same hour everyday, don’t worry–Jillian says that the frequency of exercise matters much more than the time of day, and recommends exercising 4-6 days a week for optimum fitness.