Exact time to exercise for best weight loss results revealed for men and women

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Exercise offers a wealth of benefits, but the time you do it can also impact results.When it comes to weight loss and muscle building, the time of day that you work out matters, according to research.

But there is no one time that works best for everyone, as findings show the best time to exercise differs for men and women.A 12-week study, published in Frontiers in Physiology, found that women hoping to burn belly fat and lower blood pressure should move in the morning, but those looking to build muscle should exercise in the evening.Meanwhile, men were found to benefit more from evening exercise, which is also the optimal time of day for anyone working out for better mental health.

Of course, exercise at any time of day is better than doing none at all.Researchers at Skidmore college set out to uncover the "elusive" ideal time by examining 30 male and 26 female participants who are all healthy and aged between 25 and 55 years old.Considering how males and females respond differently to exercise, results showed that women in particular may benefit from doing it in the morning rather than in the evening.Things like hormones, sleep cycles and other biological differences may indicate why there appears to be a gender difference, the Mirror reported.To come to conclusions, researchers examined the 56 participants on a special diet over a three-month period.

One group exercised for an hour before 8.30am, while another did the same activities between 6pm and 8pm. The study's lead author Dr Paul Arcerio, professor of health and human physiological sciences at Skidmore College, told the BBC that people "have more opportunity to benefit" from exercising early.