Post by west on Apr 3, 2007 15:05:24 GMT -5
I thought I’d share some interesting info with you all. The time of the day that you work out can impact your results.
Some people swear to working out first thing in the morning. A morning jog is like coffee to some. Others prefer to work out in the afternoon or evening when their muscles are already stretched and ready to go.
For those who want to lose weight, cardio exercises in the morning will probably be more beneficial during the morning. The reason that cardio workouts are better in the morning (or during an empty stomach) is because your body’s carbohydrate reserves are already almost used up. You will burn more calories because of this. Your body goes to its fat storage for energy while you are working out, which is what you want to lose weight. Some experts will warn that working out on an empty stomach is unhealthy; it really depends on what you are comfortable with. It is still recommended that you drink lots of water, even during morning workouts. Just because it's encouraged that you go on an empty stomach doesn't mean you should dehydrate yourself.
The afternoon is a better time for more physical workouts such as contact sports or weight lifting. Your muscles are more prepared at this time of day than in the morning. The body’s temperature generally has risen from the morning to afternoon. This warms your muscles and connective tissues, resulting in a slight improvement in your performance. Working out in the afternoon also requires less stretching because, as I said, your muscles are already more prepared. When you first get up in the morning, your muscles will be stiff and it will take longer to stretch and get them prepared. It's still important to stretch before any workout though, regardless of the time of day. If you do not stretch, your risk of injury is much higher. Another good thing about these exercises in the afternoon is that your muscles do not have much glycogen or stored fuel in your muscles in the morning. Without enough glycogen, your muscles cannot support an effective workout. Glycogen is a storage fuel made up of carbohydrates and is stored in the muscles and liver.
Some people think stretching is silly (I use to) but it's really not. I really damaged my biceps after a workout one day because I did not stretch previously. I did some intense weight lifting, and by the time I was done by arms felt like they were on fire. By the next day, I wasn't able to do anything with my arms. Even lifting up sheets of paper was really painful. The pain went on for about a week while my mucles healed.
Anyway, the next time you workout you might want to take some of that to mind.
Some people swear to working out first thing in the morning. A morning jog is like coffee to some. Others prefer to work out in the afternoon or evening when their muscles are already stretched and ready to go.
For those who want to lose weight, cardio exercises in the morning will probably be more beneficial during the morning. The reason that cardio workouts are better in the morning (or during an empty stomach) is because your body’s carbohydrate reserves are already almost used up. You will burn more calories because of this. Your body goes to its fat storage for energy while you are working out, which is what you want to lose weight. Some experts will warn that working out on an empty stomach is unhealthy; it really depends on what you are comfortable with. It is still recommended that you drink lots of water, even during morning workouts. Just because it's encouraged that you go on an empty stomach doesn't mean you should dehydrate yourself.
The afternoon is a better time for more physical workouts such as contact sports or weight lifting. Your muscles are more prepared at this time of day than in the morning. The body’s temperature generally has risen from the morning to afternoon. This warms your muscles and connective tissues, resulting in a slight improvement in your performance. Working out in the afternoon also requires less stretching because, as I said, your muscles are already more prepared. When you first get up in the morning, your muscles will be stiff and it will take longer to stretch and get them prepared. It's still important to stretch before any workout though, regardless of the time of day. If you do not stretch, your risk of injury is much higher. Another good thing about these exercises in the afternoon is that your muscles do not have much glycogen or stored fuel in your muscles in the morning. Without enough glycogen, your muscles cannot support an effective workout. Glycogen is a storage fuel made up of carbohydrates and is stored in the muscles and liver.
Some people think stretching is silly (I use to) but it's really not. I really damaged my biceps after a workout one day because I did not stretch previously. I did some intense weight lifting, and by the time I was done by arms felt like they were on fire. By the next day, I wasn't able to do anything with my arms. Even lifting up sheets of paper was really painful. The pain went on for about a week while my mucles healed.
Anyway, the next time you workout you might want to take some of that to mind.
