Hey doc, when is the best time to work out, early in the morning before breakfeast or early afternoon after lunch?
Great question. The answer is: Whenever is most convenient for you.
Some people are early birds and thrive in the morning. Im a morning person and like to get up early. I would get up at 5 am everyday, grab my gym bag, MP3 player, coffee mug and head for the YMCA. I would get there about 5:30 am. I would run and lift weights on alternate days. After my workout, I would eat my Special K 90 Calorie bar, take a shower and head for work. I did this for several months and lost 33 pounds. I burned a lot of fat exercising before breakfast. My body had no choice but to burn fat (your body will not allow blood sugar to drop below a certain level).
Now I start my office an hour early. An early morning workout no longer fits into my daily routine and is no longer convenient. Therefore, I workout in the early afternoon. I have a light pre-exercise snack (oatmeal) and workout in the afternoon (after I get off work).
Thank you very much. That was a great question.
A quick word about exercise
Many of you have heard me say that exercise is a “time commitment.” Therefore, when choosing an exercise routine, make sure that it will easily fit into you weekly schedule. Convenience and easy access is very important, especially when we have kids, a job, chores and so many other responsibilities. The less disruptive your exercise routine is to your daily life, the more likely you are to exercise on a regular basis. Most important, do something that you enjoy and find satisfying.
Dr. T
