The Best Time to Workout, By: Lisa Ritchie

As a personal trainer, people ask me all the time, when is the BEST time to exercise? What time should I work out to get the best results?

While one size doesn’t fit all, we all have biological clocks, and most of us feel an energy dip just after lunch. Some of us peak in the morning, others are night owls. As Gloria Estefan once sang, “the rhythm is gonna get ya.”

The daily cycles that our bodies follow is called circadian rhythms. They originate in the hypothalamus of your brain and regulate everything from body temperature to blood pressure. How your circadian rhythm controls your body temperature seems to have the biggest impact on your workout's quality.

When your temperature's higher but not feverish, your workout will feel better and be more productive. Studies have found that body temp tends to peak between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and is at its lowest about one-to-three hours before you wake each morning.

For the average person who wants to lose a few pounds or stay healthy, it doesn't really matter what time of day you exercise, as long as you do it consistently. Find a time of day that fits your schedule and feels good for you.

Elite athletes do have a formula they use to find their prime workout time, but it gets a bit complicated. It's better to do something each day rather than postpone a workout or wind up doing nothing at all. Remember, it’s either one day or day one. He, who is the most consistent with the right behavior,s will win.