The best time to exercise varies depending on your gender

According to the researchers, women would burn more fat in the early morning, while men would benefit from training in the evening. Conducted on a small sample of people, aged between 25 and 55 – 30 women and 26 men -, the study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology May 31.

Isolate the sole role of physical exercise

The researchers asked all participants to do 4 exercise sessions per week, over a 12-week period, which included:

• Resistance training, such as fitness;
• A stretching session, such as yoga or pilates;
• Interval sprints, performed through swimming or running;
• An endurance session: long aerobic exercises, cycling or rowing.

Half of them trained from 6 to 8 a.m., the other half from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The study participants all followed a fixed diet for these 12 weeks, so that their food intake did not influence the results.

First of all, it is important to clarify that the study showed that physical exercise was beneficial for all participants, regardless of when they practiced it. But the benefits of sport could increase depending on the schedule…

Women should train in the morning if they want to burn fat

According to the researchers, the influence of hormones and the circadian cycle would be more important in women.

For those who want to reduce belly fat, the study showed that a morning workout was best. Women who exercised early in the day lost an average of 10% of their abdominal fat, while those who exercised at night only lost 3%.

According to the researchers, participants who exercised early in the day also saw their blood pressure drop more than those who exercised in the evening.

Dr. Paul Arciero, who led the study, said: “While physical exercise, whether done in the morning or at night, has tremendous health and performance benefits for women, those looking to lose belly fat and lower blood pressure should prioritize exercise. morning”. According to the study, the decrease in blood pressure could be due to a reduction in blood vessel stiffness, or the fact that women who exercised in the morning had slightly higher blood pressure to begin with.

However, if women want to improve their muscle strength, they should train in the evening instead, the study reports. According to the researchers, women who chose the evening to train had better upper body strength when asked to lift weights.

The benefits of sport in the evening for men

According to the study, men would benefit more from exercising in the evening. Their blood pressure, “bad” cholesterol levels and fat storage would decrease more when they exercised in the evening. According to the study, they would also feel less tired.

No difference was found in their physical performance, depending on when they chose to exercise.