I’m a fitness expert and there’s an ideal time of day for a workout if you want to lose weight 

Whether you’re an early riser or you love a late night, there can be health benefits to when you work out.

And depending on your training goals, these pros and cons could significantly be impacting the efficiency of your workout.

Now the sports nutrition experts at Bulk told FEMAIL the advantages of working out between 5-8am, as well as the benefits of a gym session after 7pm.

They revealed that morning workouts can improve your weight loss rate as they can help to boost the metabolism and burn more body fat.

Meanwhile muscle strength and function peaks in the evening, which means workouts can be more effective.

Early morning workout – 5am-8am

ADVANTAGES  

1. Increased alertness

Believe it or not, one of the biggest advantages to an early morning workout is feeling more alert.

Whilst you may feel exhausted as you drag yourself to the gym, your body produces a hormone called cortisol which is at its peak level at around 8am in the morning.

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, helps you keep awake and alert. This hormone will only cause you problems if there is too much or too little of it.

Therefore, if you have a healthy circadian rhythm- the 24-hour cycle that includes physiological and behavioural rhythms like sleeping- your body will be more primed to exercise early in the morning.

2. Can improve weight loss rate

For those looking to shred some body fat, a big advantage of working out in the morning is it is generally better for weight loss.

Elevated cortisol levels and growth hormone in the morning are both associated with your metabolism.

Therefore, high intensity exercise in the morning can help to boost the metabolism and burn more body fat, drawing more of your energy from your fat reserves.

3. Improves your body clock

A study published by the Journal of Physiology found that exercising at 7 a.m. can shift your body clock earlier.

Not only will this improve how alert you are in the morning but it can also prime you to fall asleep easier and earlier that evening.

This will allow you to get enough rest to wake up and repeat the same routine again the following day.

4. Helps with appetite control

Exercise generally helps to control your appetite.

Studies have now shown that aerobic exercise, like running, cycling, and swimming decreases appetite. This is because it alters our hormone levels that drive hunger.

The theory behind exercise as a suppressant or stimulant of your appetite is based on the activities of two main hormones, ghrelin and peptide YY.

These are hormones with opposing actions, both released during exercise. Ghrelin stimulates appetite while peptide YY decreases appetite.

Therefore as exercise suppresses the ghrelin hormone, this will help you to control your appetite.

Late-night workout – 7:30 pm and onwards

Advantages

1. Higher energy levels

A study from The University of Birmingham shows you can go up to 20 percent longer when exercising in the evening, at a higher intensity.

Therefore, doing workouts at a longer, faster, stronger rate will demonstrate results a lot quicker.

2. Muscles will tone up faster

Muscle strength and function peaks in the evening, as fluctuating hormones can make workouts later in the day more effective.

High levels of cortisol in the morning can prevent muscle growth, however high levels of testosterone in the evening boosts it.

3. It’s a myth that P.M workouts have a negative impact on sleep

Whilst many people believe that working out late at night can be extremely disruptive to your quality of sleep, as endorphins are still buzzing, this is a myth.

Endorphins actually help to improve the ability to sleep, which also helps reduces stress.

A study in Sleep Medicine found that only two percent of vigorous exercisers said workouts interrupted their sleep, as 30 percent slept better after a good sweat.

Of course, depending on how late at night your workout is, people may tend to rely on caffeine and taurine which are known as popular pre workout supplements.

Whilst there is a lot of research to support their performance benefits, particularly if you are strength training, the caffeine can be problematic and impact sleep quality.

Therefore, opting for caffeine-free pre workout is a better option, which contains Beta Alanine and Citrulline Malate which helps to preserve muscle pH and acidity levels – delaying the build-up of lactic acid and muscle fatigue.

4. Effective stress relief

After a long day, exercise can help you unwind and de-stress.

This is because physical activity produces endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers.

Studies show that among those who exercise, 33 percent of high-stress adults said they feel less stressed after exercising, compared with 18 percent of low-stress adults.

A spokesperson for Bulk said: ‘There is no bad time to exercise, it just depends on the types of workouts you do and the results you want to achieve.

‘Generally, for those who want to achieve weight loss, an early morning workout is more effective, and for those wanting to build muscle and tone, afternoon or evening is better.

‘The most important thing is to find a time that suits you best, and if you feel better working out early morning as opposed to late at night or vice versa, then do so. A workout should give you a sense of achievement and make you feel good.

‘For those who do have certain body goals, consistency is key, therefore chose a time you feel you can stick to help your body ease into a comfortable routine.’