The first weekend of December often signals the derailment of the wellness regime. The weather continues to change, routines shift, and the balance of work, family and health gets tested. The chaos can create opportunities to try out exercising at a different time of the day.
Morning exercise gets it done before the day gets in the way, and it increases metabolic rate for the hours ahead. Morning provides the opportunity to do fasted cardio, often a good way to burn body fat. Many gym-goers shift to early morning sessions in December to free themselves up for post-work functions.
Evening exercise can be a good time for weight training because strength, flexibility, co-ordination and stamina often improve as the day goes on. Many people find it helps to have a couple of meals on board over the day before attempting intense exercise. And being at the gym is a great way to avoid spending evenings eating festive treats.
Middle of the day exercise can be a useful way to break up the work day, particularly if you have a sedentary job. Circulating blood to your brain improves cognitive functioning. It can help avoid an afternoon energy slump and the associated snacking. A middle-of-the-day workout is even more efficient if you can time it for off-peak gym times (late morning or early afternoon). You can zip around with minimal interruptions and be back to work for an efficient afternoon. While you have your carpark at Les Mills Takapuna you could even do a bit of off-peak Christmas shopping.
Your personal temperament plays a big role in the ideal time of day for exercise. We all have an individual chronotype or body rhythm. Some people are natural larks and easily get out of bed for their morning exercise. They find it puts them in a good frame of mind to make healthy choices for the rest of the day. Other people are natural owls and find it more difficult to rise early. Often they enjoy an evening workout to blow off steam after a busy day at work.
Going against your natural temperament can make it more difficult to maintain momentum, particularly if you’re losing sleep to do it. Rest is necessary for your body to renew, repair and regulate hormones. If you’re under stress and sleep-deprived then getting up early could be counter-productive. It could also potentially overstimulate your appetite for the remainder of the day. If you’re somebody who struggles to wind down at night then getting your heart rate and adrenaline up close to bedtime could make it more difficult to get a restful sleep, particularly if you’re prone to overheating.
Everyone has a different temperament and a different set of responsibilities, so everyone’s scheduling solution is unique. The important thing is to get a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility exercise in a sustainable manner. Most people end up needing to exercise at a variety of times of day to fit everything in. There are always times of the week, month and year when it’s easier to push back against your natural inclination. If you’re an owl trying to be a part-time lark it makes sense to experiment with the type of exercise you find least unpleasant. Save the more onerous components of the exercise mix for the times when you have the most energy.
Ultimately, your festive fitness needs to fit in around your life, not your life around your fitness. No scheduling solution is perfect, but your summer vitality is worth the effort.
