You’ve likely heard that exercise is a key component of any weight-loss journey. Not only does exercise burn calories, it also builds muscle, which gobbles up calories even when you’re not moving. So it’s a double win! Plus, exercise has loads of health benefits like increasing energy, stabilizing blood sugar, promoting heart health, improving sleep and more.  

If you’ve started to ramp up your workouts in hopes of losing weight, you might be wondering how to maximize your efforts. A common question that comes up is: what’s the best time of day to exercise for weight loss? 

To find out, we spoke to three certified trainers. And they all told us the same thing! The best time to exercise for weight loss is the time of day you’ll consistently stick with. Here’s why.

Is There a Best Time to Exercise for Weight Loss? 

When it comes to exercise and weight loss, research isn’t all on the same page. “Studies have begun to investigate this question, but there is not much consensus on what is truly ‘best’ for weight loss,” says Jenna Braddock, M.S.H., RDN, CSSD, a performance dietitian and certified personal trainer. While some studies advocate for the early bird special, others highlight the benefits of afternoon or evening workouts. 

Either way, exercise only works if you do it. While some research suggests morning workouts may have a slight edge for weight loss, consistently sticking with your routine is the most important factor, says Chrissy Carroll, M.P.H., RD, CPT, a certified personal trainer, running coach and owner of Snacking in Sneakers. 

Elizabeth Shaw, M.S., RDN, CPT, an internationally based registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and author, agrees. “I always remind my clients that the best time to work out is the time that they will actually do it, consistently,” she says. She acknowledges that this time may vary from day to day. But what matters most is making time to do it. For instance, Shaw points to a study that found that exercise helped people with overweight or obesity lose weight, regardless of when they worked out. 

There’s another reason not to obsess about when you work out. Overall, research on the topic has found mixed results. Because people respond to exercise differently, the timing of exercise could affect things like how many calories you burn, how much you eat and how well you sleep, which can all impact weight, too. Even a person’s medical history and metabolic health can play a role in how physical activity influences weight loss, says Shaw.

Benefits of Morning Exercise

If you like to get moving early in the day, research is on your side. Braddock cites one study that looked at people who exercised consistently in the morning versus later in the day or sporadically. “The morning exercisers lost significantly more weight than the other groups and compared to a control group, although there was no difference in changes to body composition,” says Braddock.  However, one study found that morning exercisers had smaller waist sizes in addition to lower BMIs than those who worked out midday or in the evening. 

Factors Favoring Morning Workouts

“For many people, morning workouts may offer an advantage from a scheduling perspective. The workout is done before the stressors of the day,” says Carroll. She adds that exercising first thing in the morning can also establish a “healthy mindset,” potentially leading to other positive choices throughout the day. 

Shaw agrees, explaining that starting your day with fitness releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. That sets off a chain reaction that can make you more likely to choose a healthier breakfast and stay mindful of choices to support your weight-loss goals throughout the day. 

Are Fasting Morning Workouts Better for Weight Loss?

Many morning exercisers like to get to it before they eat, which may have some advantages. Why’s that? When you roll out of bed and lace up your sneakers before eating, your body relies on its fat stores for energy. This increase in fat breakdown and burning may help some people lose more body fat, explains Braddock.

However, that fat burning may come with a downside, says Shaw. “While fasting prior to your morning workout can increase the body’s reliance on fat stores for energy, it also may burn lean muscle in addition to that fat, negating the effects overall of the fasted workout,” she explains. That’s because lean muscle gobbles up lots of energy, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Conversely, when you lose muscle, some of your ability to burn calories may decline along with it.

Exercising before breakfast may have another hidden downside, says Carroll. While fasting workouts may work for some, they could lead to shorter workouts and decreased performance in others. After all, how long or strong can you really go if you’re working out on empty? 

Benefits of Afternoon & Evening Exercise 

Factors Favoring Evening Workouts

If you’re not a morning person or you don’t have time to squeeze in an a.m. workout, afternoon and evening exercise still offers benefits. In addition to aligning better with some of our natural energy levels, late-day exercise may be a better fit for work and school schedules. Plus, exercising at the end of the day tends to feel less rushed and possibly even more enjoyable compared to early morning sessions. And when exercise feels good, you’re more likely to do it. 

There’s another reason some people do better with late afternoon and evening exercise, especially if they like to lift weights. Research has found that muscle strength peaks later in the day, somewhere between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. That may make end-of-day workouts feel easier and potentially help increase the number of sets or weights during a strength training workout. 

Additional Benefits of Evening Workouts

The benefits of afternoon or evening exercise aren’t just about weight loss. Exercise is a natural stress reliever. So, late-day workouts can also help you unwind and relax after a tense or hectic day. Research indicates that evening workouts can also help you drift off into deeper sleep, as long as you don’t do them right before bed. 

Later workouts may also have some decided health benefits. For example, one large study of adults with obesity found that engaging in moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise in the evening was linked to a lower risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, a win for your heart and longevity.  Evening workouts may also assist with blood sugar control. “Research shows that even a simple walk after dinner can help aid blood glucose balance and promote more stable blood sugars, a win-win for those looking to enhance their cardiometabolic health,” says Shaw. 

The Bottom Line

“The best time of day to exercise is the time that you can stick with consistently,” says Carroll. Of course, this will vary from person to person and may change from day to day. Whether you prefer mornings, afternoons or evenings, there are weight-loss and health benefits to exercising at any time of day. Some evidence suggests that morning exercise may provide a slight weight-loss advantage. However, for many people, mornings are just too busy and late-day exercise may be easier to schedule. Since strength peaks late in the day, some people find afternoon and evening exercise requires less physical effort, so it’s more enjoyable. In the end, it’s not about when you get moving. It’s finding a time that works for you!