In general, for healthy individuals looking to lose weight or get fitter – morning workouts are perfectly fine. In most cases, they are even a great choice (see next section).
If you work in an office or sit-down setting, it is a good idea to perform cardio in the morning. Doing this will leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed. You will work better, hear better, and allow your mood to guide you through the office.
For most people, the best time to do a cardio workout is in the morning. Morning cardio has several benefits, including increased metabolism and an energy boost for the rest of the day. It's also a great way to start your day on a positive note and set the tone for healthy habits.
In summary, while fasted cardio can potentially lead to muscle loss, especially if not paired with proper nutrition and training, adequate protein intake and a well-rounded diet can help preserve muscle mass.
Regular cardio exercises like running, cycling, or swimming are very effective for belly fat reduction. Cardio increases your heart rate, which helps burn calories and can contribute to a calorie deficit -- the key to fat loss.
Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.
The Takeaway
That full, swollen, tight feeling in your belly can also be more likely to occur if you're dehydrated, swallowing too much air while exercising, or have been eating lots of high-fiber or carbonated foods and beverages, experts say.
Exercising between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. has been associated with having a lower waist circumference and body mass index than people who work out during midday or evening, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Obesity.
You eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of “steady-state cardiovascular exercise.” Eating a protein-filled breakfast in the morning can stave off cravings later, and exercising first thing ensures you get some movement before your day gets going.
Exercising in a fasted state may burn some quick body fat, but it's not the best option for your body in the long-run. Eat a small snack or meal before and after your workout to ensure that you're properly fueled to perform your best in the gym and recover quickly when you get home.
Or, combine both! If your schedule allows, you can also consider splitting your workouts between mornings and evenings. There are no rules against it. For example, you could do a morning session for cardio and an evening workout focusing more on strength/resistance training.
Traditionally, experts have recommended not exercising at night as part of good sleep hygiene. However, a small study, published in Sports Medicine suggests that some people can exercise in the evening as long as they avoid vigorous activity for at least one hour before bedtime.
In the morning, you have lower energy stores that might hold you back from an intense workout. The whole “boosts your metabolism” thing might not be totally true. New studies show that even with a morning workout, your metabolism will slow again in the evening naturally.
Key takeaways: Fasted cardio involves working out on an empty stomach, typically first thing in the morning. Some experts and fitness enthusiasts claim that this allows you to burn more fat and calories than working out after you've eaten. Currently, there is not enough scientific evidence to support these claims.
There's likely no magic associated with getting exactly 30 grams of protein at breakfast. But there are benefits to eating protein first thing in the morning. A high-protein breakfast will keep you fuller longer than one composed mostly of carbohydrates. That may help reduce cravings for a mid-morning snack.
Some examples of low-intensity workouts are walking, bicycling, swimming, rowing, yoga, tai-chi, and resistance training. Such activities improve blood flow, prevent muscle wasting, and prevent falls and injuries.
4-Hour Body Diet: Health Risks
Restricting entire food groups could lead to deficiencies in certain vitamins and other nutrients, including vitamin D and calcium (found in dairy) and B vitamins such as folic acid (found in grains and fruit).
Eat after you exercise
Eat a meal that has both carbohydrates and protein in it within two hours of your workout if possible. Eating after you work out can help muscles recover and replace their glycogen stores. Think about having a snack if your meal is more than two hours away.
Running or jogging at any time of day can help you to burn calories, reduce body fat, promote weight loss, and improve your body composition. According to the American Council on Exercise, a 150-pound person burns about 362 calories during a 40-minute run at a 12-minute per mile pace.
If you do cardio first, you will deplete some of that glycogen, decreasing your energy. And that will make weight lifting more challenging.” Cardio relies on a mix of glycogen and fat for fuel, he added. You burn glycogen when you lift weights, so if you do cardio afterward, your body has to burn more fat for fuel.
Increased muscle mass
After your workout, your body works to repair these tears, allowing your muscles to get bigger and stronger. So even though you may be losing fat, you're gaining muscle. You might feel slimmer, even as the number on the scale rises.
To burn off visceral fat, your first step is to include at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or cardio into your daily routine. Studies show that aerobic exercises for belly fat help reduce belly fat and liver fat. Some great cardio of aerobic exercises for belly fat include: Walking, especially at a quick pace.