The Best Time to Exercise for the Best Results

I’ve talked about getting more physical activity into your day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator and recommended interval training as the best form of exercise for losing weight. But did you know that when you exercise can impact your results?

A study conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York found that obese men who exercised immediately before eating burned more calories than if they exercised at other times of the day. That’s because exercise makes your body’s cells more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that transports glucose from the foods you eat to your cells where it’s used for energy.

If you want to go to the gym, that’s great. But it doesn’t take a long or intense workout to get these benefits. Even taking a brisk 20-minute walk before a meal can help to increase your insulin sensitivity and rev up your metabolism.

Plus, remember that you continue to burn calories long after you stop exercising. In fact, the exercise you do before a meal can help you burn 100-250 calories throughout the rest of the day. Remember, a little bit of physical activity at the right time goes a long way toward improving your health.

Now it’s your turn: What time of day do you normally exercise?

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Know When to Exercise to Maximize Results
• Why Interval Training Is Better than Aerobics for Losing Weight