When’s the Best Time
to Work Out?

"Never," you might say, and honestly, fair point. Who wouldn’t want to look amazing without all that sweaty, inconvenient effort?


But alas, reality’s a cruel mistress. Without some form of exercise, we’re left with zero muscle tone, the flexibility of a breadstick, and no dopamine rush to keep our fragile human shells happy.


So, when is the best time to work out?

Morning, noon, or maybe even night?

Let’s figure it out.

The secret isn’t some magical hour but picking the type
of workout that works with your energy levels and goals
Rule #1: Fit Your Workouts Into Your Life

First and foremost, the best time to work out is whenever it actually fits into your schedule. Seriously. If you’ve got a 6 a.m. start time at work, are you really getting up at 4:30 to deadlift? Yeah, didn’t think so.


And if you’re dead tired by 7 p.m., dragging yourself to the gym isn’t going to do you any favors either. The secret isn’t some magical hour but picking the type of workout that works with your energy levels and goals.

Rule #2: Experiment and Feel It Out
Try working out at different times of day and pay attention to how you feel after your sessions. This is key. If you feel energized and accomplished post-sweat, you’re more likely to keep at it and make exercise a habit.

Morning Workouts: The Pros and Cons
The Pros:
  • Your blood sugar is lower in the morning, so your body burns fat first, not carbs.
  • Metabolism is in high gear, meaning more calorie burn.
  • You’re fresh and ready to tackle intense workouts like weightlifting or HIIT.
The Cons:
  • Fasted workouts can leave you gassed out halfway through.
  • Overdoing it early in the day might zap your energy instead of boosting it.
My experience:
I tried working out exclusively in the morning — fasted, no less — and guess what? Total flop. I’d finish my sessions bloated, tired, and seeing zero progress. Plus, post-workout, it’s shower time, then water, then some vague morning routine, and by the time I finally sat down to breakfast? Two or three hours had passed.
Unless you’re into intermittent fasting (I’m not), this whole setup is just impractical.

Evening Workouts: The Pros and Cons
The Pros:
  • Testosterone levels peak later in the day, making it easier to build muscle.
  • Cortisol (a muscle-eating stress hormone) is lower in the evening.
  • Let’s be real: you don’t need energy for much else at night.
  • Exercise burns off excess energy, helping you sleep like a baby.
The Cons:
  • After a full day of work/life chaos, finding energy to hit the gym can feel impossible.
  • Heavy lifting at night might feel harder, while slow yoga might feel like watching paint dry.
My experience:
Evening workouts? Chef’s kiss. They’re easier, more focused, and give me time to process my day. Plus, there’s no nagging thought of “I have a million things to do after this.”
Mentally, I’m all in, and my body just seems to flow better in the evening.

The Final Word: Listen to Your Body
Here’s the kicker: no trainer, article, or fitness app can tell you when your perfect workout time is. If exercising feels like a chore, you’ll quit faster than you can say “new year, new me.”
So, listen to yourself. If morning yoga works for you, great. If evening weightlifting feels right, awesome.
The best workout is the one you’ll actually stick with — no matter what the clock says.

Now go forth, break a sweat, and be the glorious fitness beast you were born to be.