Working Out in the Morning is Best for Stress, Not Muscle Gain!

I'm sure we can all agree that doing cardio in the morning feels fantastic! It is a great stress relief and gets you on track before you day starts. 

But, if you are looking to boost muscle strength and size, studies show early evening (5 to 7pm) is the best time to weight train.

Why? 

For cardio the reason in obvious. You have to turn your metabolism on! It makes complete sense that cardio in the morning is the way to go!

For weight training you should eat and fuel your body a few times before weight training. This is what gives you energy to do the workout AND what builds muscle! The food you are putting into your body is feeding those muscles! You will have a stronger more effective workout after eating the proper macros throughout the day, then you go in for your workout and BOOM! You have massive amounts of energy, you can lift heavier, AND your muscles will be saturated with the proper nutrition. 

Cardio Days - Make sure you eat breakfast and do your cardio in the morning. This will light a fire in your metabolism. HIIT training is the most efficient form of cardio and you will continue to burn fat and calories for up to 24 hours after your workout.

Weight Training Days - After eating a few meals throughout the day, do your weight training between 5 and 7pm. Your body will be well fueled up and ready to do your workout. While weight training and after, your muscles will soak in all that nutrition and do what you want them to. A 2009 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that there are greater muscle gains in the early evening. This is also found to be your strongest time of the day. You will be able to lift heavier which is what you need to do to increase muscle mass.