Health: When’s The Best Time To Exercise As a Beginner

Top of just about everyone’s new year’s resolution list is to get fit. But if you’re wondering when’s the best time to exercise and you haven’t partaken in any exercise regime before, surprisingly, the start of a new year mightn’t be the best time to get going.

Whether you want to be able to squeeze into the latest bikini trend, or need more energy to run around after the kids, there’s a fitness goal for everyone. While the start of a new year might seem like the perfect time to begin your fitness journey, it isn’t a successful time to start for many people.

According to professional trainers, if you want to stick to your new regime, and make the most progress, there’s no better time to start than today! Below we explain some of the pitfalls of waiting until the “new year” to start exercising. And if motivation is an issue, you can find personal trainers to help you get off the couch immediately!

When’s the best time to exercise if you’re just starting out?

Not in the New Year, say the professionals…

#1 – You’ve Just Been Through Christmas

During Christmas, we all tend to overindulge, then suddenly we put ourselves on a strict diet and exercise regime on January 1st. The act of jumping from eating too many calories over the holidays to comparative post-holiday depravation, PLUS adding exercise (and the extra burned calories on top) is a recipe for disaster. Doing this will see your blood sugar and food cravings go haywire, and make positive results all the more difficult to attain.

By contrast, if you’re wondering when’s the best time to exercise after Christmas, then waiting a few weeks to normalise your eating and picking up some baseline exercise habits will make a huge difference. You won’t have to manage crazy spikes, and you can start to improve your pre and post workout nutrition too. For example, by ditching the sugar before you start working out, you’ll burn calories much more efficiently.

#2 – Nobody Sticks To New Years Resolutions

Studies have shown that the average person only lasts 10 days when they promise that their new year’s resolution will be to get fit. Think about it, nobody talks about how they are doing with their resolutions in June! More often than not, new year’s resolutions are merely a broken promise we make to ourselves each year. Once the initial appeal has worn off and the hard work begins, most people simply quit.

The reality is, new year’s resolutions create too much pressure. But, if you start in any other month, you’re far more likely to take things at your own pace. Ideally you will devise a training schedule to gradually improve – all without the pressure of a timeframe.

#3 – When’s the best time to exercise is NOT when the gyms are packed

Whether you are going down the personal trainer route or are hitting the gym solo, the new year is often the worst time for this. Why? Because everyone in town has basically had the same idea.

Furthermore, if you can only attend the gym in peak hours, expect a queue for machines and little room to move around in. Check out Anytime Fitness Mount Waverly gym hours if you’re looking for somewhere that’s open 24/7 giving you room to move.

Put simply, if you’re wondering when’s the best time to exercise, and you start training in January during the peak, it’s going to be even easier to get put off. If you’re self-conscious or worry about social distancing protocols, then crowds of people in a hot sweaty gym isn’t the best introduction to health and fitness either.

#4 – The Weather Is So Hot

While exercise gives us a huge endorphin release, motivating yourself to go into a hot and cramped environment during those blistering summer days can be even more of a struggle. If you do enlist in a gym in January, be sure to find one with powerful aircon! Alternatively, try swimming laps in the ocean or outdoor pool, or try to train late at night.

In summary: When’s the best time to exercise?

There’s absolutely no disputing that getting fit should be a resolution for everyone, but as the above points have proven there’s no reason why you need to wait specifically until the new year. Gyms, pools and personal trainers operate all year round, so don’t put off getting fit when you can start today instead. And furthermore, by removing the pressure of the date you start, you’re better prepared for success in the long run.