I get asked this question quite often.
There are some studies that suggest you should exercise in the afternoon/evening so that your body has had a chance to warm up and loosen up, allowing you to train more effectively and safely.
Then there are studies that suggest exercise in the morning is best as that is optimal time for hormone production which improves muscle repair and fat loss.
But then you also need to consider whether you are a morning or afternoon person, as there’s nothing worse than getting up early to go exercise if you’d much rather stay in bed.
However, I personally feel that THE most important factor to consider is the 2-3 hours of recovery time after an exercise session. It is during this 2-3 hour period that you absolutely have to eat the correct amount and type of nutrients to allow your body to recover properly and keep your metabolism elevated so that you achieve the fat-loss-body-shaping results you desire.
If you don’t prioritise your recovery, good results will be very hard to come by. So, I highly recommend that you plan your exercise during a period of the day during which you have time to plan, prepare and eat the necessary food in the 2-3 hours after your session.
If you currently exercise at 6am but then rush straight off to work and don’t eat again until early afternoon, you are doing your body a serious disservice. You may need to consider training later in the day so that you’ve got plenty of time afterwards to eat, recover and keep that metabolism burning.