The benefits of regular physical exercise are enormous. Not only does regular exercise help to control weight and improve muscle tone, it can also reduce the risk of certain disease such as osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, and even some forms of cancer. Regular exercise should be a part of any healthy living plan. If you want to truly maximize your fitness gains, when should you exercise?

If you lead a hectic life and are limited by time constraints, you may have little choice as to when to exercise. You'll only be able to exercise when your schedule allows. If you have some flexibility in your choice, will you get the most benefit exercising first thing in the morning or later in the day? Here are some things to consider:

When should you exercise?: Morning

Most people are not “morning people” meaning they don't relish the thought of jumping out of their warm, little bed onto a treadmill. Despite this, there are certain advantages to exercising at sun up. One of the most important advantages to early morning exercise is it gets your workout out of the way so you can tackle the busy day ahead. Too many people have the intention of exercising but never get around to it due to their busy schedule. Exercising when you wake up solves this problem.

Another advantage to early morning exercise is that it helps to give you energy for the challenging day ahead. Yes, you may feel like you can barely crawl out of bed when you first get up, but as soon as you start moving and get your blood circulating, you'll start to revive. Exercise will help you speed up the process of awakening. It can help you be more energized, alert, and focused for the upcoming day instead of walking around like a zombie until midmorning.

Morning exercise is also excellent for priming your metabolism so you can start burning those excess calories and fat. Studies have even shown that people who exercise earlier in the day, eat less as the day goes on.

When you should exercise?: Late afternoon or evening

There are some advantages to exercising later in the day if you can fit it into your schedule. Many people experience a fatigue and loss of energy in the late afternoon that can be remedied by a brisk exercise session. After dragging yourself home from work you may feel like the most exercise you can handle is pressing the buttons on the remote control of your television set. No matter how bad you feel there's a good chance you'll be reenergized twenty minutes into your workout. Exercise is a great late afternoon pick-me-up.

Another consideration when you're deciding when to exercise is how hard you'll be able to challenge yourself by exercising in the morning relative to the evening. Some people have a hard time pushing themselves early in the morning and may end up doing a substandard workout .If you feel more capable of doing a challenging workout later in the afternoon or in the early evening, this may be the best time for you to schedule your workout.

All in all, for most people who consider when to exercise, morning wins out. Nothing beats the warm glow and energy that results from a heart pumping workout. And when you exercise in the morning, you'll carry that glow with you for the rest of the day. Plus, you'll have the knowledge of knowing you started the day off right and are well on your way to better health and fitness.