Working out without a plan is like cooking a gourmet dish without a recipe. It may turn out well, or it could be a complete disaster. The same is true with exercise. Without a plan, your results will be inconsistent at best and non-existent at worst. You’ll begin to wonder why you are bothering to invest so much energy into something that doesn’t seem to be working.

You have to chart your progress so you can see how you have improved. It will give you the motivation to continue, especially on the days you may want to skip your workout. If you are a beginner, set a goal and start slowly. Too much to fast and you will want to quit.

Here are some other important reasons you should time your workouts:

You Might Forget to Rest the Proper Way

When you perform excessive amounts of exercise without proper rest and recovery you may experience some harmful side effects including decreased performance, fatigue, altered hormonal states, poor sleeping patterns, reproductive disorders, decreased immunity, loss of appetite, and mood swings.”

Your Heart is at Risk

While exercising or working out, the rate of your heart gets faster and it can be hard for you to talk during or after working out.

You need to push yourself enough while working out but you must not cross the line and push yourself too hard to a point where you sweat and gasp for breath even several minutes after the workout hs ended.

It Can Help You Exercise Consistently

Exercising at the same time every day helps you turn exercise into a habit. Your body gets used to your schedule and it becomes a routine that you follow. Your body’s muscle memory helps your body prepare at the right time for the workout ahead.

How Long Should I Workout?

Unless you are training for a marathon, a 30-minute workout is enough time for most people to improve flexibility and build muscle.

Getting started on that 30 minutes isn’t always an easy task to accomplish. You may be tired or have errands to run. Maybe you had to work late or pick up dinner. There will always be available excuses as to why you can’t work out. Don’t let yourself use them. If you are short on time, don’t skip it. Shorten it. Bump up the intensity and go into it focused and ready to give it all you’ve got for a solid 20 minutes.

These short bursts of vigorous exercise will burn calories for hours after a workout and will have a positive effect on your mood.

Are Morning Workouts More Effective?

A morning workout is an excellent way to start your day. It gets that 30-minute exercise requirement checked off right away. If you are like a majority of folks, that snooze button is your cushion between waking up and actually getting out of bed.

If you can make a habit of getting up and exercising right away you will get to work already feeling confident and accomplished. Building a habit takes about 2 months or 66 days. After that, it becomes routine, automatic. You can do 2 months of morning workouts with your eyes closed if you must.

Mornings are difficult for most people. They feel sluggish and rushed. Adding in a workout may feel impossible at first, but once you do it you will find you feel more energized than you do with your normal morning cup of coffee. This energy keeps you more active throughout the day which increases calorie burn.

If you still aren’t convinced a morning workout routine has advantages, a research study found that morning exercise can actually lower your blood pressure. The article was published by the European Journal of Social Psychology. Researchers found that people who worked out in the morning were able to reduce their blood pressure by 10% and this reduction lasted the remainder of the day.

Even with all the benefits, there are some people who just can’t make a morning exercise routine fit their schedule. That is perfectly fine. Granted, there are many benefits to working out in the morning, but regular exercise keeps you strong and healthy no matter what time of day you do it. Because exercise is so important, the best time to do it is the time that works best for you.