Arnold Schwarzenegger is a patriarch of the fitness community, offering science-backed tips and tricks for all things health and wellness. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, Schwarzenegger revealed that while some evidence suggests working out at night boosts fat loss, scientists agree that time of day won’t make a difference.
Even though the fitness industry is saturated with misleading information regarding health and wellness, Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to provide his followers with the most accurate information backed by extensive research. Whether you are looking to lose weight, get better sleep, or eat right, Arnold Schwarzenegger can steer you in the right direction.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses Whether The Timing of Workouts Influences Fat Loss
Combining his hands-on experience and scientific data, Arnold Schwarzenegger created the Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter to keep his fans in the know regarding health and fitness. In a recent newsletter, Schwarzenegger dives deeper into the topic of exercising at night for added fat loss benefits.
According to Schwarzenegger, some overweight people who took part in rigorous exercise from 6 p.m. to midnight saw a lower risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease.
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“Does the timing of your workout affect how much fat you burn and the results you get? A recent study suggested that overweight or obese people who do more rigorous activity between 6 pm and midnight had a lower risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease.”
Even though the results of that study are interesting, Schwarzenegger adds that it was observational and that it doesn’t effectively prove that working out at night causes enhanced fat loss.
“Does this mean exercise is more effective at night? Not exactly.”
“The research was an observational study. That doesn’t mean the data is worthless (it leads to many more great questions and studies), but we have to be careful not to overstate what was tested and compare it with other, more detailed studies.”
“The scientists took data from a pool of 30,000 people who wore activity trackers. That was great, but the problem — as the study’s lead scientist pointed out — was they didn’t measure or track structured exercise. So, we don’t know what they were doing at night, and the data used makes it impossible to determine causality. (Again, those are the words from the study author)”
While this study didn’t have a controlled variable, Schwarzenegger references another study revealing that exercise timing had no impact on fat loss whatsoever.
“When data suggests a relationship, it’s good to see if other studies have tried controlling variables to determine cause and effect. Luckily, many studies have tested the relationship between time of day and exercise.”
“Just last year, a randomized controlled trial (the gold standard for research) examined 100 overweight people, had them all perform the same workout, and then determined if training in the morning or night made a difference.”
“The scientists found that the timing of exercise did not influence fat loss.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger points out that even though research suggests working out at night doesn’t directly impact fat loss, it can help deter other bad habits like overeating, though this still doesn’t reduce the risk of mortality or disease.
“Is it possible that exercise at night could help build or replace other bad habits, which might lead to better health outcomes? Most definitely. However, based on the research, we don’t know why there was a relationship between the evening movement and the improvements in disease and mortality.”
“If you look at enough research, you’ll find studies to support both morning and evening exercise. Some studies show that morning exercise is more likely to become a consistent habit, while others show that strength and power are better in the evening. Other studies even suggest that men see better results in the evening and women get the most from morning training.”
Schwarzenegger insists that the most important variable for losing weight is constancy. Regardless of whether it is morning, afternoon, or evening workouts, Arnold Schwarzenegger emphasizes “just train.” He also reveals that he always works out in the mornings and that it has become automatic for him over time.
“For now, your best advice comes from a recent meta-analysis that found exercise consistency matters much more than the time you work out.”
“A note from Arnold: I always tell you not to overthink or let perfect get in the way of progress. If training in the morning is the time that makes you most likely to train, do it. If training at lunch is when you’re most likely to train, do it. If training in the evening is the time you’re most likely to train, do it. Just train. That’s all I ask.”
“And so you know, I will continue to train in the morning. It’s automatic for me.”
While working out at night might not promote additional fat loss, the amount of sleep individuals get does. In a previous Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that prioritizing good sleep can not only help shed body fat but also maintain muscle mass.
“If your goal is to burn more fat, here’s a tip that doesn’t require any extra trips to the gym.
Research suggests that prioritizing sleep can help you hold onto more muscle when losing weight and shed more body fat” Schwarzenegger shared.
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Having conquered the world’s greatest bodybuilding stage seven times, Schwarzenegger’s insight on fat loss is invaluable. Best of all, his information is backed up by decades of experience boasting a next-level physique, even in retirement today at the age of 76.
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