Getting in your daily exercise can be a trying task. Getting even just 15 minutes is a great start to improving your health outcomes. Now a new study, published in the journal Physiological Reports, has shown that exercising in the afternoon results in greater metabolic benefits than does exercising in the morning. 

The study tested 32 adult men that were either at risk of or had type 2 diabetes. The participants were assigned to exercise either from 8-10 am or 3-6 pm. The researchers collected data from the participants on factors such as their insulin sensitivity, exercise performance, and body composition. 

They found that many of these factors, including a change in body weight (indicating more weight loss), were significantly higher in the group that exercised in the afternoon than in the group that exercised in the morning. This study provides crucial information regarding how a simple change in the timing of exercise can enhance its positive health benefits.