Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Does the time of day matter when exercising?

I think I have some motivation and a clear goal for some weight loss. I'm hoping to be riding a Dahon Mu XL (http://dahon.com/us/muxl.htm) early next year. Dahon's max rider weight: 230lbs. My current weight: 260lbs. My ideal weight: 180lbs.

I've been reading all I can find on here, and I've heard that eating right before sleep is unwise, and eating in the morning is critical. What about exercise? Is there a time of day when exercise gives the most benefit?

The only issues I find with riding @ diffrent times, is the wind speeds around me seem to be higher around mid-day vs. late afternoon.

As for that Dahon, I never understood y people would ride them. The seem very inefficant and there far from cheap.
You could get a excellent road bike or MTB for that kinda $$$ and without a weight limit.
Of course if you NEED a compact bike like that , then I guess that answers my question

I have read that exercise first thing in the morning is the most effective due to the boost in metabolic rate that remains in effect for several hours. I know that when I ride for an hour or more early in the morning, I feel really pumped up all morning.

I agree with Trolley Guy about exercising in the AM; when I bike commute, I'm very energetic all morning.

I also find that exercising right before bed leaves me too keyed up to get to sleep properly.

I don't think it matters. I typically start my rides around 10 pm and will ride for 1.5 to 2 hrs during the week. I fall right asleep and have no issues getting up on time. I think it all what you are used to doing. I personally hate exercising early in the morning. Although I will admit that sometimes after some really busy days at work, I really have to get myself motivated to go ride.

I like the cool and calm of EARLY morning (4AM-6AM). Not much traffic either.

I'm seeing a few suggesting riding in the morning. Well, it's ten after four in the morning, so lemme see what this does for me... Thanks for the advice.

If you exercise in the morning before you eat your calorie burn will go directly to fat.

Well, broke a chain. I'm going to have to think about the tools I carry. I feel surprisingly good. The nice thing about riding at this hour is that the main thoroughfares are all empty. During the day, these roads are lined with cars, so I'm happier riding a block over to one side or the other, where things are quieter, but where there are more stop signs. I managed to ride miles at a time without a light, sign, or other traffic control device making me put a foot down. The stops are my least favorite part of riding around here, so I'm pretty stoked.

I need to get a really good headlight - front blinkies suck.

Time to get a shower and air up the roadie for the commute.

If you exercise in the morning before you eat your calorie burn will go directly to fat.
I have read the opposite. Exercising in the morning before eating anything supposedly burns muscle, rather than fat. I wish I could find the source, but cannot right now.

Personally, if I exercise early in the day, I tend to crave more food later. If I exercise an hour or two before bed, the exercise quiets hunger cravings and I am asleep when they reappear. I have also found exercising in the evening will help me begin dropping a little weight again when I plateau.

I like exercising in the morning, but anything before approximately two hours before I go to bed is usually OK for me. Otherwise I have a hard time falling asleep.

I've been hitting the gym at 5am with nothing more than a cup of coffee in my belly...90min a day and I've dropped 66# since April. It's what works for me so I'll stick with it, your mileage may vary.

Here is a link to read if you want to hear some more about early morning workouts.

http://www.leehayward.com/am_cardio.htm

The only issues I find with riding @ diffrent times, is the wind speeds around me seem to be higher around mid-day vs. late afternoon.

As for that Dahon, I never understood y people would ride them. The seem very inefficant and there far from cheap.
You could get a excellent road bike or MTB for that kinda $$$ and without a weight limit.
Of course if you NEED a compact bike like that , then I guess that answers my questionDon't mess with my motivation! :)

You should not eat before bedtime. Stop eating at 7pm. That means at 7 brush your teeth and take in no more food or drink other than water. If out late, eat something light but never after 9. You sleep better if the food is already started to process in your system.

The most efficient way to burn calories is exercise in the morning. The system then will be force to use stored fat. Your body works harder. That being said, I don't do well in the morning and generally work out in the evening. Basically stick with what works best for you. If it's an effort to get up early each morning for the gym (or on your bike I am already in winter mode), you are more likely to stop going. Personally I feel best around 5 - 6pm in the evening so that's my gym time (with everyone else unfortunately).

Exercise needs to be part of your lifestyle so whatever works best to that end.

I agree with Pam on the what works best for you as far as time to exercise. Do what works for you and your schedule.

I like going at 5:00 a.m. everyday to try and get in more exercise without having to wait for a weight machine, treadmill, elliptical machine, etc......

Eating before bed is a myth - you can eat whenever you want as long as your calorie expendature is greater than your intake. In fact I've read in quite a few places that it's better to eat several small meals a day, maintaining a relatively consistant load on the digestive system, than to eat fewer, larger meals. I eat before sleep and haven't had trouble sleeping or losing weight. I try and stick to proteins and fats (e.g., peanuts) in the evening and eat more carbs early/mid-day.

As for when to exercise, I think it's best to break it up throughout the day. Bike-commuting works perfectly for me. I head home for lunch so I do my 4.5 mile ride 4 times throughout the day, often varying the route to get more miles in. If I didn't ride for lunch I would take a walk mid-day. I believe this keeps my metabolism up through the day rather than just spiking it at one point.

One reason why I don't eat after 7pm is because I generally won't pick a nice broiled fish and light salad at 10:30 if I am hungry. Thats when I'm most likely to do some bad snacking. So I make a nice dinner, eat it before 7pm and don't eat after; less likely to eat something I shouldn't. Also it is proven that eating before bed will effect sleep. If you don't get a good night's sleep you are more likely to snack and eat bad things during the next day.

But everyone is different and some maybe more tolerable to snacking before bed. Personally what I eat before bed just sits on my stomach and makes my night long and uncomfortable. And I generally feel sluggish in the morning but that's me.