Regardless of when the exercise occurred, people who exercised at the same time of day were more likely than those who exercised at different times of day to achieve 150 or more minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity a week.

When is the best time of day to exercise? Research on this topic has been less than conclusive, although the studies tend to lean toward the morning hours as being most helpful for maintaining a healthy weight.

New research, published earlier this month in the journal Obesity, suggests, however, that it doesn’t really matter when we exercise during the day to keep our weight in check — as long as we do it consistently.

This news will be welcomed by individuals who find themselves too tired or too strapped for time to lace up their walking shoes or take a spin class at the gym first thing in the morning.

“A good message for the general public is that the best time to exercise is when you can do it, and if you can do it with consistency, so much the better,” Dale Bond, the study’s senior author and a professor//

In order to maintain a large weight loss over a long period of time, behavioral consistence is key. But in terms of higher physical activity levels, it might be that exercising at the same time each day fosters a habit.”

“You don’t have to think about it,” he added. “It’s like brushing your teeth. You just do it.”