When it comes to exercising, there’s really no magic time to start. But the findings from the study pointed to the time of day as a major factor reduslim ingredientes in people’s ability to maintain weight loss.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 600 people who had lost 10 percent of their body weight — or more — through a six-month weight loss program. Half reported exercising at least an hour a day, and the rest averaged 30 minutes a day. The daily workout routine involved strength, endurance and aerobics, and the researchers wanted to know whether being consistent with their exercise levels would impact their long-term weight loss success.

To answer that question, the researchers looked at how the participants followed the guidelines and when they exercised. Specifically, participants who were on the watchful eye of a study researcher, using a wearable fitness tracker and logging their steps and workouts, were asked to set the device for a specific time each morning. Participants who didn’t have access to a fitness tracker (including those who set up a device themselves) had their workouts tracked by researchers who emailed them to see when they exercised.

The result: Participants who were consistent with their exercise (in terms of when they worked out and what type of workout they were doing) had a 50 percent greater chance of maintaining their weight loss than those who were not. These numbers suggest that being consistent with your workout routine, particularly when it comes to the time of day you work out, is an important part of weight loss.

The Findings

Study participants worked out an average of 25 minutes a day at various times, with many exercising at least five times a week. On average, participants reported exercising an hour a day, which is far from what’s considered healthy, but it’s still important to note that just an hour of exercise a day can have a positive impact on weight loss and can make a lifestyle change easier to maintain.

"Exercise is important for weight loss maintenance, and, for some individuals, exercising six times a week, 30 minutes per session at a comfortable pace, for several years is recommended," Dariush Mozaffarian, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and an author of the study, said in a news release.

Researchers looked specifically at the time of day participants worked out (some worked out at the same time every day, and others exercised