A new study suggests the time a person exercises may have an impact on their ability to lose weight.

The study, published in the research journal Obesity says working out first thing in the morning, specifically between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and then eating helps people burn more calories and boost their metabolism for hours.

Researchers looked at two years of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on more than 5,200 adults who wore accelerometers to track when and how much they exercised.

While the study's lead author says more research is needed to prove a concrete link between morning exercise and weight loss, many health experts agree that exercising early helps people get it done before they move on to the rest of their day.

Many doctors also say exercise is a proven preventative medicine.

"We know that inactivity, obesity and having a caloric intake that far exceeds what we need to get by leads to a collection of proteins in places they don't belong. Or we get a collection of cholesterol in places it doesn't belong in the blood vessels," says Dr. Marc Otten of Orthopaedic Neurosurgery Specialists.