Gym on empty stomach

markag1990

I find cardio on an empty stomach is OK. But I need to eat something if I'm gonna do weight training. Even if it's just a bowl of protein flakes.
I train mostly in the am as I do shift work.

philimyri

I work-out on a empty stomach all the time, I have much more energy and do more. when full, I get tummy aches.

cocobee2016

I did feel lightheaded once in gym on empty stomach so I might have a banana or half a protein drink before I workout in the morning but now I walk with no problem at all

Unknown

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lizzelspark

ninerbuff wrote: »

I work out at 11:00 am each morning then eat lunch after 1pm. I don't eat breakfast so I workout on an empty stomach everyday. And have been doing this for years.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Do you lift weights on a empty stomach ? Or doing cardio ? I love cardio on a empty stomach never tried weightlifting

Leslierussell4134

I always work out in the morning, about 6am, on an empty stomach. Working out fasted can actually give you some energy bursts. I don't work out longer than 90 minutes, whether lifting, cardio, swimming, if I did, I might need at least a coconut water for electrolytes. If I work out in the afternoon, I need to have eaten at least 3 hours before, food I'm my stomach makes me feel weighed down. The body can only do 1 of 3 things most effectively at once. 1) think, brain power, 2) digest and 3) be phsycial. When one of more is happening at once, the body will shunt blood away from digestion first to do the other more vital choices, thinking and physical activity.
Digestion always get the short end of the stick on the priority list, but I guess simple carbs can be digested quickly for energy before workout, like fruit.

Azdak

Leslierussell4134 wrote: »

I always work out in the morning, about 6am, on an empty stomach. Working out fasted can actually give you some energy bursts. I don't work out longer than 90 minutes, whether lifting, cardio, swimming, if I did, I might need at least a coconut water for electrolytes. If I work out in the afternoon, I need to have eaten at least 3 hours before, food I'm my stomach makes me feel weighed down. The body can only do 1 of 3 things most effectively at once. 1) think, brain power, 2) digest and 3) be phsycial. When one of more is happening at once, the body will shunt blood away from digestion first to do the other more vital choices, thinking and physical activity.
Digestion always get the short end of the stick on the priority list, but I guess simple carbs can be digested quickly for energy before workout, like fruit.

Yes.

Yes, they can.

mjmwootten

Its really what works for you, fasted training in the morning can be good for you it gets your body ready for the day and can help increase your weight/fat loss, if you are hungry fuel your body then. If im doing a morning workout and i feel i need something ill probably have a coffee or a banana, its really just finding out what works for your body and how it reacts to fasted training compared to eating before hand

Carlos_421

mjmwootten wrote: »

Its really what works for you, fasted training in the morning can be good for you it gets your body ready for the day and can help increase your weight/fat loss, if you are hungry fuel your body then. If im doing a morning workout and i feel i need something ill probably have a coffee or a banana, its really just finding out what works for your body and how it reacts to fasted training compared to eating before hand

While this was once thought to be so, longer term studies have shown it to not be the case.

heybales

Ditto's to above.

The only thing it can help do is train muscles to burn a higher % of fat sooner rather than normal later in a workout up to 60-90 min.
That's only going to benefit endurance athletes who need to spare muscle carbs as best they can to finish a long event.
And to that end it does work. But the day as a whole for calorie burn and fat burn - nope.

jennifer_417

It's neither good nor bad, it's simply "as tolerated." Some people can do it just fine, some people can't.

beautifulwarrior18

I really don't think it matters much to be honest. I mean on Saturdays I do it. Though it's horrible for me. I get so hungry and thirsty. This past Saturday I grabbed a handful of almonds and ate them on the way to the gym. It helped tide me over for the hour at the gym at least. I have a hard time with my water intake though. I have the hardest time at the gym on Saturday mornings after waking up from not drinking anything for 8 hours.

MalcolmX1983

superchea wrote: »

Wake up and go to the gym on empty stomach in the morning is that a good or bad thing? I usually don't have an appetite in the am but I still manage to get in 2,000 calories a day.

I always train on an empty stomach, be it weights, cardio or boxing.
I perform better.
Although I do add two scoops of bcaa to my water whilst training.

I eat pwo.

lemurcat12

Did a morning workout without eating first for the first time in a while (4 mile run and Crossfit). Brought a gel for in-between just in case, but it was fine so I didn't eat it. Usually I prefer to eat first, but I'm trying to run immediately after getting up again for scheduling purposes, and it was nice to see that I haven't developed any problems in doing so.

Not a debate post, but seemed on topic with how the discussion has gone. ;-)

paulgads82

Gin on an empty stomach more fun tbh.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Generally, I wouldn't eat a big meal and then work out, but I did it last night and, what do you know, it was fine! I had an unusually long drive home due to traffic and I had to feed my son, so I made and ate dinner with him. I even had a beer (hey, it was a beautiful spring evening and we were eating grilled swordfish!). Then I did a 30 minute core and resistance-band workout that felt great. It wasn't particularly hard, but it got me sweating. I had no problem with any of it.

ninerbuff

lizzelspark wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

I work out at 11:00 am each morning then eat lunch after 1pm. I don't eat breakfast so I workout on an empty stomach everyday. And have been doing this for years.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Do you lift weights on a empty stomach ? Or doing cardio ? I love cardio on a empty stomach never tried weightlifting

I do both. I usually do cardio first thing in the morning, then train clients, then workout myself, then eat after 12:00pm.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

mostein

I almost always work out on an empty stomach. Cardio is typically easier to do, strength is sometimes a struggle. I think as long as you know your body and watch your cues you should be fine. Typically there are warning signs before someone faints. Bring a snack if this is something you are worried about.

crystale79

I know that many trainers and fitness instructors don't recommend working out on an empty stomach, but it makes me nauseous if I eat before my first workout of the day. On Saturdays, I walk or do jogging intervals (8 miles). Then I have to have some type of protein before I hit the gym for Boxing and/or Zumba. If I don't eat in between, I will pass out.

pagey231

Very "individual" I will sometimes do 100 + km rides on no breakfast and just water .. It depends on glycogen levels , intensity etc.. imho ;-)

DiIDE

I recently watched a tv show where they tested both men and women,s fat burning, one group ate before exercising and the other did not. I was surprised to see that the men burnt more fat not eating before exercising and the women burnt more fat if they ate before exercising. Just shows that not one size fits all.

canary_girl

I typically do cardio at 5 am. I do high intensity intervals and eating beforehand makes me feel sick and not able to work as hard.

I lift m,w,f and sometimes don't eat until 9-10 am. I've been doing it for years, I'm used to it.

mommarnurse

I think you can get used to it, either way.
I used to have to eat before morning runs, now it doesn't matter.

I used to get GERD flairs and indigestion-feeling if running right after eating dinner. It doesn't really bother me anymore.

That's personal experience, either, but maybe a different one. Our bodies are pretty amazing at accommodations.

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KrystinaMTL

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

Nothing kills hunger better than cardio. Lots of people promote fasting morning exercise for weight loss.

I'm sure it can be overdone...

This.

TrainerNaomiGutierrez

I always hit the gym on an empty stomach.
All my energy stores have been depleted overnight, fat is the only energy source left. It is great for getting cut.

khaleesikhaleesi

I do my morning cardio (granted, I'm just jogging-- no running!) on an empty stomach. But, in the evenings, when I'm doing strength training, I won't go hungry. It's a bad time.

Dannigreen31

I have to have at least a snack or I'll pass out aha

heybales

TrainerNaomiGutierrez wrote: »

I always hit the gym on an empty stomach.
All my energy stores have been depleted overnight, fat is the only energy source left. It is great for getting cut.

Just so you know - your muscle glucose stores can NOT be put back into the blood stream for use by your brain or other organs that don't store glucose.
So your muscles are fully loaded, or at least in a diet perhaps not totally topped off.
But more than enough as energy source for your workout intensity.

Your liver is probably not near depleted, unless you eat dinner early and then are very active until bedtime late helping to use those stores up - but then you'd wake with low blood sugar and brain problems - unless doing keto.

And if fat was truly the only source of fuel left - which requires enough oxygen to burn - your body would keep you so slow and low intensity to burn only that it would be very noticable - that's "the wall" of a mis-run marathon.

Sorry - just gotta call out myths being repeated when I see them - gotta stop the spread somehow.

You are burning carb/fat at almost same ratio as you would any other time. Just nothing from your last meal is all.

michellemybelll

i ran 12 miles at ~8:20 min/mile this morning on an empty stomach, save a couple mugs of (essentially) black coffee.

I didn't used to run/workout fasted in the mornings, but have switched to it over the past year or so and I like it much better. It makes my mornings much more efficient, and gives me more food to eat later in the day. Win-win!