Workout on an EMPTY stomach or after EATING?

KittyVida

I was having this debate with a male friend. After much research I learned that it is best for MEN to workout on empty while WOMEN should eat a little something. Our bodies process differently. But in the end, you should do what you best perform by.

So the question is: Which have you been doing and why do you prefer it?

oliverngus

I have to eat or my blood sugar goes haywire . . . I try to make sure I've got some protein, but nothing heavy. Usually a scrambled egg with mushrooms and a side of greek yogurt or fruit.

KittyVida

@oliverngus Me too. I read that ladies continue to burn calories up to an hour and a half after a workout if they only drink water during that time. The moment you eat something you stunt that burn.
I wish I had time to prepare awesome breakfasts like that though. A hard boiled egg and apple are the most I can muster if I want to get in an early morning run.

Troutsy

I tend to work out on an empty stomach. If I push myself a little too hard with something in my stomach I end up getting nauseous.

sijomial

KittyVida wrote: »

@oliverngus Me too. I read that ladies continue to burn calories up to an hour and a half after a workout if they only drink water during that time. The moment you eat something you stunt that burn.
I wish I had time to prepare awesome breakfasts like that though. A hard boiled egg and apple are the most I can muster if I want to get in an early morning run.

Where do you read these things?
Link?

PinkyPan1

An empty stomach is a must for be or I get nauseous. I golf approximately 5-6 days a week and I usually do at 27 holes on an empty stomach. If I am going for 36 holes I usually eat peanut butter crackers or granola to hold me over until lunch,

Hamsibian

I have to eat something before I work out, otherwise I get dizzy. Small snacks don't do it for me, so I try to eat a meal maybe an hour before.

stingrayinfl

everyone is different at different stages in their life

teetertatertango

As long as I've eaten at least one meal sometime during the day, I'm usually OK even if it's been several hours.

I have to be careful if I exercise too much in the morning before breakfast (can get nauseous or dizzy), but if I eat too much and then exercise I also get nauseous so it's just tricky for me to do intense workouts at that time.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

Ha, I just answered a similar topic so I'll adapt it, first short and sweet: if you are just working out to put another workout in and not maxing out, it should be OK if you are relatively healthy in all other aspects. But if you are trying to do maximum effort/lifts, I'd say don't exercise fasted, have some food in you a few hours ago, male or female.

If you aren't doing the max you could be lifting then (what one considers "heavy" varies), or you don't lift with very much intensity, or many lifts at a time, or you don't do very much weight compared to your body size (you aren't using all that much energy compared to your size and available energy), you are probably fine. But going fasted you can run out of easily available energy on intense heavy lifting quickly...and you can start to crash a bit when your blood sugar drops enough.

I can usually get away with a few heavy sets and be fine too, or if I dont push the lifts hard I'm also OK with a full workout. But when I try doing max weight sets I'm not typically as strong fasted, and once I tried doing all full weight heavy leg day on an empty stomach, it hit me hard. The last exercise I was doing was about 1,180lbs on the leg press machine for 3 sets of 10 (lots of anaerobically generated power in a short time), felt fine, then suddenly walking away from the machine, wham...lightheaded, felt like I almost fainted, had to lay on the floor for a while. Never happened before or again (after that I'm always eating something relatively close to a heavy weight workout) and no, no health issues ever. I've also seen similar situations happen to others. In this case I probably used up so much energy my blood sugar dropped.

Just look at the olympians and their patterns. They don't go fasted for best performance. But to get a non maximal regular training session in with no health problems? Maybe OK, but I try not to.

arditarose

It doesn't matter. Honestly I eat rice krispies WHILE I'm working out.

terenceadavenport4265

I drink a protein shake with a banana in it before I hit the gym. Then pre-work out and I'm set. It's like a pre-gym ritual.

queenliz99

Only coffee for me, not hungry first thing.

mdonsbach

For me my routine is eating my normal lunch then immediately going out for my 1 hour 3.5 mile walk. Then when I get home I normally just have a granola bar or something small before going for another walk/jog.

2 days ago I had some lasagna then probably 2 hours later when to work out and I felt like I was going to throw it up when I was done.

terenceadavenport4265

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish wrote: »

Ha, I just answered a similar topic so I'll adapt it, first short and sweet: if you are just working out to put another workout in and not maxing out, it should be OK if you are relatively healthy in all other aspects. But if you are trying to do maximum effort/lifts, I'd say don't exercise fasted, have some food in you a few hours ago, male or female.

If you aren't doing the max you could be lifting then (what one considers "heavy" varies), or you don't lift with very much intensity, or many lifts at a time, or you don't do very much weight compared to your body size (you aren't using all that much energy compared to your size and available energy), you are probably fine. But going fasted you can run out of easily available energy on intense heavy lifting quickly...and you can start to crash a bit when your blood sugar drops enough.

I can usually get away with a few heavy sets and be fine too, or if I dont push the lifts hard I'm also OK with a full workout. But when I try doing max weight sets I'm not typically as strong fasted, and once I tried doing all full weight heavy leg day on an empty stomach, it hit me hard. The last exercise I was doing was about 1,180lbs on the leg press machine for 3 sets of 10 (lots of anaerobically generated power in a short time), felt fine, then suddenly walking away from the machine, wham...lightheaded, felt like I almost fainted, had to lay on the floor for a while. Never happened before or again (after that I'm always eating something relatively close to a heavy weight workout) and no, no health issues ever. I've also seen similar situations happen to others. In this case I probably used up so much energy my blood sugar dropped.

Just look at the olympians and their patterns. They don't go fasted for best performance. But to get a non maximal regular training session in with no health problems? Maybe OK, but I try not to.

Exactly what he said. Awesome way of explaining it man.

Joanna2012B

I run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. When I do a HIIT class I have to eat about 2 hours prior. If I am walking or cycling i can eat or not before. It all depends on intensity of workout for me.

Kelbelb75

Done it both ways, prefer empty. Otherwise I suffer reflux.

Lounmoun

I wake up in the morning, take care of the animals, eat breakfast and then move on with my day. I don't have a set exercise time but I guess my answer is not on an empty stomach since it will always be following some meal time.
I don't get up from a meal and immediately launch into a workout. I'm not interested in doing things on an empty stomach though.

Marcelbaril

For me the important thing is to make sure that I exercise whatever the time. Since I exercise outsite, I time myself with the weather. I prefer after eating when possible to facilitate digestion.

vixtris

I workout in the morning but I have to have something small to eat before I exercise. I've tried fasted cardio, it really sucks. I eat 150 calories before my workout, usually old fashioned oats, or something balanced in macros.

valerialeek

I usually get home after work, eat and workout. I do strength training at home

singingflutelady

KittyVida wrote: »

I was having this debate with a male friend. After much research I learned that it is best for MEN to workout on empty while WOMEN should eat a little something. Our bodies process differently. But in the end, you should do what you best perform by.

So the question is: Which have you been doing and why do you prefer it?

What's the source of this information?

fatgiraffe2

I recently started a new home workout routine. With my old one I worked out about an hour after eating. Today I got out of bed and did my routine on an empty stomach and had to stop half way through because I was going dizzy. I felt really nauseous when I completed my circuit so I guess I need to eat before hand.

zcb94

fatgiraffe2 wrote: »

I recently started a new home workout routine. With my old one I worked out about an hour after eating. Today I got out of bed and did my routine on an empty stomach and had to stop half way through because I was going dizzy. I felt really nauseous when I completed my circuit so I guess I need to eat before hand.

This happens to me too. When I can, I need to eat beforehand, but sometimes I don't have time for so much as a swig of water first. I know that's not good but it's true.

upoffthemat

I prefer to not have eaten for at least two hours before hand. A couple instances of pushing too hard and getting nauseous on a semi full stomach. I will NEVER eat citrus before a workout again.

ninerbuff

It's a matter of preference. Biologically, when it comes to burning calories, men and women are the same. How you feel is subjective.
The whole eat before/train fasted doesn't matter much to general population. It MAY for elite athletes.

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

sijomial

singingflutelady wrote: »

KittyVida wrote: »

I was having this debate with a male friend. After much research I learned that it is best for MEN to workout on empty while WOMEN should eat a little something. Our bodies process differently. But in the end, you should do what you best perform by.

So the question is: Which have you been doing and why do you prefer it?

What's the source of this information?

@singingflutelady

Falsebook perhaps?

Shana67

Always on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning. I absolutely cannot workout with any food in my stomach.

cwolfman13

KittyVida wrote: »

I was having this debate with a male friend. After much research I learned that it is best for MEN to workout on empty while WOMEN should eat a little something. Our bodies process differently. But in the end, you should do what you best perform by.

So the question is: Which have you been doing and why do you prefer it?

It's a preference..."best" is a preference...there is no "best" for men vs "best" for women.

Nikion901

Morning exercise - before breakfast
afternoon exercise - before dinner
evening exericse - before bed
I don't like to exercise on a full stomach, but do feel ok cleaning up from making and eating the meal.

JustaJoe00

I'm seeing similar discussions here weekly. I thought i'd share a link to a Doctor that works with type 2 diabetic people with great success. If you dig through the information there are discussions and findings about intermittent fasting and working out/exercising on an empty stomach. Some of the most accomplished athletes have discovered competing after fasting they can perform at the highest levels....really interesting reading....

https://www.dietdoctor.com/ask-dr-jason-fung