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Question about intermittent fasting and morning exercise

TheGuardian
TheGuardian Posts: 53 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I've been doing intermittent fasting for about 6-8 months now, so I usually don't eat before 4pm. However, this Saturday I have a major event and will be doing intense physical exercise for 4-5 hours before my normal meal time. Obviously I don't want to attempt this on an empty stomach, so what is the normal way to handle that?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,965 Member
    It's simple. Fuel yourself. IF is irrelevant for weight loss anyway, and if you aren't fueled enough for your workout, then you're worse off.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,298 Member
    If you're not used to eating before working out, I don't know what advice to give you.

    I agree with Retro that fueling before/during major blocks of exercise is a good strategy . . . but some people get digestive distress if they eat "too much" or "the wrong things" before or during a workout. ("Too much" and "the wrong things" are in quotes because how much, and which things, is very, very individual and even idiosyncratic.)

    You don't really have enough time to figure this out before your event. IMO, best bet would be something relatively low bulk, but somewhat calorie dense, maybe some kind of smoothie or sports drink (with calories)? Protein somewhere in there would be good, but that can cause digestive problems for some.

    If you have any workout history from before IF-ing, that might help you figure it out.

    (I can't give you advice from personal experience, either. I wouldn't do any significant intensity/duration exercise fasted, because for me, fasted performance s*cks, and I feel miserable. It's one of the reasons I don't even consider IF. I also have pretty cast-iron digestion, so I can eat most anything quite close to a workout, as long as I don't get over-full.)

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