Morning cardio with empty stomach

tinamatteson

I work out on an empty stomach and its working for me, I have read many different things on this and its confusing but I think you should do what feels good for you. If you need the extra energy to push yourself then by all means do it but I eat right after workout and feel good. I have lost an overall of 21 pounds doing this method since December. However, Jillian Micheal (who I adore) says not to, but if it feels good do it. I get cramps if I eat before a workout, even a shake or a banana, so I just go to the gym first thing and do it. Funny thing is, I work out across the street from McDonalds, at first it was tough, now, not so much. Whatever you decide a calorie is a calorie, burn as many as you can in the time you've got and watch what you do the rest of the day and you'll lose weight. Books on weight loss are just guidelines for us, mix and match and find out what plan feels right to you. Good luck!

Hahaha, I work out across from a McD's too! That's funny.

I'm another one who can't even think about eating before exercising. I get up early, do my workout, take a shower, and then (and I'm ravenous after that) eat breakfast.

fteale

While I was trying tom lose weight I always did my morning run before eating. Now I don't really have enough in reserve to do that, and I have to eat before I run or I start feeling sick and faint by about 8 km.

Anthonydaman

The theory is your body will use your stored body fat for energy as opposed to the energy provided by food you have recently consumed. I have done this and I can't tell the difference. Sometimes theories are just theories.

967_1111

I get up at 4:30, catch a 5:10 bus downtown, and am on the treadmill at 5:55 for 45 minutes every day. Through in a little weight training once in a while. I don't eat anything until after 7:00am, which is after 2 1/2 hours, and 500 burned calories.

I lost 30 pounds from May to August last year, and have kept it off. Trust me, my loose pants and oversized shirts are a testament that I lost fat, and lots of it.

alltalk199

I hit the gym 5.30am first thing and pump it up with the cardio, it's just what works for me, each to their own, but I have a banana straight after my workout as I'm going home. Get home, straight on the protein shake and that's before breakfast and I'm good.

ninerbuff

IF the cardio is low intensity and done for a long enough duration, you can effectively burn off more fat. However, I've found the intensity usually can't be above 65% of your max heart rate and the duration is at most 60 minutes, possibly 90 minutes.

But personally I've also found that doing HIIT cardio with my clients instead of morning cardio on an empty stomach has been yielding better results for them after trying both.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
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changeforever

i have done it a few times...and if nothing it makes one feel active and charged the whole day...!!!

BrianSharpe

IF the cardio is low intensity and done for a long enough duration, you can effectively burn off more fat. However, I've found the intensity usually can't be above 65% of your max heart rate and the duration is at most 60 minutes, possibly 90 minutes.

Even the most bro-science websites have given up perpetuating the fat burning zone myth.

"Most people are mislead to think if you work in the fat burning zone you will be burn more fat."
http://jefflindstromfitness.com/blog/03/fat-burning-zone-vs-the-cardio-zone/

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00804/mythofcalorie_804301a.pdf

Higher intensity = more calories burned and you're still burning calories from fat,

But personally I've also found that doing HIIT cardio with my clients instead of morning cardio on an empty stomach has been yielding better results for them after trying both.

Exactly, why....because of the higher intensity.

BrianSharpe

If the intensity is too high (70% and above of max heart rate) and your glycogen is depleted low enough from a fasted state in the morning, then to comp for that energy needed, the body will catabolize muscle

Considering your body is able to store several thousand calories in the form of glycogen I suspect this only becomes problematic if you decide to run a half-marathon before breakfast and have extraordinarily low % of body fat. Even at 80% MHR you're still deriving about 25% of your calories from fat.

Treadmillmom1st

I have 3 children under 8 and never have time to myself so consequently I do my excersise before they awake for school.
My alarm is set for 6am, I pull my clothes on, tip toe outta the house and cycle for an hour.
If I hung around to eat someone would hear me and there'd go my workout!
It works for me, I've lost 6iibs and trimmed my waist by 2ins.
I don't feel the least bit hungrey but I'm truly ready to eat by 8am.
I'm lean already, so don't know if that has any relevance.

vickysfh

Wow 21 pounds since decembre is really good! I am doing a 20 min cardio every morning 7 days a week for 3 weeks now (like spinning: 15 secs high intensity and 1 min moderate at 15mph). Then, I drink a smoothie strawberry-banana for breakfast. I eat each day about 1450 cals. For now, I do not see a difference on the scale but it seems like a loosing a bit of fat, not so sure because I forgot to measure my waist, hips etc at the beginning... I want to loose that stuburn fat on my arms, abbs and hips, I just wish that I will see the result in near future!

donyellemoniquex3

I go to classes 3x a week and they're all morning classes. All 75 minutes each and 1 is a HIIT class (Turbo Kick). I don't eat much until after class because otherwise I feel sick.