Do you exercise on empty stomach?

joejccva71

I've trained both fasted and fed and I enjoy both.

There's nothing inherently wrong with either. I'd go with whichever one provides you better performance.

^^ This

myfitnessnmhoy

Experiment to find out what works for you.

I find that eating something that has some complex carbs and lean proteins an hour or so before exercise is my ideal. I feel energetic without feeling the food in my belly. If I go on a completely empty stomach I feel tired and my workout intensity isn't what it could be.

If I eat anything more than, say, half a turkey and cheese wrap about an hour beforehand I get a little sick to my stomach.

On either side of optimal, I can still work out, but I can't do a good 45-minute 150-heartrate cardio burn, which is my favorite way to work out.

But that's me. I've seen people snarf huge plates of pasta just before starting a 10K, and I've known people who won't eat anything 12 hours before running the same 10K, and both completed it. Pay close attention to what your body is trying to tell you, and experiment until you've learned what works.

aehartley

I am up and at the gym at 6, I do cardio in the am on an empty stomach - I usually eat around 8 am... I have never had a problem.

sk2775

I usually wake up, have a cup of water and do my workout (around 7:15 am). Then I have my breakfast. In the weekend, as I wake a bit later, my workout starts a bit later (11:00 am) or so and the last couple of weekends, I am finding it a bit more tiring throughout my workout. So, may have a tiny snack if my workout is going to be later.

IMYarnCraz33

I always eat something before working out, BUT, I wait an hour or so, or I'd probably be sick.

Just a thought: If your a person that does their workout in the morning, after not eating so many hours (while at rest),
how can you expect your body to function well without fuel?

laurcampbell

There has been a fair bit of controversy over the benefits of exercising in a fasted state. Some claim you burn more fat some don't.

For me it's a matter of comfort. I like to run in the morning. If I ate before I ran I'd have to get up a couple of hours earlier as I hate running with a full stomach. Having said that for my Sunday long runs I do eat before running as the runs vary between 1.5 and 2 hrs.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/does-exercising-on-an-empty-stomach-burn-more-fat/#

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/exercise/fitness-research/why-exercising-on-an-empty-stomach-can-mean-a-better-workout/article2021546/

I do the same - I run at 5am during the week on an empty stomach but on the weekends when I do my long runs I get up early to eat so that I can have time to digest and still be on the road by 8ish. Only twice have I had an issue working out on an empty stomach and both were afternoon strength workouts with a trainer that I was planning to do and then eat lunch and almost passed out both time, needless to say I have never done that again haa - otherwise I have never had a problem!

Sister_Someone

I always exercise on an empty stomach, otherwise I get sick.

patricknsmith

I typically work out in a fasted state. I'll make a BCAA drink but that's it. I find my workouts are more effective when done in a fasted state.

abnerner

I don't know what the difference is health wise, but I personally cannot work out without eating something first. I am prone to passing out, etc, so I need that fuel before a workout.

holmevik

I normally run early in the morning, and I don't eat before I run. A few times when I did I ran really poorly. On long runs of an hour and a half or more I take water and sometimes a gel.

tracyface399

For me, I think I feel better when I do work out on an empty stomach. My routine changed this week and I couldn't do anything until after dinner... i still did, but I hated eveny minute of it! I usually work out after work, but before dinner. On the weekends I work out in the AM, but still before breakfast.

myfitnessnmhoy

From everything I've read, it really doesn't matter if you workout before or after you eat in terms of how much fat you burn.

I agree, with one exception - if the timing of your eating is affecting the intensity of your workout, it will affect how many calories you burn.

If you eat just before exercise and you're the type of person who feels sick-full when you do that, you won't be able to work out as long or as hard. Conversely, if you haven't eaten in a while and start feeling tired, faint, or dizzy, your intensity will suffer (and if you pass out the resulting injury might put a real crimp in your exercise regimen).

But if your body can tolerate a nice workout right after a meal, or after a fast, doing what works for you is always best.

cindydeese

Depends on the person, I get sick when I work out after I eaten. If you need to eat, eat a snack not a meal. Good Luck !!

Tay617

Its hard for me to excercise on a full stomach , I usually try to excercise in the morning, so I work out the eat breakfast , I also seen Dr. Oz when he suggested it was best to work out on an empty stomach, but I also think that if you are feeling "out of it" try a ceral bar or some type of fruit or veggie smothie or a v8 "yuck" so that why you ae not concentrating on hunger, and you can push through your work out unitl......BREAKFAST !!!

:smooched:

kvissy

I believe this is different for everyone but you should rely on how you feel. If you find that you get weak during a workout without eating then EAT!

Personally, when I workout in the AM I do NOT eat/drink anything (I start drinking water DURING my workout). I'm not usually tired or feel faint either.

This morning (and this happens every once in a blue moon) I was feeling extra groggy so I drank a glass of orange juice and then went to workout.

I don't think it really matters when you eat around a workout because there are people that workout on an empty stomach in the morning that lose the same amount of weight as people that workout late late at night after eating all day!

shannypoo21

On Tues & Thu I wake up at 5am to run so I don't eat on those two mornings before my workout cause I really don't have time. It really hasn't affected me in a bad way. But on Saturdays when I run for 4+ miles I usually eat something really light i.e. toast or a banana

candyrayne215

First question......Why are you taking fat burners? Second question.....What is your definition of a workout? If you are going for a 30 min run or silimar than do whatever works for you. If you are lifting heavy or doing very high intensity cardio for a prolonged period of time I would strongly suggest eating something first.

Thanks for the replies so far, very insightful.

im taking fat burners for help with burning fat, this website seems to be anti supplements though.
i do HIIT cardio and moderate lifting 30-60 min a day

so from what im reading, something light, a piece of fruit, packet of oatmeal etc would be helpful but not eating isnt detrimental either.

docktorfokse

I've learned the hard way that I CANNOT work out less than two hours after eating. Well, technically, I can, but if you max out like you should during a workout you'll probably start tasting your last meal a few times. For light exercise, it should be okay to eat on a completely empty stomach, but for hard workouts, I recommend neither eating immediately before nor exercising with a completely empty stomach.

dynamojones

I get maybe an 1 hour to 30 min before my workout. Usually a banana or a bar. If I don't eat, I usually don't have the energy to push through my runs.

Dan112358

I exercise on my feet, my back and sometimes my knees. Very rarely do I exercise on my stomach, regardless of whether or not it is full ...