Fasted Morning Cardio...

Quiing

What are your thoughts on performing light or moderate cardio before your first meal of the day?

PercivalHackworth

It has been proven that it is not that much efficient. The logic with that is to take benefit of highered hormones in the morning.
If you have a deadlne could help, but it also has somes disadvantages making it quite useless and a pain for nothing very interesting.

Toddrific

There is some mild evidence than it can have a very minor effect on fat usage ~<5% difference.
I find a very light meal prior to cardio helps me work harder and therefore use more calories.

Fieldsy

It works for some people, it doesnt work for others.

I LOVE working out on an empty stomach. I have much more energy in the mornings before breakfast.

GetFitDad

From what I understand, in the morning, after your body has been fasting, you usually don't have many easy to burn calories in you system, as they have used up over night and / or stored. If you exercise in the morning before eating, your body will start to go into "starvation mode" because it does not have the immediate energy to keep you fueled. Additionally, muscle is a lot easier for your body to quickly turn to energy than fat, so if you exercise too long or too much, you may start burning muscle before using your fat stores. I've read it's always good to eat something first thing in the morning which will signal your body that you have started eating, and it will have fuel available when needed. (Countering the "starvation mode.") I'm no expert, and this advice may be worth what you paid for it, but I would suggest eating before exercising, and maybe giving it 15 minutes or so and then starting off slow. A lot of people say it's hard to exercise in the morning after eating because of the way their stomach feels, but I've found a handful of multigrain cheerios or a banana and some water don't seem to bother my stomach at all.

Some of the nice things about exercising in the morning is you can get it done before the day gets busy, it can help you set your feelings and goals for the day. And more importantly, if that is the time which works for you, then take advantage of it.

Anyway, I'm no expert. But good luck!

Paulbp4

If its light enough and kept in the "fat burning" heart range the calories burned will be more likely to come from fat. Unfortunately, its easier to burn more calories by going harder... even at a lesser percentage it turns out to be more fat calories burned.

The idea behind it being fasted is your body won't have other energy to burn. I use BCAA intraworkout to help my muscles maintain when I do any moderate exercise in a fasted state.

HIIT in the evenings (or post food in general) is probably quicker and more efficient than any light fast cardio.

Yanicka1

well you know that I do cardio and strenght training before breaking my fast at 1-2 pm. It never had a negative impact on my workout. I feel strong and have been lowering my 5k PR steadily.

I also use BCAA

delonda1

I exercise before eating a lot and can go an hr or so in the gym... I like doing it. I cant do strength straining though without food or I'll feel sick...just cardio

clairegirl1969

I have always had a small meal before morning workout. Like a piece of bread with peanut butter or yogurt. I tried to work out last week with an empty stomach and I felt like I couldn't work as hard as I usually do. I was taking a spin class, I'm not sure what it would feel like with weights because I haven't tried that yet.

ColleenAtherton

I work out first thing in the morning before eating. Not because I think I'm burning more calories, but more because if I eat and then work out it makes me feel nauseous and/or throw up. I've tried eating light stuff and not pushing myself as hard while exercising, but it doesn't matter. Working out on an empty stomach is what works for me

ninerbuff

It's more a preference now. More study is showing that the actual effect is minor. Personally I do it because I'm a late night eater and am not hungry in the morning.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Quiing

A lot of great replies and varying opinions, thanks everyone. I think I want to start doing it to incorporate more cardio in my routine and get it out of the way as soon as I wake up, and to set a better mood for the rest of the day. I'm thinking maybe I'll experiment with drinking a small protein shake before hand to see if it affects my performance.

Dave198lbs

It has been proven that it is not that much efficient. The logic with that is to take benefit of highered hormones in the morning.

I disagree. The advantage is to take benefit of lowered insulin level. When you wake fasted, your insulin will be at its lowest level of the day. This is optimal fat burning time. As soon as you eat, your your insulin rises and stored fat burning is compromised.

Quiing

I disagree. The advantage is to take benefit of lowered insulin level. When you wake fasted, your insulin will be at its lowest level of the day. This is optimal fat burning time. As soon as you eat, your your insulin rises and stored fat burning is compromised.

If that's the case then I'm really going to start doing it.

Toddrific

A lot of great replies and varying opinions, thanks everyone. I think I want to start doing it to incorporate more cardio in my routine and get it out of the way as soon as I wake up, and to set a better mood for the rest of the day. I'm thinking maybe I'll experiment with drinking a small protein shake before hand to see if it affects my performance.

I think a small fruit would work better. Find what works for you

tigersword

It has been proven that it is not that much efficient. The logic with that is to take benefit of highered hormones in the morning.

I disagree. The advantage is to take benefit of lowered insulin level. When you wake fasted, your insulin will be at its lowest level of the day. This is optimal fat burning time. As soon as you eat, your your insulin rises and stored fat burning is compromised.

This is the exact myth being talked about. It doesn't work this way. Insulin is not the end all be all of fat storage, and quite honestly, insulin has absolutely nothing to do with fat burning.

Dave198lbs

It has been proven that it is not that much efficient. The logic with that is to take benefit of highered hormones in the morning.

I disagree. The advantage is to take benefit of lowered insulin level. When you wake fasted, your insulin will be at its lowest level of the day. This is optimal fat burning time. As soon as you eat, your your insulin rises and stored fat burning is compromised.

This is the exact myth being talked about. It doesn't work this way. Insulin is not the end all be all of fat storage, and quite honestly, insulin has absolutely nothing to do with fat burning.

never said it was the "end all be all" get off your crusade.

thelovelyLIZ

I personally don't like it, because I prefer to eat as soon as I get up. If I'm strapped for time, I may workout first and then eat, simply because I don't like working out on a full stomach.

However, if you're asking if it burns more calories/fat/whatever than eating first, it doesn't really make much of a difference.

Sheriemae

I run 6 days a week in the morning. I can't have anything to eat before hand or I get sick. I've tried just having a banana and I still got sick. But everyone is different, do what works for you.

2Bgoddess

I don't know the health benefits or detriments but I know that I will feel dizzy and feel like throwing up unless I have a light meal very shortly after waking up in the morning, workout or not. If I plan to work out, I wait about 1/2 hour after I eat. therefore it's only on weekends that I exercise in the morning.

sunnyflower1177

It's a personal preference, I find that I can only do about 10min, then I feel blah!! but if I do my cardio in the late afternoon, I feel like I get the best work out!!!

squishycow7

I've gone through phases of doing that (mostly from poor time management skills rattler than purposefully not eating). I haven't noticed any difference except I have less energy to do the workout! Likewise, if I eat too much I'm sluggish... So I like a light snack beforehand

In terms of the science behind it,I believe the theory is that if you haven't eaten, your body will burn more fat than if you'd eaten a bagel and you're just burning off those carbs. Makes sense to me, but I'd rather feel good doing it than feel like crap and burn more fat... Seems like the inefficiency in energy levels will shoot you in the foot in the end.... But I'm sure others bodies operate on low food better than mine.

In conclusion: it depends.

Dave198lbs

I run 6 days a week in the morning. I can't have anything to eat before hand or I get sick. I've tried just having a banana and I still got sick. But everyone is different, do what works for you.

the banana is possibly the most over rated food out there next to oatmeal. just sayin. everytime I see "banana" this gets in my head.

joeq722

SupposedLy early morning cardio with no food in your system but maybe a cup of coffee optimizes fat burning.
The idea being there are reduced glycogen stores to use for eneRgy and you body will use fat sooner for the cardio re
Quirements.

Another way to simulate this scenario later in the day after youve eaten is do your weightlifting first, which will use up the glycogen stores.
If you follow that with a cardio workout, again your body will turn to use the fat stores sooner for energy for the cardio.

joeq722

In the mornings definitely eat something before weightlifting.
Its not as important and maybe even preferable to not eat anything before morning cardio.



Pretty sure that this and my earlier post are not myths.
Theyve been accepted for some time.

TheBraveryLover

I don't know about cardio but I always do my lifting before I eat my first meal of the day and it has never been a problem for me.

dandur

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fasted-cardio-and-fat-loss-qa.html

"The best time to do cardio will be whenever it will most consistently get done. If that’s first thing in the morning, fantastic. If not, also fantastic. It’s more important in this situation that it gets done than when it gets done."

SPNLuver83

That's how I've always done it. I get sick to my stomach if I work out with food in it.

jamielynas

it makes no difference whatsoever

Quiing

SupposedLy early morning cardio with no food in your system but maybe a cup of coffee optimizes fat burning.
The idea being there are reduced glycogen stores to use for eneRgy and you body will use fat sooner for the cardio re
Quirements.

Another way to simulate this scenario later in the day after youve eaten is do your weightlifting first, which will use up the glycogen stores.
If you follow that with a cardio workout, again your body will turn to use the fat stores sooner for energy for the cardio.

That sounds good too, I like to lift at night so chasing it with some cardio seems like a good idea if I don't do it in the morning. Thanks for this

holly3585

work out EVERY MORNING as soon as I get up....sometimes I chug a cup of coffee, but usually just my trusty water bottle....I have never even though about the fact that it might be 'fasting' b/c of the not eating all night....hmmm... interesting....although I feel like I am burning.....I have maintained for quite a while now, so I'm a little sketchy to say that workouts are somehow less efficient.....no expert though