Fasted Training

auroranflash

I've read several articles from various authors glorifying fasted training and its many benefits, from added fat burning to muscle gain, on and on. I'm unsure on the subject. Some of the sources had written their own books on the subject and I am not sure if they were promoting it for their own personal gain or if there is genuine evidence to prove that fasted training is beneficial, particularly for weight loss and for the average joe looking to lose a few and strengthen their body.

Is the 5am runner/lifter who gets in his workout and then eats an hour (or six/eight, in reference to Intermittent Fasting) later at any significant advantage to one who wakes up, eats breakfast, goes to work, and then fits in his workout afterward?

Just wondering if any of you can provide any insight - whether personal experience or respected source.

Thanks in advance.

Plates559

What ever gets you the best work out is what you should do.

I do best if I eat a bit a fruit right before, or a whole meal an hour before. I feel weak when I lift in a fasted state.

Plates559

Your best fat burner is simply being strict on your calories and macros.

auroranflash

I know some people don't FEEL as if they can train fasted, I'm just wondering if there is an actual advantage in doing so.

Plates559

The advantage isn't significant in my personal experience and research.

BrianSharpe

This may interest you......

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/The-Benefits-Of-Running-On-Empty.htm?cmp=17-1-3165

but it also refers to highly trained elite runners working on increasing their fat burning capabilities.

I too am a 5AM runner and the research I've done suggests that in terms of weight loss there is such a small difference between running fasted (which is what I do) and eating beforehand that it is immaterial.

escloflowneCHANGED

I can train fasted no problem, I used to play paintball tournaments on no sleep and no food for 10+ hours in crazy heat and I was fine, I would see others pass out and have ambulances show up. It depends on the person, I have not noticed any benefit to fasting in any way when it comes to fat loss though.

Acg67

I've read several articles from various authors glorifying fasted training and its many benefits, from added fat burning to muscle gain, on and on. I'm unsure on the subject. Some of the sources had written their own books on the subject and I am not sure if they were promoting it for their own personal gain or if there is genuine evidence to prove that fasted training is beneficial, particularly for weight loss and for the average joe looking to lose a few and strengthen their body.

Is the 5am runner/lifter who gets in his workout and then eats an hour (or six/eight, in reference to Intermittent Fasting) later at any significant advantage to one who wakes up, eats breakfast, goes to work, and then fits in his workout afterward?

Just wondering if any of you can provide any insight - whether personal experience or respected source.

Thanks in advance.

Holding everything else constant, I wouldn't expect any significant differences in body composition

DonniesGirl69

I've read several articles from various authors glorifying fasted training and its many benefits, from added fat burning to muscle gain, on and on. I'm unsure on the subject. Some of the sources had written their own books on the subject and I am not sure if they were promoting it for their own personal gain or if there is genuine evidence to prove that fasted training is beneficial, particularly for weight loss and for the average joe looking to lose a few and strengthen their body.

Is the 5am runner/lifter who gets in his workout and then eats an hour (or six/eight, in reference to Intermittent Fasting) later at any significant advantage to one who wakes up, eats breakfast, goes to work, and then fits in his workout afterward?

Just wondering if any of you can provide any insight - whether personal experience or respected source.

Thanks in advance.

I do both, depending on my schedule. I have 2 jobs and when I work till 10 or 11 at night, it's hard to make it out of be to run at 5 am, but when I do, it's fasted....I don't eat first. If I don't get up at 5, then I go all day, eat like I normally do, then run in the evening. Running at either time seems equallay beneficial to me.

Ariana_75

From personal experience I must say that short (20 - 30 mins) of fasted HIIT cardio sessions two to three times per week has helped me tremendously with the fat burning part. I however, do not agree with lifting on a fasted state because I think it is counter productive if you're trying to build mass.

melbot24

I believe the idea behind this is similar to that of ketosis.
Forcing your body to use stored fat for energy instead of the food you've just consumed (read: carbs) pre-workout.
Thus yielding greater fat losses.

Since I've recently decided to give CKD a try myself, I don't see why this fasted training method wouldn't be worth a shot.

alphal0b0

I agree with this...
Cardio in the form of HIIT is what I believe will benefit most in Fasted workouts/Intermittent fasting.

The few times (4 times total) I've tried lifting weights while in a fasted state have been less than optimal workouts (Low energy and fatigued quickly). Not optimal IMO for lifting heavy/mass gain.

theartichoke

There are so many "ifs" involved. In order to get any quantifiable benefit from training fasted you need to have been in a fasted state for 16hrs prior. Glycogen stores are depleted, at a Sedentary activity level after 8 to 12 hours. So you're left to make your choices from there. Do you feel good when you train fasted? Then train fasted. If you're only willing to do it for the added benefits then fast for 16hrs prior. I still haven't been able to find why, if 12 hours means depletion, that it's inferior to 16.

If I could train fasted, 8,12 or 16hrs, I would.

auroranflash

A friend of mine shared this article with me which seems to directly answer my question - Does fasted training benefit the average person, trying to lose BF%?

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

Will continue to do more research, but it was an interesting read.

Thanks to all who commented.

stingrayinfl

I always work out starting between 3:45 am during the week and 4:45 am on the weekends. I only drink water before and I don't eat for a while after. I find I can't eat for a while. That is just what I do. eevryone is different. I have lost over 80 pounds,.

auroranflash

I always work out starting between 3:45 am during the week and 4:45 am on the weekends. I only drink water before and I don't eat for a while after. I find I can't eat for a while. That is just what I do. eevryone is different. I have lost over 80 pounds,.

Congratulations on the loss! That is great.

I do believe that, for most people, the benefit to fasted training is miniscule when compared to convenience. Whenever you can fit it in and be consistent is when you should train. If you find it difficult to wake up at 4am every morning to exercise, so you end up skipping it entirely, you should schedule it in the afternoon. It's more important to be consistent and get it done than to worry about whether or not you may reap a slight benefit from fasted training.

opalescence

I cant lift in a fasted state, I feel way to weak, but I do walk in the am in a fasted state and sometimes do intervals with body weight training 3x wk but its for a relatively short amount of time (20 min) and then I eat usually within 30 minutes post workout.

I'm going to read the article when I get home, this has been somehting I've been looking more into as well

ndj1979

I have not tried working out while fasting. The articles I have read state that most people who do this take a certain amount of BCAA's prior to their workout and - I think - during as well. Not sure if thise makes a difference...

I just started reading about IF and am going to give it a shot with the carb cycling that i have bene doing...If you want you can add me and I will let you know how it goes...I do plan on working out in a fasted state at some point and see how it works...

Can't hurt to try..right?

Ariana_75

I have not tried working out while fasting. The articles I have read state that most people who do this take a certain amount of BCAA's prior to their workout and - I think - during as well. Not sure if thise makes a difference...

I just started reading about IF and am going to give it a shot with the carb cycling that i have bene doing...If you want you can add me and I will let you know how it goes...I do plan on working out in a fasted state at some point and see how it works...

Can't hurt to try..right?

Absolutely. I never work out without taking BCAA's prior and during exercise regardless of whether I am in a fasted state or not.

ZeroWoIf

I think i eat so much protein that I don't need to take bcaa's. I really never noticed the difference. I have noticed a difference when i don't eat enough protein for a long time.

ndj1979

I definitely crush the protein...just started reading up on bcaa's and bought some today..figured it can't hurt to mix it up...as a former cancer survivor I get a little wary about supplements...

ndj1979

From personal experience I must say that short (20 - 30 mins) of fasted HIIT cardio sessions two to three times per week has helped me tremendously with the fat burning part. I however, do not agree with lifting on a fasted state because I think it is counter productive if you're trying to build mass.

Do you do HIIT sprint intervals or something different?

1horseygirl1

sorry for being captain obvious here but what are bcaa's?

ndj1979

branch chain amino acids