Training in a fasted state - Opinions

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  • eatcleanNtraindirty
    eatcleanNtraindirty Posts: 444 Member
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    I train fasted everyday of the week. I love it. Take a preworkout, some BCAAs, creatine and I'm good to go! I work out in the morning so I can be hungry going into the workout but usually the preworkout takes care of my hunger pain.

    I've trained in the mornings after eating and I just don't like it as much. I have to wake up earlier to get the food in me (usually a couple eggs or protein shake with a half cup of oatmeal) and then wait at least an hour for it all to settle and then take my preworkout cocktail. I still feel bloated and full though and I'm not trying to wake up super early like that in order to eat 60-90 min before a workout. So I've switched back to working out fasted. And I love it!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    You'll be fine. This is how I trained for half the 15 years I've been working out. No difference to me, really
  • green022
    green022 Posts: 115
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    What do you call an animal that has no energy, whose athletic ability declines when they are hungry?

    Dead.

    haha yessss
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    From a respected name in research based training.

    Really depends on what you are doing. You are in about the best fat-burning mode you'll be in, so if you do cardio in fat-burning zone you get good combo, but possible bad after-effects.
    If you do cardio really intense you are burning through carbs that may not even be there in enough quantity, risking some good muscle burn depending on how long you make it.

    http://workout911.com/?p=2617

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-myth-of-cardio-before-breakfast-debunked.html

    But in general, doesn't matter enough, just do it.
  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
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    If it works for you, feel free. I honestly think it's a personal choice. That said, while it's true that glycogen is depleted in the morning and thus it is not a ready source of fuel at that time, this does not necessarily mean you're going to burn more fat. Why? Well, first of all, the body can convert stored protein to glycogen just like it does with stored fat, thus you may be catabolizing muscle instead of fat if you do workout in a fasted state. If that's true, you may be hurting as much as helping. Second, my experience is that if you exercise with any intensity when fasting, you will be unable to exercise as hard or as long as you would if you fed yourself prior to working out, meaning that you can't burn as many calories.

    In this case, it's the long-term balance between energy intake and energy expenditure that determines whether or not you store fat or burn it. Thus in my opinion, the most important factor is the total amount of calories burned, not when you do it.

    Like I said in the beginning, if it works for you fine. If, however, it takes eating something first so that you have the energy to workout longer, that would likely be a better overall plan.
  • 388gigi
    388gigi Posts: 485 Member
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    I find it much easier to workout (strength and cardio) on an empty stomach!
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
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    I have more energy when I train fasted.
    This. In fact, I get light headed and feel very weak (like I have to sit down or bend over) if I've eaten anything within about 4-5 hours before my workout.
  • barefoot76
    barefoot76 Posts: 314 Member
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    When I run a race, I don't eat before. I have a cup of coffee with non-dairy milk and then I run. If it is more than 10 miles, I will take some chia fresca with me, but I don't do snacks during the race either. I find that I operate better on a mostly empty stomach. After, I eat a banana and then, about an hour later, I have a big meal. This is what works for me. You should do whatever works for you :-)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    If you can train at a high quality in a "fasted" state (and I'm not sure how you would know the qualty was "high" if you had not tried other alternatives), it just means you still have enough fuel already available. There is nothing magic about the "fasted" state (and it's likely that most people really aren't "fasting" anyhow).

    You either have fuel available to match the needs of your workout or you don't.

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