Low or no carbs before workouts?

addydaddy94
addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
WHAT IF I consumed very little to no carbs prior to my workouts? Would it make my body burn fat for energy instead? And hence help 'fat' loss. I'm not trying to go into a ketosis state as I would take in carbs post my workouts. Anyone tried this? Any opinions?

Replies

  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
    Why even track carbs?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I find I can't workout as strenuously if I don't have carbs before my workouts.
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    Well I thought if I took in too many carbs then my body would only use that for energy and not burn fat
  • Danimri84
    Danimri84 Posts: 262 Member
    Be careful. I tried a very low carb diet once, was eating excellently otherwise, and it made me very ill. I was constantly dizzy and vomiting, and I wasn't working out at the time. Some people simply have to have carbs to function.
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    I'm not thinking of going low on carbs..maybe get up in the morning have a low carb high protein breakfast then workout. And then later have the usual diet of adequate carbs and other macronutrients
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    Be careful. I tried a very low carb diet once, was eating excellently otherwise, and it made me very ill. I was constantly dizzy and vomiting, and I wasn't working out at the time. Some people simply have to have carbs to function.

    *This, Vomiting, Migraine I need at least 100g of carbs.,
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    probably during your workout but when you eat carbs after it would store as fat. If you ate carbs before the workout then you would burn fat the rest of the day, assuming you are in a caloric deficit

    Not 100% how it works but gives you a simplified version of the acutal process. If you eat the same amount of calories per day, you will store the same amount of fat, or lose the same amount of fat (surplus/deficit) regardless when you eat them.

    So either burn carbs during your workout and fat after, or burn fat during and carbs after, 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I'm not thinking of going low on carbs..maybe get up in the morning have a low carb high protein breakfast then workout. And then later have the usual diet of adequate carbs and other macronutrients

    I sometimes have a cup of coffee and go for a walk before breakfast but I can not match the speed or endurance I have if I ate breakfast (with carbs) and was able to wait an hour to walk. I burn more calories if I can exercise longer and stronger.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    If you're not in ketosis, then your body won't be fat adapted and burning ketones for fuel. So, you're got two issues here. If it's a low intensity exercise where your body can provide adequate oxygen to the cells for aerobic respiration, your body will burn more fat versus muscle (activities like walking and hiking) once you work through your blood glucose and glycogen stores. Aim for 60-70% of maximum heart rate (often called the "fat burning zone"). This is one reason walking for 30 mins or so first thing the morning (before eating) is recommended to burn fat.

    However, if you're doing higher intensity working out -- like running, jogging, etc. -- your body will not be able to breakdown fat quick enough for energy and will start to break down more muscle. This is usually in the "cardiovascular zone" -- 70-80% of maximum heart rate. You'll burn more overall calories here, but a larger percentage of the tissue break down to provide energy to your body will be from muscle rather than fat. You often will "bonk" when you get to this point once your blood glucose and glycogen stores are gone, but it varies for each individual.

    If you're even higher (80%+ of maximum heart rate), you'll go into anaerobic cellular respiration where lactic acid will build up in your cells, causing cramping and you won't be able to keep up energy needs due to the lack of oxygen getting to the cells quickly enough -- this is why you need breaks between sprints or heavy lifting. And many who do so on an empty stomach, will likewise "bonk" as in the above example.
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    So then low or no carbs after workout? Would that result in my body using up fat for energy?
  • eimaj5575
    eimaj5575 Posts: 278 Member
    You should eat carbs before a workout and protein after. Carbs give you the energy to work hard.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    So then low or no carbs after workout? Would that result in my body using up fat for energy?

    If you're getting in a good work out, recovery drink is essential. 1:4 ratio of protein to easily digested carbs is ideal. The carbs replenish your glycogen stores so your body can use the protein to rebuild your muscle during heavy lifting or prolonged cardio exertion. Chocolate milk is a poor man's recovery drink -- has almost the ideal ratio of carbs versus protein.
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  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    So what's the solution here..I'm trying to loose belly fat..my current diet consists of 30% protien 20% fats(good) and 50% carbs..I'm just worried that by consuming 50% carbs I might not be giving a chance to my body to use up the fat cells for energy..I am on a 500 deficit though
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    Someone has too many accounts and too much time on their hands.

    Huh?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    So what's the solution here..I'm trying to loose belly fat..my current diet consists of 30% protien 20% fats(good) and 50% carbs..I'm just worried that by consuming 50% carbs I might not be giving a chance to my body to use up the fat cells for energy..I am on a 500 deficit though
    You are way over thinking it. Your body doesn't need any special measures to burn fat - just a calorie deficit.

    When you exercise you will burn a blend of glycogen and fat in different proportions dependant on intensity but your calorie deficit will determine how much weight (fat) you lose over time.

    Carbs cannot make you fat if you are in a calorie deficit.

    Belly fat will go along with all the other fat on your body.
  • chasetwins
    chasetwins Posts: 702 Member
    I started having a protein shake for breakfast and noticed an increase in my energy during my workout...the shake does have carbs but I think a nice balance helped me. Being able to give your all during your session will in the end burn more

    Previously I was having a wheat english muffin and egg - I would lose my drive half way through.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    What kind of workouts? I know a lot of bodybuilders that do fasted cardio when prepping for a show.
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    You are way over thinking it. Your body doesn't need any special measures to burn fat - just a calorie deficit.

    When you exercise you will burn a blend of glycogen and fat in different proportions dependant on intensity but your calorie deficit will determine how much weight (fat) you lose over time.

    Carbs cannot make you fat if you are in a calorie deficit.

    Belly fat will go along with all the other fat on your body.

    So....I'm doing fine?
  • toscarthearmada
    toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
    Why even track carbs?

    As a diabetic I keep close track of my carbs. I find that I need some sort of carbs before a workout to fuel it. If I don't, it will make me sick.

    I think you should do some test runs and see what works best for you!
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
    Short answer: I don't think it would help that much.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I purposely have the most carbs of my day 2-3 hours before my workout. Oatmeal and strawberries on running days, for example. Without this, I get cranky, have horrible headaches, and burn LESS calories than usual in my workouts because I have half-assed them due to lethargy, crankiness, and headaches.

    Don't over think things. You need a calorie deficit for fat loss. That is all.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    It won't make a difference.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    Let me try explain why it won't help..

    Basically (very simply put): Your body will rely FIRST on it's stored energy (fat) because it is readily available, it will much rather use muscle and fat for energy before it can even use the food you've just consumed..
  • addydaddy94
    addydaddy94 Posts: 18 Member
    Let me try explain why it won't help..

    Basically (very simply put): Your body will rely FIRST on it's stored energy (fat) because it is readily available, it will much rather use muscle and fat for energy before it can even use the food you've just consumed..

    That made sense..
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Let me try explain why it won't help..

    Basically (very simply put): Your body will rely FIRST on it's stored energy (fat) because it is readily available, it will much rather use muscle and fat for energy before it can even use the food you've just consumed..

    That made sense..

    I'm pretty sure that's totally incorrect. Your body will first use the glucose in your blood stream for energy, regardless of its origination. Usually, the quickest way is dietary carbs (i.e. carbs you eat). Then, it tends to break down glucose from your glycogen stores as glycogen is a polysacchride of glucose. Then, once those are gone, it tends to turn towards fat and muscle -- which will be broken down into glucose in the liver via gluconeogenesis. Whether you access more muscle or more fat is impacted by many factors. For example, slower aerobic exercise (like walking/hiking) will break down more fat than muscle but burn less calories overall when compared with higher intensity aerobic exercise (running, swimming, etc.).

    Two things you can do to minimize the loss of muscle in a caloric deficit is lift heavy and eat sufficient protein (what that is is up for debate -- but I go for 0.7 g per lb body weight). If you get fat adapted by restricting carbs and go into ketosis, your body will break down more fat into ketones for energy. But if you're not doing a ketogenic diet, then this doesn't apply.

    So, most people tend to eat some carbs before a work out (not much -- like half a piece of toast with peanut butter or a banana) to fuel a work out so they can push it and then follow up with a recovery drink that has 1:4 protein: carb ratio to replenish glycogen stores and provide protein to repair muscles (especially after a heavy lifting session). Chocolate milk is the poor man's recovery drink as it naturally has that ratio of easily digestible carbs to protein.

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