is this true? please advise

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elisa123gal
elisa123gal Posts: 4,287 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Do any of you find truth that working out first thing in the morning before you eat actually burns your fat stores better than if you worked out later in the day?

I heard something about how any food you eat is stored in the liver and those calories burned first before the fat stores on the body.
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Replies

  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    Yes, this is true. You'll use more fat storage since you have no immediate calories from food to burn. If you're going to workout this way, I suggest taking BCAAs before the workout. This will help preserve your muscle and give you some energy for the workout.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    I have no idea if it's true- but working out first thing in the morning was when I lost fat and gained muscle the quickest.

    I was eating TDEE -30%, moderate lifting 3x a week, intense cardio 2x a week, and worked out first thing on an empty stomach.

    EDIT: I did take a pre-workout. So not a completely empty stomach but no food or "real" calories.

    I also find I'm happier when I exercise first thing, and it's the easiest time for me to fit it in my schedule. I'm NOT a morning person and you can ask my workout partner- I was a huge b*tch pre-workout pretty much every day. But post workout and once I had had my shake I was back to normal/happy.

    Give it a try, it's certainly not going to make you gain weight to exercise :)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    I've heard this before as well and just chalked it up to another fitness myth. It would be cool if it is true, though. I work out first thing in the morning on lifting days. Cardio usually waits until the evening.
  • Eoghann
    Eoghann Posts: 130 Member
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    There is some research to support the idea yes.

    However, there's nothing to suggest it is a major factor. The measured differences have been small. In fact there is some contrary evidence that suggests workouts end up being shorter because you have less energy so less calories are actually burned, negating any actual gains in fat burning.

    I wouldn't re-organize your day around it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I don't see how workout timing could factor in much...

    I personally cannot workout in the morning...with no food...I would drop the barbell on my face.

    I always workout in the evening either right before the meal (with a snack before I work out) or after my meal....it makes a huge difference for me.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    There is some research to support the idea yes.

    However, there's nothing to suggest it is a major factor. The measured differences have been small. In fact there is some contrary evidence that suggests workouts end up being shorter because you have less energy so less calories are actually burned, negating any actual gains in fat burning.

    I wouldn't re-organize your day around it.

    Exactly this.

    Some people do well on fasted workouts. Some people don't.
    I was miserable and had no energy. Any benefit to doing so fasted was far outweighed by the lack of performance on my part.

    Like the person said, any benefit is very small. It is far more important to ge the workout in than to worry about what time to do it.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I workout first thing in the morning on a completely empty stomach. The only difference between this and working out at another time of day is that I am sleepy and my muscles are tighter. Mostly sleepy.
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
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    I workout first thing without eating first. Just because I feel sick if I do cardio with food in my tummy and because it's when I'm most alert and energetic. But I don't think the supposed fat burning rate will be meaningfully different. Choose a schedule that works for you best not according to someone else's rules.
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
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    I think it is likely some fat would be burned because you've fasted during sleep for 8 hours or so and the body probably doesn't have a huge store of glucose, therefore the next fuel would be fat.
    I think it does depend how long you are working out for, though. If you gave it an hour, I think you would be burning fat.

    If you eat, I believe you would need to eat something light and foods that would be available to the body for fuel in a short time. I normally work out before breakfast as I don't want to eat my normal breakfast and wait a few hours for my food to digest and be available for energy, and it makes me feel sick/sluggish to go after.
  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
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    For me I couldn't get up as early as I would need to for me to get a good 1hr walk in or anything else, that would put me waking up at 4am and that is not happening lol I think every person is different some people can workout on a completely empty stomach and others can't.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    There is some research to support the idea yes.

    However, there's nothing to suggest it is a major factor. The measured differences have been small. In fact there is some contrary evidence that suggests workouts end up being shorter because you have less energy so less calories are actually burned, negating any actual gains in fat burning.

    I wouldn't re-organize your day around it.

    This!^

    What's most important is consistency. If you can workout first thing, do it. There is nothing later in the day to distract you....it's done already.

    I workout after work.....I've tried to be consistent in the mornings....it just doesn't happen.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Yes, this is true. You'll use more fat storage since you have no immediate calories from food to burn. If you're going to workout this way, I suggest taking BCAAs before the workout. This will help preserve your muscle and give you some energy for the workout.
    How can your body use calories it hasn't processed yet?
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    I think the idea behind this is that your body depletes some of the liver glycogen while you are sleeping at night, thus there is less to burn in the morning and you start burning fat faster. I have no idea if it is actually true. I think the best time to workout is when you have the most energy. Its better to eat before a workout and give it 100% than it is to give it less than full energy because you are still tired or because your body needs fuel. I sometimes go to spin class on Saturday mornings before I eat, it really just depends on how I feel. I always bring something with me in case I need to refuel though.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
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    I've heard the same thing, but I also heard the opposite from other sources.

    i normally work out in the morning before I eat as I can't stomach anything more than half a graham cracker before I workout. I can tell you, the biggest benefit of working out in the morning is that I get an awesome start to my day and generally feel better, stronger, and healthier and tend to make better decisions throughout the day.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,365 Member
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    I workout first thing in the morning because that is what works in my schedule - don't know if it burns more fat or not. What I do know is that by the time I have showered and driven to work afterwards I am starving and would happily eat the steering wheel on the car were it not attached...:laugh:

    I have seen some research that suggests you should wait 30-45 minutes after the workout before eating because this will increase fat-burning by forcing the body to burn fat to replenish the energy stores in the muscles - this is regardless of what time your workout occurs.
  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
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    Interesting, want to see some responses..

    I work out first thing in the morning with coffee in my belly, Concentrate on getting my work out first thing in the morning so I dont have any excuses. I just cant eat food so early in the morning, but have a protein shake post work out.
  • KariOrtiz2014
    KariOrtiz2014 Posts: 343 Member
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    I don't know but it sounds like a myth!
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    Yes, this is true. You'll use more fat storage since you have no immediate calories from food to burn. If you're going to workout this way, I suggest taking BCAAs before the workout. This will help preserve your muscle and give you some energy for the workout.
    How can your body use calories it hasn't processed yet?

    Are you stronger before or after you eat?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Yes, this is true. You'll use more fat storage since you have no immediate calories from food to burn. If you're going to workout this way, I suggest taking BCAAs before the workout. This will help preserve your muscle and give you some energy for the workout.
    How can your body use calories it hasn't processed yet?

    Are you stronger before or after you eat?
    No difference, actually.
  • navygrrl
    navygrrl Posts: 517 Member
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    For me, I run out of steam if I haven't had breakfast first. I usually wait an hour after eating before working out per my personal preference and not because of any science.

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