Morning workouts to maximize fat loss? Myth or not?

The most effective workout schedule for fat loss is the one you'll stick to whilst maintaining an overall calorie deficit.

^WHS

The time of day you work out has no bearing on fat loss, muscle gain, or anything else that pertains to fitness. This "myth" about more fat loss when working out in the morning comes from the idea that working out in a fasted state yields more fat loss. While this may be true, many people cannot safely work out fasted. Some people can be prone to dizziness, fainting spells, and other similar results when working out fasted. Additionally, due to lack of fuel, many people are simply unable to work out at the same intensity level that they would have if they had some food in their system.

Basically, if you're able to safely get through a high intensity workout with sacrificing intensity level first thing in the morning, by all means, go ahead. But don't risk hurting yourself over it, and there's no point to it if you just don't have the energy levels to go at it at full intensity on an empty stomach.

http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/performing-cardio-on-an-empty-stomach/

The time of day you work out has no bearing on fat loss, muscle gain, or anything else that pertains to fitness. This "myth" about more fat loss when working out in the morning comes from the idea that working out in a fasted state yields more fat loss. While this may be true, many people cannot safely work out fasted. Some people can be prone to dizziness, fainting spells, and other similar results when working out fasted. Additionally, due to lack of fuel, many people are simply unable to work out at the same intensity level that they would have if they had some food in their system.

Basically, if you're able to safely get through a high intensity workout with sacrificing intensity level first thing in the morning, by all means, go ahead. But don't risk hurting yourself over it, and there's no point to it if you just don't have the energy levels to go at it at full intensity on an empty stomach.

Keep in mind that the black coffee prior to the morning fasted exercise is key. The Boulder Sports Center recommends only doing the morning fasted cardio at 60-70% of maximum heart rate. I doubt anyone is seriously going to risk "hurting themselves" at that pace. For me, that's a HR of 110 - 128 on the bike which is in my recovery Zone - or all day pace. I can't imagine hurting myself doing that for up to 90 minutes - especially on a training day that already calls for a 30 - 90 minute recovery ride. Why not do it on coffee alone in the AM and fire up the blubber burning while I am at it? ;-)

And the Bro Science continues....

"30 ways to lose your blubber today" article from Muscle and Fitness: http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/performing-cardio-on-an-empty-stomach/

Here are the first 3 on the list of 30 they suggest...

First Thing in the Morning

1) Have a cup or two of coffee. Caffeine is found in most fat-burning supplements since it inhibits the storage of bodyfat and burns extra fat during exercise. Drink a large cup of coffee before cardio, but make sure it's black - don't add sugar or cream because the extra calories only impede your fat-burning efforts. Better yet, take 200-300 mg of a caffeine supplement. One study from Chonbuk National University (Chonju, Korea) found that caffeine and carnitine taken before a cycling workout increased fat-burning and endurance.

2) Supplement with BCAAs and carnitine before cardio. Cardio helps burn fat, but it can also burn muscle. So take 5 grams of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and 1-2 grams of carnitine 30 minutes before cardio. BCAAs minimize protein breakdown, and carnitine maximizes fat-burning during the workout and helps maintain testosterone levels.

3) Do cardio before breakfast. When you do cardio on an empty stomach, your body is more apt to burn fat as its primary source of energy since glycogen stores are depleted from eight hours of fasting the night before. This might mean waking up 30 minutes earlier than normal, but the fat-burning benefits are worth it.


Runner's World article about pre-exercise and the benefits of coffee...

http://www.runnersworld.com/drinks-hydration/8-things-runners-should-know-about-coffee?page=single

The New York Times article citing studies on the benefits of pre-exercise coffee...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/how-coffee-can-galvanize-your-workout/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

"Scientists and many athletes have known for years, of course, that a cup of coffee before a workout jolts athletic performance, especially in endurance sports like distance running and cycling. Caffeine has been proven to increase the number of fatty acids circulating in the bloodstream, which enables people to run or pedal longer (since their muscles can absorb and burn that fat for fuel and save the body’s limited stores of carbohydrates until later in the workout)."

Interesting studies and results cited in the NYTimes piece.



Sportize.Me on caffeine before exercise in the AM...

http://sportize.me/blog-deporte-fitness/2011/09/05/does-a-cup-of-morning-coffee-help-with-cardio

"But can a cup of coffee before your cardio workout actually help burn fat? Yes, it can. Here’s how it works.

During the last phase of sleep, before you wake up, you generate human growth hormone, which facilitates the circulation of free fatty acids from your fat stores, making them more likely to be used as fuel as opposed to carbohydrates (glycogen) or lean muscle.

When you ingest caffeine, your body releases an enzyme called lipase, which prioritizes the metabolization of free fatty acids from your fat stores over carbohydrates (glycogen) for fuel.

These two things together encourage your body to burn fat for energy instead of glycogen or lean muscle. It’s why downing a cup of morning coffee before a low-intensity cardio workout can help enhance your workout and accelerate fat loss over time.

Also, when you do cardio work in the morning on an empty stomach, it makes your body more insulin sensitive. Insulin resistance is linked to increased body fat."

It could be a benefit to the OP - in addition to the obvious caloric deficit - to get things "fired up" and going in her weight loss.

Wow...thanks for all the replies everyone! I literally just woke up (it's morning right now in NZ) and there were loads of helpful responses to my question posted last night!

I'm reading a lot about finding a routine that works for me, and this is very helpful advice. I find I work out far better in the evenings anyway. When I wake up in the morning I'm usually really hungry and I end up exercising with far less intensity and effort. Plus, I count every minute and make excuses not to go for longer as I'm usually so hungry and just want to eat! When I do my boxing sessions in the evening I'm so full of energy and give it 100%. I've tried doing boxing in the mornings but I just don't seem to work as well.

One big reason why I tried to exercise in the morning (other than the idea of maximizing fat loss) is because I will procrastinate for the rest of the day if I don't get my workout over and done with. However, I find most mornings my motivation to be low, and 75% of the time I end up doing my workout later in the day anyway.

Thanks for the helpful advice everyone

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I usually work out first thing in the morning, fasted (except for coffee!) as that simply fits my schedule best. Although I have had to "train" myself and my stiff old joints to be able to run at that time. It took about a month before I felt comfortable. If I leave it til the evening, it often doesn't get done, as dinner, kid's homework etc end up getting in the way. If you prefer evening, then do evenings. Getting the workout done is #1. If there are any benefits to the timing, then they aren't going to help any if you don't do it at all.

^^^This.

There may be small benefits to timing. There may not.

It's majoring in the minors. The big stuff: find something that energizes you and do it regularly for years. That'll get you the biggest gains.