Does cardio on an empty stomach burn more fat?

mgreen10
mgreen10 Posts: 229 Member
edited September 26 in Introduce Yourself
I remember hearing this on some forum. Apparently, when you do cardio on an empty stomach like in the morning, your body is forced to burn your own fat instead of energy from the food in your body. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? Thank you....

Replies

  • Fat2FitChick
    Fat2FitChick Posts: 451 Member
    I would love to know that as well!
  • Rtrue18
    Rtrue18 Posts: 45
    I personally think that is true and have been told that MANY times. However every now and then I have heard people say otherwise. Usually the argument is you have less energy on an empty stomach so you don't get as good a workout. Sometimes just something light like a protein shake can help give you enough of a boost though and then there isn't much food in your system still.
  • tbranch3634
    tbranch3634 Posts: 32
    bump
  • HelenTheKitchen
    HelenTheKitchen Posts: 383
    I don't each much before my early morning workouts, but I find it painful to do on an empty stomach.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    Nope. You can eat a little or not, depending on how you feel. But eating a bit before cardio, most people find, gives them the extra kick to make it a good sweat session.

    There have been studies where people who exercise and then eat lose more weight overall, but it's generally because of accompanying habits rather than burning fatover anything else.
  • LilShortChick
    LilShortChick Posts: 14
    I would like to know also... I hike this huge stinking mountain every morning on a stupid virtually empty stomach with hopes i will lose more... If this is a myth then Im gonna eat!!! Hahaha...
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    I would be careful doing this all the time.. Considering the fact that cardio already burns your muscle.. not eating and doing cardio will only make you lose your muscle that much quicker. The reason behind this is that when your body is exhausted it will eat what is easiest for energy.. protein or muscle is what is easiest... so, after fasting all night long, and then working out doing CARDIO without anything for your body to stimulate and feed it... it will turn your muscle into energy and eat it first, before your fat...

    Where as, if you eat...your body will draw from the food for energy, and burn your fat... instead of eating your muscle to get energy and then burn fat...

    chances are, the "weight" you are seeing lost when you don't eat and exercise, is more muscle and fat than just fat.

    that is my opinion and advice.
  • sm26davis
    sm26davis Posts: 52
    From what I have read that it doesn't matter. I used to workout before I ate and now I do it a few hours after breakfast. There is no way I would have the energy to get though my workout if I don't. I haven't noticed any difference.
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
    someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you don't have energy to burn then it will actually attack muscle as well as fat., Always better to eat a little something than nothing. A banana, a piece of toast with peanut butter, a hard boiled egg. Something.
  • biged335
    biged335 Posts: 734
    What I've read said that workout in the morning before breakfast actually makes your body use fat for energy because most of your carbs have been used while you sleep... Don't know if it's true, but it seems to be working for me.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    From what I heard from Doctors and other people you should not do cardio on an empty stomach it could cause you to lose nothing or very little. Eating before cardio helps your metabolism and prevents your body from going into starvation mode which holds onto fat.
  • jjhanlon
    jjhanlon Posts: 74 Member
    I would be careful doing this all the time.. Considering the fact that cardio already burns your muscle.. not eating and doing cardio will only make you lose your muscle that much quicker. The reason behind this is that when your body is exhausted it will eat what is easiest for energy.. protein or muscle is what is easiest... so, after fasting all night long, and then working out doing CARDIO without anything for your body to stimulate and feed it... it will turn your muscle into energy and eat it first, before your fat...

    Where as, if you eat...your body will draw from the food for energy, and burn your fat... instead of eating your muscle to get energy and then burn fat...

    chances are, the "weight" you are seeing lost when you don't eat and exercise, is more muscle and fat than just fat.

    that is my opinion and advice.

    If you dont eat first your body will break down your muscles to use for energy...you need them to keep your metabolism up... I used to work out on an empty stomach, but now I always have breakfast first. It keeps me going a lot longer and makes the workout easier if you have some carbs to use for fuel.
  • liveinbliss
    liveinbliss Posts: 108 Member
    I think I read this in Jillian Michaels book about mastering your metabolism, but i sometimes get books mixed up. She said that you should not workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The reasoning being that is, during the night your body depletes your glycogen stores within your muscles. Glycogen is what your body uses for fuel. If you work out without consuming some sort of energy (preferably a carb) to replace the glycogen your body will begin consuming your muscle instead.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    I would be careful doing this all the time.. Considering the fact that cardio already burns your muscle.. not eating and doing cardio will only make you lose your muscle that much quicker. The reason behind this is that when your body is exhausted it will eat what is easiest for energy.. protein or muscle is what is easiest... so, after fasting all night long, and then working out doing CARDIO without anything for your body to stimulate and feed it... it will turn your muscle into energy and eat it first, before your fat...

    Where as, if you eat...your body will draw from the food for energy, and burn your fat... instead of eating your muscle to get energy and then burn fat...

    chances are, the "weight" you are seeing lost when you don't eat and exercise, is more muscle and fat than just fat.

    that is my opinion and advice.

    If you dont eat first your body will break down your muscles to use for energy...you need them to keep your metabolism up... I used to work out on an empty stomach, but now I always have breakfast first. It keeps me going a lot longer and makes the workout easier if you have some carbs to use for fuel.

    That was my point.
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