Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.

Gym on empty stomach

12357

Replies

  • markag1990
    markag1990 Posts: 75 Member
    I find cardio on an empty stomach is OK. But I need to eat something if I'm gonna do weight training. Even if it's just a bowl of protein flakes.
    I train mostly in the am as I do shift work.
  • philimyri
    philimyri Posts: 16 Member
    I work-out on a empty stomach all the time, I have much more energy and do more. when full, I get tummy aches.
  • cocobee2016
    cocobee2016 Posts: 11 Member
    I did feel lightheaded once in gym on empty stomach so I might have a banana or half a protein drink before I workout in the morning but now I walk with no problem at all
  • This content has been removed.
  • lizzelspark
    lizzelspark Posts: 178 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    I work out at 11:00 am each morning then eat lunch after 1pm. I don't eat breakfast so I workout on an empty stomach everyday. And have been doing this for years.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Do you lift weights on a empty stomach ? Or doing cardio ? I love cardio on a empty stomach never tried weightlifting
  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
    edited May 2016
    I always work out in the morning, about 6am, on an empty stomach. Working out fasted can actually give you some energy bursts. I don't work out longer than 90 minutes, whether lifting, cardio, swimming, if I did, I might need at least a coconut water for electrolytes. If I work out in the afternoon, I need to have eaten at least 3 hours before, food I'm my stomach makes me feel weighed down. The body can only do 1 of 3 things most effectively at once. 1) think, brain power, 2) digest and 3) be phsycial. When one of more is happening at once, the body will shunt blood away from digestion first to do the other more vital choices, thinking and physical activity.
    Digestion always get the short end of the stick on the priority list, but I guess simple carbs can be digested quickly for energy before workout, like fruit.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I always work out in the morning, about 6am, on an empty stomach. Working out fasted can actually give you some energy bursts. I don't work out longer than 90 minutes, whether lifting, cardio, swimming, if I did, I might need at least a coconut water for electrolytes. If I work out in the afternoon, I need to have eaten at least 3 hours before, food I'm my stomach makes me feel weighed down. The body can only do 1 of 3 things most effectively at once. 1) think, brain power, 2) digest and 3) be phsycial. When one of more is happening at once, the body will shunt blood away from digestion first to do the other more vital choices, thinking and physical activity.
    Digestion always get the short end of the stick on the priority list, but I guess simple carbs can be digested quickly for energy before workout, like fruit.

    Yes.

    Yes, they can.
  • mjmwootten
    mjmwootten Posts: 2 Member
    edited May 2016
    Its really what works for you, fasted training in the morning can be good for you it gets your body ready for the day and can help increase your weight/fat loss, if you are hungry fuel your body then. If im doing a morning workout and i feel i need something ill probably have a coffee or a banana, its really just finding out what works for your body and how it reacts to fasted training compared to eating before hand :)
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    mjmwootten wrote: »
    Its really what works for you, fasted training in the morning can be good for you it gets your body ready for the day and can help increase your weight/fat loss, if you are hungry fuel your body then. If im doing a morning workout and i feel i need something ill probably have a coffee or a banana, its really just finding out what works for your body and how it reacts to fasted training compared to eating before hand :)

    While this was once thought to be so, longer term studies have shown it to not be the case.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Ditto's to above.

    The only thing it can help do is train muscles to burn a higher % of fat sooner rather than normal later in a workout up to 60-90 min.
    That's only going to benefit endurance athletes who need to spare muscle carbs as best they can to finish a long event.
    And to that end it does work. But the day as a whole for calorie burn and fat burn - nope.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    It's neither good nor bad, it's simply "as tolerated." Some people can do it just fine, some people can't.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    I really don't think it matters much to be honest. I mean on Saturdays I do it. Though it's horrible for me. I get so hungry and thirsty. This past Saturday I grabbed a handful of almonds and ate them on the way to the gym. It helped tide me over for the hour at the gym at least. I have a hard time with my water intake though. I have the hardest time at the gym on Saturday mornings after waking up from not drinking anything for 8 hours.
  • MalcolmX1983
    MalcolmX1983 Posts: 214 Member
    superchea wrote: »
    Wake up and go to the gym on empty stomach in the morning is that a good or bad thing? I usually don't have an appetite in the am but I still manage to get in 2,000 calories a day.

    I always train on an empty stomach, be it weights, cardio or boxing.
    I perform better.
    Although I do add two scoops of bcaa to my water whilst training.

    I eat pwo.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Did a morning workout without eating first for the first time in a while (4 mile run and Crossfit). Brought a gel for in-between just in case, but it was fine so I didn't eat it. Usually I prefer to eat first, but I'm trying to run immediately after getting up again for scheduling purposes, and it was nice to see that I haven't developed any problems in doing so.

    Not a debate post, but seemed on topic with how the discussion has gone. ;-)
  • paulgads82
    paulgads82 Posts: 256 Member
    Gin on an empty stomach more fun tbh.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Generally, I wouldn't eat a big meal and then work out, but I did it last night and, what do you know, it was fine! I had an unusually long drive home due to traffic and I had to feed my son, so I made and ate dinner with him. I even had a beer (hey, it was a beautiful spring evening and we were eating grilled swordfish!). Then I did a 30 minute core and resistance-band workout that felt great. It wasn't particularly hard, but it got me sweating. I had no problem with any of it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    I work out at 11:00 am each morning then eat lunch after 1pm. I don't eat breakfast so I workout on an empty stomach everyday. And have been doing this for years.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Do you lift weights on a empty stomach ? Or doing cardio ? I love cardio on a empty stomach never tried weightlifting
    I do both. I usually do cardio first thing in the morning, then train clients, then workout myself, then eat after 12:00pm.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • mostein
    mostein Posts: 200 Member
    I almost always work out on an empty stomach. Cardio is typically easier to do, strength is sometimes a struggle. I think as long as you know your body and watch your cues you should be fine. Typically there are warning signs before someone faints. Bring a snack if this is something you are worried about.
  • crystale79
    crystale79 Posts: 7 Member
    I know that many trainers and fitness instructors don't recommend working out on an empty stomach, but it makes me nauseous if I eat before my first workout of the day. On Saturdays, I walk or do jogging intervals (8 miles). Then I have to have some type of protein before I hit the gym for Boxing and/or Zumba. If I don't eat in between, I will pass out.
  • pagey231
    pagey231 Posts: 11 Member
    Very "individual" I will sometimes do 100 + km rides on no breakfast and just water .. It depends on glycogen levels , intensity etc.. imho ;-)
  • DiIDE
    DiIDE Posts: 120 Member
    I recently watched a tv show where they tested both men and women,s fat burning, one group ate before exercising and the other did not. I was surprised to see that the men burnt more fat not eating before exercising and the women burnt more fat if they ate before exercising. Just shows that not one size fits all.
  • canary_girl
    canary_girl Posts: 366 Member
    I typically do cardio at 5 am. I do high intensity intervals and eating beforehand makes me feel sick and not able to work as hard.

    I lift m,w,f and sometimes don't eat until 9-10 am. I've been doing it for years, I'm used to it.
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
    I think you can get used to it, either way.
    I used to have to eat before morning runs, now it doesn't matter.

    I used to get GERD flairs and indigestion-feeling if running right after eating dinner. It doesn't really bother me anymore.

    That's personal experience, either, but maybe a different one. Our bodies are pretty amazing at accommodations.
  • This content has been removed.
  • KrystinaMTL
    KrystinaMTL Posts: 1,338 Member
    Nothing kills hunger better than cardio. Lots of people promote fasting morning exercise for weight loss.

    I'm sure it can be overdone...

    This.
  • I always hit the gym on an empty stomach.
    All my energy stores have been depleted overnight, fat is the only energy source left. It is great for getting cut.
  • khaleesikhaleesi
    khaleesikhaleesi Posts: 213 Member
    I do my morning cardio (granted, I'm just jogging-- no running!) on an empty stomach. But, in the evenings, when I'm doing strength training, I won't go hungry. It's a bad time.
  • Dannigreen31
    Dannigreen31 Posts: 557 Member
    I have to have at least a snack or I'll pass out aha
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited June 2016
    I always hit the gym on an empty stomach.
    All my energy stores have been depleted overnight, fat is the only energy source left. It is great for getting cut.

    Just so you know - your muscle glucose stores can NOT be put back into the blood stream for use by your brain or other organs that don't store glucose.
    So your muscles are fully loaded, or at least in a diet perhaps not totally topped off.
    But more than enough as energy source for your workout intensity.

    Your liver is probably not near depleted, unless you eat dinner early and then are very active until bedtime late helping to use those stores up - but then you'd wake with low blood sugar and brain problems - unless doing keto.

    And if fat was truly the only source of fuel left - which requires enough oxygen to burn - your body would keep you so slow and low intensity to burn only that it would be very noticable - that's "the wall" of a mis-run marathon.

    Sorry - just gotta call out myths being repeated when I see them - gotta stop the spread somehow.

    You are burning carb/fat at almost same ratio as you would any other time. Just nothing from your last meal is all.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    i ran 12 miles at ~8:20 min/mile this morning on an empty stomach, save a couple mugs of (essentially) black coffee.

    I didn't used to run/workout fasted in the mornings, but have switched to it over the past year or so and I like it much better. It makes my mornings much more efficient, and gives me more food to eat later in the day. Win-win!
This discussion has been closed.