Harder to workout on a fast, normal??

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CrabbyCancerMama
CrabbyCancerMama Posts: 95 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
trying to change up.my routine so I'm on day 2 of the 16:8 but it's so hard to workout on an empty stomach.Any tips? I drink bcaa while I workout and take my morning energy drink

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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Some people just can't workout fasted. I know I can't.. It's one of many reasons why I dropped 16:8.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Sometimes it takes a little time to adjust. Sometimes it just isn't for a particular person. Can you shift your window or workout?
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
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    Give it a little bit of time and see what happens. I am the total opposite and only work out fasted (first thing in the morning I'm either out for a run or in the gym lifting heavy stuff). Working out after eating makes me feel queasy to say the least but everyone is different.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I don't know if it's 'normal' or not, but it doesn't seem to be too unusual. I never had a problem with it, but I was doing long, low intensity work and I worked into it.

    Are you doing moderate to high intensity? Maybe try low intensity and see how that goes. If it doesn't work for you, then I'd stop trying to workout fasted. If it does, perhaps you'll be able to work up to the intensity you're doing now.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I can't workout if I haven't eaten within an hour prior. I'll eat a protein bar on my walk to the gym if I have to or I won't get a good quality workout.
  • nrbutton
    nrbutton Posts: 165 Member
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    I can't workout after eating at all. My best workouts are after an overnight fast 8-12 hours especially cardio. If I'm doing heavy weight lifting I'll drink 6 ounce protein shake an hour or more beforehand
  • curlsintherack
    curlsintherack Posts: 465 Member
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    I can and usually do work out fasted. I can run about 9 miles without food in my stomach now with no trouble. I lift heavy things also without a lot of trouble but I've found that my pace for runs is slightly quicker and I can bang out an extra rep or 2 with some sort of food in my stomach.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    CrabbyCancerMama wrote: »
    trying to change up.my routine so I'm on day 2 of the 16:8 but it's so hard to workout on an empty stomach.Any tips? I drink bcaa while I workout and take my morning energy drink

    I'll do up to 10 miles fasted, more than that I need to fuel.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I'm one of those special snowflakes that will feel like death if I try to workout without a decent sized meal first. It's a thing. You will never catch me fasting unless I'm asleep.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    I don't know what 16:8 is but I prefer to train fasted but due to having to be at work all day that doesn't make sense. You really should respect what your body is telling you and eat something if you feel like crap fasted; or not if it's the other way around.
  • ent3rsandman
    ent3rsandman Posts: 170 Member
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    Yeah, I think everyone's different. I personally do cardio better when I've fasted.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,952 Member
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    I don't like being too hungry or too full when working out. I usually find an apple 45 mins before I workout can give me a boost of energy.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I would not be able to do anything active after 16 hours with no food. I likely would just be talking gibberish at that point. IF is definitely not a good match for me :)

    If I'm going to run 3 miles or less or do only upper body lifting, I can do it first thing without eating. That means I likely ate something around 8:30 the previous evening and am lifting at 5:30 a.m. If I'm doing full or lower body lifting, I eat my full breakfast, which is about 600 calories, beforehand.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Shorter runs are fine for me fasted, anything else I wait until after I'm hungry enough for breakfast, whenever that comes. But the again, I have a very flexible work schedule where I get to do my work whenever I want as long as I get it done and not everyone has that flexibility.

    If you really want to stick with IF, try moving your fasting window to end at a later hour and carb up a bit for dinner. Or maybe move your workout to the evening? If you can't do either, give it some time. Some people gradually get used to it. If nothing works consider the possibility that IF might not be for you.
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 356 Member
    edited April 2017
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    CrabbyCancerMama wrote: »
    trying to change up.my routine so I'm on day 2 of the 16:8 but it's so hard to workout on an empty stomach.Any tips? I drink bcaa while I workout and take my morning energy drink

    4 out of my 6 workout days, I workout fasted. I drink BCAAs with my workouts and then just drink my protein smoothie afterwards. However, I workout at 530am. When I workout at 9am on the weekends, I eat before hand. Honestly, if you feel queezy working out on an empty stomach, change your routine or times you're working out. Everyone is different.
  • CrabbyCancerMama
    CrabbyCancerMama Posts: 95 Member
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    I am up around 7am get to the gym at 1030 leave at 1230. I lift for an hour and do.like 45min cardio. I'm gonna give it a few more tries. I've lost 91lbs and really trying to get to the 100lb goal soon so I'm trying to switch up my routine. thanks for all the input

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