Eating before a workout

bgonzalez_2016
bgonzalez_2016 Posts: 24 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Maybe someone can help me out. I read that fasted cardio helps increases both lipolysis and fat oxidation rates, but I also read that not eating before a workout can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue.Muscle tissue is converted to glucose which doesn't help with muscle building or losing weight. I'm confused so should I not eat before a workout?

Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Personal preference ...meal timing is only important for advanced athletes , trainees .
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    What makes you feel better. I tried fasted cardio once and -not joking- almost died. My blood sugar was so low it took hours to recover.

    I like to eat and then workout about 1 to 1 1/2 hours later.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Fasted cardio is an irrelevance for weight loss and a thing of preference for exercise. What helps you perform your exercise to the best of your capability?

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    http://weightology.net/fat-loss/fasted-cardio-an-undeserved-good-reputation.html/
  • bgonzalez_2016
    bgonzalez_2016 Posts: 24 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    http://weightology.net/fat-loss/fasted-cardio-an-undeserved-good-reputation.html/

    Thanks @Anvil_Head
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    Luna3386 wrote: »
    What makes you feel better. I tried fasted cardio once and -not joking- almost died. My blood sugar was so low it took hours to recover.

    I like to eat and then workout about 1 to 1 1/2 hours later.

    Haha and I tried non fasted cardio once and almost puked lol.
    Like others have said, it's what you prefer. Give both a try and see what you like.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Eating (much) before I work out will make me want to puke. No fun.

    Muscles are great for a lot of things, but not so much for turning into sugar - what happens for most people instead of burning muscle for energy is they run out of energy and get tired and have to dial it down a bit.
  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
    A light breakfast always helps me. I emphasize light, meaning an apple or yogurt. No cereal for me because the milk weighs me down. Nothing heavy like a breakfast sandwich either.
  • WeighandPray
    WeighandPray Posts: 42 Member
    I have done both. After a while, I really felt the lack of energy as my workouts got harder. But eating anything heavy also slowed me down. I found a nice balance with eating oatmeal. Light, quickly metabolized, and still gave me sustenance.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited May 2017
    If you are going to try fasted cardio (large calorie burn) then you probably have to try it for at least weeks if not months. I did it as I was following an intermittent fasting protocol at the time.

    At first it was awful, felt light headed and wobbly but over months I adjusted to it and it felt just the same in the end. Performance for an hour's training up to fairly high levels of intensity was fine.
    Maybe the one thing fairly certain with doing fasted cardio is that you get better at fasted cardio! :)

    The benefit to me was reduced need to feed on longish cycle rides (3 hours) as I guess I became better adapted to burning fat. But that's probably not something most people are too concerned with.

    Muscle loss isn't really a function of exercise, it's a function of an inadequate diet or excessive deficit. Muscle simply isn't a preferred exercise fuel source.
  • armchairherpetologist
    armchairherpetologist Posts: 69 Member
    It's an unusual thing for me to have eaten anything within 3 or 4 hours of a run or a ride, and sometimes it's much longer than that particularly if I run or ride first thing in the morning. That's a personal preference and one that works for me. Some people find they prefer to eat something an hour or so before they work out, because they feel more energetic or find that their own performance is better.

    There's not one right answer for everyone. It's something you work out for yourself after trying things out. The only suggestion I ever make is that trying something new isn't for the day of the big event.
    sijomial wrote: »
    The benefit to me was reduced need to feed on longish cycle rides (3 hours) as I guess I became better adapted to burning fat. But that's probably not something most people are too concerned with.

    I do up to 50 km on the bicycle without really eating anything extra. On a mountain bike, that's about 2.5 hours for me. I think beyond that I might have a gel packet or at least some electrolyte because I do sweat out a lot of salt.

    After the 50 km though? Hard root beer floats with real ice cream are delicious.
  • Spartan_Gingi
    Spartan_Gingi Posts: 194 Member
    I can do an easy 3.5 mile run on an empty stomach, no problem. However, if I'm doing the same run, and really pushing for a PR....I'll puke if I don't eat first. For me, it's the exertion that triggers it, I guess?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    I prefer exercising fasted, that include 2+ hour bike rides. If I go significantly over 2 hours, I need some energy, usually something with simple sugars. I don't feel light headed or anything like that. If I eat within a couple of hours of exercise, I feel sluggish and if I push the intensity, sick. That is me. That is not everyone. Find what works for you, and use that.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Timing doesn't matter and I agree that it's personal preference. For me, I've tried both fueling up before a workout and doing a fasted workout. I prefer a fasted workout. If I eat first, no matter what it is, it just makes me feel lethargic and heavy on my feet.
  • Sweet_Heresy
    Sweet_Heresy Posts: 411 Member
    It depends. Short cardio sessions I prefer to do fasted, especially if it's early morning cause I can't bring myself to eat before 10am.
    But for long cardio sessions (3-4 hours sometimes), then yeah, gotta eat a couple hours before that or I get weak and shakey.
  • CrystalRoseMeow
    CrystalRoseMeow Posts: 24 Member
    I do my cardio fasted (7am sharp...sometimes 630) and run 2-3 miles most mornings. Typically a "cardio" workout with the goal of fat loss should not be fueled. If you feel like you're absolutely dying on an empty stomach some whey protein is typically fine. In the case of performance based workouts (running as in training for a big race, any sort of strength training, etc) those should be fueled with both protein and carbs. Many people do well with whey (fast digesting) protein and simple carbs such as Gatorade or Lemonade 10-15 min before-during-and finished 10 or so minutes after to help with fueling their workouts. Again it's all about your goals and intensity of your workouts.
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