Anyone care for Dr.Oz's take on exercise research?

livnlite
livnlite Posts: 520
edited October 2 in Fitness and Exercise
I watched the Dr Oz show last week, and he really got my attention.

He said that studies have show that exercising first thing in the morning (before breakfast) is the best time to burn calories. He illustrated with 2 hot skillets on a hotplate. In one skillet he put in a slab of butter .. As soon as the butter came in contact with the hot surface, it started to melt. Then the other pan he put in a piece of bread first, then the slab of butter on top of it. The theory is .. the bread acts like a buffer so the butter takes longer to melt. Likewise, when you exercise before you eat, you burn fat stores.

I always had the impression, that it is NOT good to exercise before you eat. So what is it supposed to be???? Any comments?

Replies

  • demery12371
    demery12371 Posts: 253 Member
    I find that when I work out first thing in the am before my breakfast and right after I wake up and stretch I feel much better throughout the day, have more energy and am not as hungry throughout the day as I am if I work out at other times in the day. Now that is just me and everyone is different. :)

    oh and I am not much of a morning person but this seems to be helping with that too... :)
  • jcbernahl
    jcbernahl Posts: 61 Member
    I don't watch the show but my personal feeling is any exercise is better than none at all. I exercise after work because I am at work at 6 AM and I don't want to get up any earlier than what I already do. Just my opinion.
  • Michelle9939
    Michelle9939 Posts: 291
    What works for one person might not work for another. Just find what works for you and stick with it. I have to eat before I work out.
  • IamJustSanie
    IamJustSanie Posts: 93 Member
    If I workout before eating I will pass out.
  • lambchop1042
    lambchop1042 Posts: 102 Member
    I don't know about the science behind it, but I tried this myself and did not have good results. I felt light-headed, weak, and nauseous. I would not recommend exercising before eating anything in the morning. Maybe eat something small, wait 30 min to 1 hour and then exercise?
  • ecmcnamee
    ecmcnamee Posts: 317 Member
    I exercise almost every morning before I eat ... I have also done it at night after I've finished eating for the day. Honestly, I've never noticed a difference in the calorie burn. I just exercise in the a.m. now because it's more convenient. I've read a lot about this over the years and I think it just depends on the point of view of who's writing the article. Interesting though.
  • jessbennett1986
    jessbennett1986 Posts: 243
    well it makes sense but I know if I run on an empty stomach I get really hungry and light headed. I also don't think that I am doing the best on my runs on an empty stomach. That's why I run in the evening when my fuel stores are full. I guess it's really just a preference.
  • hoosiermama1977
    hoosiermama1977 Posts: 43
    I think it's what works for you. For me no way can I really work out before eating. I will vomit. I've tried. lol. I could do some light stretching maybe a short walk but it'd be wimpy. Working out in the a.m. is nice that you get it done and things can't come up to mess it up during the day but I think the best time to work out is what works for you. When I try to work out early I'd have to get up before 5 a.m....then my alarm wakes up my 4 year old..which means not only can I NOT work out but I also have a crabby 4 year old. I'll stick with my later in the day workout rather then that :)
  • Tereztaylor07
    Tereztaylor07 Posts: 200
    The actual results of the study proved that working out before eating burned more fat, but the actual amount was minimal compared to working out after eating. Like stated before, any working out is better than none, so do it when you can.
  • Dtrmnd86
    Dtrmnd86 Posts: 406 Member
    I was definitely losing more weight and quicker when I was working out first thing in the am... I really need to get back into the habit. I was also looking slimmer then just losing by eating less calories. I totally agree with him, although I know it is different for some people and if you can't workout in the am, working out when you can is what matters the most. It shouldn't discourage people from exercising just because they can't do it that way.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I don't think our bodies actually work like pans, bread or butter. This sounds like a bunch of showmanship and shenanigans to me. I exercise first thing in the morning (before I eat) on occasion, but I'm usually an afternoon exerciser. I generally have more energy and endurance in the afternoon, and I think that has to be a factor.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    I see how it would work for some people, but personally if I don't eat a little something before I go for a run I will be slower, it will take longer for me to recover from a run and I will feel sick. I don't eat a full breakfast, but I eat maybe a rice cake with pb on it or a banana before I go.
  • ycc1964
    ycc1964 Posts: 698 Member
    I like working out on an empty stomach, however I have an early day at work or if time does not permit I will workout in the evening after my husband goes to bed.
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    well... I'm sure Dr Oz is very well informed however, I do not think an MD is a fitness trainer. Lots of professionals LIKE to pretend they KNOW everything - they do not. BUT IF you say it with authority, many ppl will accept it as fact.
    A human body is NOT an iron griddle. Most athletes & trainers will tell you ANY exercise ANY time of day is effective. You're right, it is NOT good to push your body when you are hungry, tired etc. I drink a lo cal smoothie before I work out. This is what I do, first thing, I get up grab a smoothie & walk my dogs. When we get back, I drink water while I put on my gym shoes and I'm ready. After the w/o, I drink more water before & after my shower. I've had 16-20 oz of water & a 6 oz low cal smoothie before I get to work. (fortunately, I can eat breakfast at my desk, pretty lax here & I get here before the boss anyway) so around 8:30 I have my breakfast & coffee and eventually, my legs stop quivering
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
    I realize some people prefer to exercise before they eat because it's a personal preference .. what I am asking is .. IS it better for th body?

    I have always had the understanding when the body requires fuel .. it will look for calories where they the easiest to obtain, which normally is new calories from newly eaten food. If it is not sufficient, then it will delve into fat storage (which is what we'd like to see) .. problem is that process may be hampered because the brain has already triggered starvation mode. So fat storage is not the necessarily the 'easiest' source of fuel .. organs and muscle tissue are.

    Have I got this right?

    I don't think Doc Oz is suggesting that the body is a hot frying pan .. I think the skillet and butter were meant as an illustration of how to directly melt fat as opposed to delaying it.
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/399834-is-it-better-to-eat-before-or-after-a-workout-to-lose-weight/

    Feed the machine!
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
    Good Link! Thanks ...
    Overview
    Food gives you energy to exercise and food also helps repair your muscles. So it makes sense to eat before and after a workout to gain the most from your routine and accelerate weight loss. The type of food you eat before you hit the gym or after you complete a run will make a difference in your weight loss efforts.

    Morning Workout
    If you like to exercise in the morning, your pre-workout meal plan begins the night before. Include a lot of complex carbohydrates -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains -- in your evening meal. An hour before you work out, eat a light snack. Your choice depends somewhat on your tolerance -- some people get queasy exercising after eating dry toast -- but should include carbohydrates. Good choices include a glass of juice or a banana. You could also try toast with peanut butter or some dried fruit and nuts. After your workout, eat a breakfast that includes a mix of protein such as a bagel with peanut butter or a smoothie that includes fruit and low-fat milk.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/399834-is-it-better-to-eat-before-or-after-a-workout-to-lose-weight/#ixzz1XDqOY0CF

    So now .. WHO DO WE BELIEVE????
  • tigeratty
    tigeratty Posts: 75 Member
    I don't think it matters that much when you exercise. The best time to exercise is the time you will do it regularly. I can't exercise on an empty stomach. My blood sugar crashes during the workout as it is. The best reason to exercise first thing in the am is to get it out of the way before you make excuses.

    I prefer to exercise after work and always have.

    To me, Dr. Oz is more of a tv personality than someone's advice I'd listen to. I'm sure some of it is valuable, but he's made such an industry of himself that it's hard to respect him.

    I did notice that my local grocery store now has a store brand equivalent of the Trader Joe's oatmeal he recommends (I've been eating it for years). So there's something.

    Shari
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
    TV personality .. yes, he certainly is that .. But, he is also a doctor. A good one? .. I don't know. In all honesty, he's probably a better one than the one I have .. Now HE is quack doctor if I've ever seen one! LOL

    All these TV personalities seem to back up their claims with clinical studies and scientific research. They often mention their source of information when they talk about any subject... so it always sounds like it could be true and logical.

    I am getting sooo tired of hearing or reading about what to or what not to do, and how to or how not to do it in the fitness world because it changes every time I turn around.

    So many things don't work for me because I am over 50. My body has changed and how it reacts to diet and exercise has changed. Techniques have changed, products have changed, ideals have changed .. It seems quite hopeless at times,.

    The only thing that keeps me going pretty much is how I feel when I watch what I eat and if I increase my physical acitivity. I sleep better .. I feel better .. I can tolerate better .. I can concentrate better .. I can do a lot of things better... krikey .. It even improves my memory! Will I ever fit back into my "skinny" jeans .. I doubt it .. But, at this point ... Getting through the day without feeling like a big ol pile'o poo works for me.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
    I think the thing is what matters is what you do the rest of the day. Whether or not you eat prior to exercising would have a negligible effect compared to what your energy balance was at the end of the day ie over or under calories.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    I'm surprised Dr. Oz has such a following. Of course, he was conjured by The Oprah...
  • carmenstop1
    carmenstop1 Posts: 210 Member
    I usually get up and eat an hour before I work out, but the other day I had to leave my house at an ungodly early hour, so I jumped out of bed and went down to my treadmill. I almost passed out about 15 minutes into my run and I had to get off the treadmill twice and sit down until the spots that were clouding my vision cleared! So for me...I will continue to eat before I work out! I dont like the idea of passing out on the treadmill!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Some people do it that way...great for them. Others don't...great for them. The point is, we should stop trying to micromanage everything and just get off the couch and exercise. Who gives a crap WHEN we do it, as long as we just DO IT?

    I personally hate the idea of fasted workouts because I lift heavy weights. Without food for fuel in my body, I lift less with less intensity, am prone to dizzyness and headaches, and I quit early. When I do fasted cardio, I feel nauseous. I've also heard that there is a risk of breaking down protein and muscle tissue doing fasted cardio instead of going directly to fat stores for fuel. I definitely don't want that!

    But once again, as long as you get your workout in with no ill effects, I don't think when during the day makes nearly enough difference as long as we are consistently doing it.
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