Do you exercise on empty stomach?

13

Replies

  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    I've trained both fasted and fed and I enjoy both.

    There's nothing inherently wrong with either. I'd go with whichever one provides you better performance.

    ^^ This
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Experiment to find out what works for you.

    I find that eating something that has some complex carbs and lean proteins an hour or so before exercise is my ideal. I feel energetic without feeling the food in my belly. If I go on a completely empty stomach I feel tired and my workout intensity isn't what it could be.

    If I eat anything more than, say, half a turkey and cheese wrap about an hour beforehand I get a little sick to my stomach.

    On either side of optimal, I can still work out, but I can't do a good 45-minute 150-heartrate cardio burn, which is my favorite way to work out.

    But that's me. I've seen people snarf huge plates of pasta just before starting a 10K, and I've known people who won't eat anything 12 hours before running the same 10K, and both completed it. Pay close attention to what your body is trying to tell you, and experiment until you've learned what works.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    I am up and at the gym at 6, I do cardio in the am on an empty stomach - I usually eat around 8 am... I have never had a problem.
  • sk2775
    sk2775 Posts: 699 Member
    I usually wake up, have a cup of water and do my workout (around 7:15 am). Then I have my breakfast. In the weekend, as I wake a bit later, my workout starts a bit later (11:00 am) or so and the last couple of weekends, I am finding it a bit more tiring throughout my workout. So, may have a tiny snack if my workout is going to be later.
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
    I always eat something before working out, BUT, I wait an hour or so, or I'd probably be sick.

    Just a thought: If your a person that does their workout in the morning, after not eating so many hours (while at rest),
    how can you expect your body to function well without fuel?
  • laurcampbell
    laurcampbell Posts: 54 Member
    There has been a fair bit of controversy over the benefits of exercising in a fasted state. Some claim you burn more fat some don't.

    For me it's a matter of comfort. I like to run in the morning. If I ate before I ran I'd have to get up a couple of hours earlier as I hate running with a full stomach. Having said that for my Sunday long runs I do eat before running as the runs vary between 1.5 and 2 hrs.

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/does-exercising-on-an-empty-stomach-burn-more-fat/#

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/exercise/fitness-research/why-exercising-on-an-empty-stomach-can-mean-a-better-workout/article2021546/

    I do the same - I run at 5am during the week on an empty stomach but on the weekends when I do my long runs I get up early to eat so that I can have time to digest and still be on the road by 8ish. Only twice have I had an issue working out on an empty stomach and both were afternoon strength workouts with a trainer that I was planning to do and then eat lunch and almost passed out both time, needless to say I have never done that again haa - otherwise I have never had a problem!
  • Sister_Someone
    Sister_Someone Posts: 567 Member
    I always exercise on an empty stomach, otherwise I get sick.
  • patricknsmith
    patricknsmith Posts: 261 Member
    I typically work out in a fasted state. I'll make a BCAA drink but that's it. I find my workouts are more effective when done in a fasted state.
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
    I don't know what the difference is health wise, but I personally cannot work out without eating something first. I am prone to passing out, etc, so I need that fuel before a workout.
  • holmevik
    holmevik Posts: 33
    I normally run early in the morning, and I don't eat before I run. A few times when I did I ran really poorly. On long runs of an hour and a half or more I take water and sometimes a gel.
  • tracyface399
    tracyface399 Posts: 83 Member
    For me, I think I feel better when I do work out on an empty stomach. My routine changed this week and I couldn't do anything until after dinner... i still did, but I hated eveny minute of it! I usually work out after work, but before dinner. On the weekends I work out in the AM, but still before breakfast.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    From everything I've read, it really doesn't matter if you workout before or after you eat in terms of how much fat you burn.

    I agree, with one exception - if the timing of your eating is affecting the intensity of your workout, it will affect how many calories you burn.

    If you eat just before exercise and you're the type of person who feels sick-full when you do that, you won't be able to work out as long or as hard. Conversely, if you haven't eaten in a while and start feeling tired, faint, or dizzy, your intensity will suffer (and if you pass out the resulting injury might put a real crimp in your exercise regimen).

    But if your body can tolerate a nice workout right after a meal, or after a fast, doing what works for you is always best. :)
  • cindydeese
    cindydeese Posts: 1 Member
    Depends on the person, I get sick when I work out after I eaten. If you need to eat, eat a snack not a meal. Good Luck !!
  • Tay617
    Tay617 Posts: 70 Member
    Its hard for me to excercise on a full stomach , I usually try to excercise in the morning, so I work out the eat breakfast , I also seen Dr. Oz when he suggested it was best to work out on an empty stomach, but I also think that if you are feeling "out of it" try a ceral bar or some type of fruit or veggie smothie or a v8 "yuck" so that why you ae not concentrating on hunger, and you can push through your work out unitl......BREAKFAST !!!

    :smooched: :heart:
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    I believe this is different for everyone but you should rely on how you feel. If you find that you get weak during a workout without eating then EAT!

    Personally, when I workout in the AM I do NOT eat/drink anything (I start drinking water DURING my workout). I'm not usually tired or feel faint either.

    This morning (and this happens every once in a blue moon) I was feeling extra groggy so I drank a glass of orange juice and then went to workout.

    I don't think it really matters when you eat around a workout because there are people that workout on an empty stomach in the morning that lose the same amount of weight as people that workout late late at night after eating all day!
  • shannypoo21
    shannypoo21 Posts: 329 Member
    On Tues & Thu I wake up at 5am to run so I don't eat on those two mornings before my workout cause I really don't have time. It really hasn't affected me in a bad way. But on Saturdays when I run for 4+ miles I usually eat something really light i.e. toast or a banana
  • candyrayne215
    candyrayne215 Posts: 47 Member
    First question......Why are you taking fat burners? Second question.....What is your definition of a workout? If you are going for a 30 min run or silimar than do whatever works for you. If you are lifting heavy or doing very high intensity cardio for a prolonged period of time I would strongly suggest eating something first.

    Thanks for the replies so far, very insightful.

    im taking fat burners for help with burning fat, this website seems to be anti supplements though.
    i do HIIT cardio and moderate lifting 30-60 min a day

    so from what im reading, something light, a piece of fruit, packet of oatmeal etc would be helpful but not eating isnt detrimental either.
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    I've learned the hard way that I CANNOT work out less than two hours after eating. Well, technically, I can, but if you max out like you should during a workout you'll probably start tasting your last meal a few times. For light exercise, it should be okay to eat on a completely empty stomach, but for hard workouts, I recommend neither eating immediately before nor exercising with a completely empty stomach.
  • dynamojones
    dynamojones Posts: 52
    I get maybe an 1 hour to 30 min before my workout. Usually a banana or a bar. If I don't eat, I usually don't have the energy to push through my runs.
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
    I exercise on my feet, my back and sometimes my knees. Very rarely do I exercise on my stomach, regardless of whether or not it is full ...
  • rissasgunnadoit
    rissasgunnadoit Posts: 89
    i think its different for everyone, some people need to hydrate and have something to burn to work out.....my own personal thing is always on an empty stomach besides my little cup of coffee, i get cramps very easy in my stomach so if i eat i get cramps and feel sloshy and dont finish my workout
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Just a thought: If your a person that does their workout in the morning, after not eating so many hours (while at rest),
    how can you expect your body to function well without fuel?

    Because it still has fuel. You don't run out as soon as you stop eating.

    Three days a week I get up in the morning and do resistance training after the last thing I ate being no later than 8:00PM. I feel great and push hard. Sunday morning I ran 9 miles after having fasted for 12 hours. It was awesome. At 11:30 this morning I ran 5 miles. I had not eaten since 8:00 last night. I beat my previous 5 mile time by 50 seconds. I eat a pretty good amount of food between noon and 8:00 PM.

    Everybody's stuff works differently. Find what works for you.
  • coopersmom2006
    coopersmom2006 Posts: 839
    Depends on the workout. If I'm going to the gym for some cardio (usually 40 minutes- 1 hour spent there) then I don't eat. I get up at 5-515 am so I'm not eating that early PLUS it makes me feel queasy to eat so close to working out. If I'm going on a long run (10 miles and up) I will eat a piece of toast with some peanut butter about 45 minutes before I head out (usually around 630am) plus I take honey stinger chews with me to eat along the way should I start to feel run down. So far so good.
  • batistanorberto
    batistanorberto Posts: 1
    i wake up at 6am in the morning do my insanity workout than like around noon ill have my lunch then at 5pm ill have dinner and thats it drink plenty of water after that so far im liking it
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
    Dr. Oz says to workout before you eat. For a while I thought I got queasy if I didn't eat first. I've figured out that I only get queasy if I don't drink water and get hydrated before I exercise.

    Well if Dr. Oz says it, it MUST be true.

    And if you don't agree then it must be false?

    Sleeping for 8 hours makes your body fast for the same amount of time. Given the fact that you will be carbohydrate and glycogen depleted after your body using the reserves for trivial things such as staying alive you need to replenish this as soon as possible.

    Now, exercise in this state will burn fat? Probably but what about catabolism? Fat is not immediately accessed when exercising, the process can take up to ten, fifteen minutes to start tapping into the really good stuff. So, what will be the alternative?

    Muscle.

    I'm pretty sure that muscle loss isn't the purporse of exercise where fat loss may be the priority. If not, why are you bothering to diet and eat correctly? Loss of muscle will also restrict calories used during exercise as if there is less muscle, less energy requirement from calories which means you burn less.

    So, if you want to start undoing all your hard work and effort then my all means fasted cardio is ideal. For those who want to replenish your body, eat carbs and an instant protein source that will be absorbed quickly. No one is talking three course meal but try running your car on an empty tank and see how far you get.

    Summary, you'll destroy your hard work with fasted cardio. Anyone attempting to gain or at least preserve muscle knows this and will eat before exercise, regardless of the time of day. When you awake, it is slightly important to replenish your body but most on here do what they like then post in the motivation forums that the diet and exercise isn't working. Save yourself the trouble of another post for no reason and eat something before exercise.
  • Tat2dDom624
    Tat2dDom624 Posts: 1,226 Member
    If i don't have the energy to workout in the morning (like today), i'll grab a banana to give me the boost i need. Other than that, it's just water.
  • BriaMc
    BriaMc Posts: 177 Member
    If i workout in the AM i do not eat, if i work out in the afternoon i wait at least 2hrs after eating lunch/any food. :)
  • HannahsReturnToFitness
    HannahsReturnToFitness Posts: 86 Member
    I do my exercise early in the morning. I swim a lot for my exercise. It is recommended that you do not swim for at least one hour after eating and I draw the line at getting up in the dark to eat breakfast! I also find it easier to exercise on an empty stomach. If I ate before swimming I would only be hungry by the time I got back anyway!

    If I exercise in the evening then I have already eaten but allow 1-2 hours after food before I exercise.
  • mlewon
    mlewon Posts: 343 Member
    Yup!

    Whenever I workout in the morning I always eat when I come back, not before.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    been training fasted for several months now, and have had no ill affects...

    people that think they are getting fuel from a small meal an hour prior to working out are mistaken... that pre workout meal will actually be "fueling" you post workout, not during...

    increased GH production during fasted state is just one benefit, and the use of stored energy (fat) is another... fasted training is ideal when trying to lose bodyfat...

    so is passing out? :drinker:

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