Effects of Exercising on an Empty Stomach
Breakfast may not be as important as you might think
We’ve all been told that you should have a nutritious snack 30 minutes to 3 hours before a workout, but with the popularization of fasting diets such as the 16;4, 20;4, or the 12;12 those ideals are changing. When it comes to this topic, not all medical professionals agree. The research shows that there are both pros and cons to exercising while fasted. So what’s best? Working out fasted or in a feed state?
Fat reduction
When working out in a fasted state one study states, “ Exercise in fasted compared to fed states. Aerobic exercise performed in the fasted state induces higher fat oxidation than exercise performed in the fed state.” Fat oxidation is the conversion of fat into fuel for the body. Exercising on an empty stomach gives your body a chance to tap into those fat stores, thus leading to weight loss.
Insulin
When you eat insulin is released from the pancreas to allow nutrients into the cell. If one eats frequently the insulin that the body produces can become resistant, causing insulin resistance. These can result in diabetes because of a lack of production of insulin. One of the important aspects of fasting is it improves how sensitive insulin is to the body because you aren’t eating as frequently resulting in more nutrition being absorbed into the body.
Improved weight
The main reason most individuals get into IF or just fast before their workout is to lose weight. In order to lose weight, you have to be in deficit. Routines like these help reduce the number of calories you are consuming on a daily basis aiding in weight loss.
Disadvantages of Fasted workout
Decrease in performance
When you exercise fasted you deplete glucagon stores. If you don’t have enough energy in the tank your workouts may suffer.
Fasting for cardio/weights
It’s best to fast for cardio and have some type of meal before or after a weight training session because your muscles need that protein in order to repair themselves so that they can grow stronger.
Increase in cortisol
When you work out you are putting stress on your body upping your cortisol levels, this is because working out is perceived by the body as a threat. Fasting while working out also causes cortisol levels to increase. The combination of the two can cause high periods of cortisol and lead to fat storage rather than fat burn.
My thoughts
All in all it all comes down to what works best for you. If you find that training on empty stomach (whether it be cardio or weightlifting) provides you with more energy and is just overall beneficial than fast, but if you like to train in the fed state then do that instead. There’s no wrong answer, you can achieve the same results no matter what you choose.
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