Classic sports medicine adheres to clear recommendations when it comes to nutrition: you need to eat before training. Ideally, within two hours. However, there is a popular theory online that working out in the morning before breakfast can be effective if your goal is to lose weight. Let's figure out whether it's possible to train on an empty stomach.
Short answer : We don't know for sure. Some studies do suggest that morning cardio on an empty stomach may be effective. However, the side effects of such training have not yet been studied.
Who even came up with this idea - training on an empty stomach?
The idea that exercising on an empty stomach helps you lose weight faster became popular after a group of American scientists came to this conclusion in 2016. Their study of 12 men found that those who did not eat breakfast before exercising burned more body fat.
Whether the results of this study can be trusted is a big question. Critics rightly pointed out that the study involved too few people and did not study the long-term effects of such training. And besides, similar experiments were carried out before and their results did not allow such obvious conclusions to be drawn. For example, in 2014, a similar study was conducted among 20 women - then no significant differences could be identified in the groups that trained before and after breakfast.
What workouts can you do on an empty stomach?
The general rule is this: it is acceptable to do endurance exercise on an empty stomach. “If you do strength training, then training on an empty stomach is not suitable for you, since low glycogen levels do not stimulate muscle growth. Therefore, training on an empty stomach is not recommended in sports that require strength rather than endurance,” adds Yesenia Kalyuzhina.
It is advisable that such training be low-intensity. “If you still decide to try to go to training hungry, then choose low-intensity classes. But before that, be sure to consult with your doctor, as you may not know about contraindications for such training and harm yourself,” explains Yesenia Kalyuzhina.
For example, on an empty stomach it is good to do light yoga, Nordic walking (provided that the lesson lasts no more than an hour), running or aerobics at a medium pace (up to 45 minutes). Haven't you trained like this before? Start with short sessions. “Listen to your body, start gradually with 15-20-minute walks, exercises or jogging and watch how your body reacts,” says Yesenia Kalyuzhina.
For some disciplines - for example, bodyflex - exercise on an empty stomach is one of the conditions for successful weight loss. However, if used incorrectly, fasted training can be harmful to your health.
Early in the morning I don't feel like eating at all. Can I go for a run before breakfast?
Most likely, you will not harm yourself, but only if the run is short and easy. In any case, remember that in order to provide the body with a sufficient supply of energy, it is not necessary to immediately eat a full breakfast. Sometimes a cup of coffee is enough.
Since there is no reliable data on the benefits of training on an empty stomach, another principle comes into play - do no harm. The main danger of training is that under stress, an unprepared body can begin to use protein as an energy source. As a result, your body will lack the material to repair muscle tissue. Another danger is low blood sugar levels due to lack of carbohydrates, which can lead to dizziness, nausea or tremors.
It's also important to remember that even if your body uses fat as an energy source, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to reduce your overall body fat percentage or burn more calories as a result. The body may adapt to constantly using fat reserves for energy and will begin to store more fat than usual.
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What's the result?
You need to listen to your own feelings. For example, if you feel tired or dizzy after a run, it is better to avoid this practice.
In any case, most trainers agree that even before an early morning run, it makes sense to support the body's energy reserves - with amino acids, a small portion of whey protein, or even a cup of coffee with sugar. Easily digestible sources of energy will help you achieve a more effective workout, increase endurance and help avoid side effects.
As for strength training, the effectiveness here directly depends on the balance of the athlete’s diet. In exceptional cases, if there is no time left for a full meal, it should be replaced with a snack: at least half an hour before training, you can eat an energy bar, some peanut butter or dried fruit. But you definitely shouldn’t go to the gym hungry.
Release of hormones
The body releases hormones at different times throughout the day, so it makes sense to adjust your workout.
The stress hormone cortisol is produced abundantly in the morning, and decreases in the evening. Morning exercise is considered a way to increase cortisol, which improves wakefulness.
In addition to cortisol, exercise also affects testosterone.
For men, it is important in terms of energy and muscle hypertrophy. The higher its concentration, the better. And in the morning the level of this hormone is 1/3 higher than at other times of the day.
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Improved concentration
Very often during training a person is not concentrated. For example, he spends too long on the phone or is distracted by conversations with others.
It has been proven that lack of focus in a lesson reduces the effect of it.
If possible, it is better to turn off your phone or not take it with you, leaving it in the locker room. Morning time is suitable for this. Agree, the likelihood of receiving notifications during this period is lower, and calls at 7:00 are also quite rare.
This will help you focus exclusively on physical activity, and no one will interfere with this.
A cheerful start to the day
How you start your day is how you will spend it. This truth has been tested over the years. A bright morning, charged with good health and positive emotions, spent in an active training mode, will allow you to be in harmony with yourself and others all day.
The charge of vivacity is enough for work achievements and family, you can generously share it with friends. Regular morning sports activities will allow you to maintain flexibility and agility, fit and slim for many years.
How to decide on a regime?
For professional athletes, this issue is resolved simply, because training is work for them. But what about amateurs? We all depend on external factors, so we choose the time for exercise depending on the availability of free time, despite the difference in opinions about the usefulness and harmfulness of morning and evening workouts.
Our biorhythms also influence scheduling. It’s hard to enjoy the morning process if you’re a night owl and really want to sleep. But for a “lark”, training in the early hours of the day is just the thing! Therefore, you should not exclude positive emotions from the components of the desired result.
The need to adapt to others by working out at an uncomfortable time of day for the body reduces motivation. An important point in determining the regime is a clear definition of what goals a person sets for himself.
If you really want to adjust your weight, which is important for most of the population, then, of course, it is better to choose the morning hours. There is no clear opinion on the priority of morning or evening training, both among coaches and athletes, and among doctors. Who and when is best to train is decided individually, based on taking into account all the pros and cons.
When is it still worth doing?
The answer is obvious: you need to study when it is convenient for you!
Each type of training has its own advantages, and their disadvantages can be combated. If it is more convenient for you to wake up early in the morning, choose morning classes, just do not forget to warm up well before training so as not to injure your muscles and ligaments.
If you can barely get up for work in the morning, then choose evening classes. And to avoid problems with sleep, practice contrast showers, listening to your favorite calm music before bed, and aromatherapy.
And always remember about a healthy, balanced diet and proper rest! Love yourself, play sports, lead an active lifestyle, and the best fitness club in Pushkino will help you. We have the best specialists who are ready to create the right training program in the gym and a healthy diet.
