Why is it believed that working out on an empty stomach helps you lose weight?
Fasting training became popular thanks to the book Body for Life by Bill Phillips and Michael D’Ors. It says that 20 minutes of intense aerobic exercise on an empty stomach will help achieve visible results. According to the authors, it’s all about glycogen, the keeper of energy reserves. Its source is glucose, which is formed from carbohydrates. And it is the chains of glucose that create glycogen molecules.
Food and physical activity directly affect the amount of this substance in the body. Glycogen levels in the morning, before meals, are quite low, and therefore it is believed that accumulated fat will be used as an energy source during exercise.
The book was published in 2002, and the theory about training on an empty stomach had no evidence. Only in 2013 were the results published research scientists from Great Britain.
They found that active men had a higher rate of fat burning on an empty stomach than after eating breakfast. The subjects also did not consume additional calories and did not experience increased appetite during the day. But scientists noted that this is a short-term study and it is not yet worth drawing conclusions about long-term results.
Indeed, exercising on an empty stomach can be effective. And yet, this method of fat burning has a number of disadvantages and cannot become a universal remedy for everyone who wants to get rid of extra pounds.
Do exercise on an empty stomach have any real benefits?
Exercise to reduce body fat has become a topic research Brad Schoenfeld, published in 2011. The article presents the results of an experiment during which participants exercised on bicycles for 2 hours at varying intensities. A total of four trials were conducted: in two, they ate a high-glycemic index carbohydrate meal before exercise, and in the other two, they fasted for 12–14 hours before and during exercise.
The experiment showed that during moderate-intensity training, fat oxidation was the same – regardless of whether the subjects ate or not.
Also in 2014, the results of another research, where the subjects were women. The same theory of Bill Phillips and Michael D’Ors was taken as a basis – supposedly aerobic exercises after an overnight fast accelerate the fat burning process.
20 women were divided into two groups. All participants adhered to a hypocaloric diet. In addition, for the same amount of exercise, some trained on an empty stomach, while others ate before training. But despite this, weight loss was ultimately observed in both groups.
This means that if you follow a reasonable diet in combination with physical activity, it will not matter whether you exercise before or after meals. The main thing in this matter is to rely on your well-being.
Is there any harm in exercising on an empty stomach?
You need to look at training from a health perspective, because it is a serious stress for the body. Therefore, you should focus only on your condition. If you experience weakness, dizziness, or decreased performance, you should stop exercising, because its effectiveness will be minimal.
In addition, after a while, training on an empty stomach will no longer show results: the fat burning process will slow down due to body fatigue. Brad Schoenfeld sums up his research notes that those who are training to build muscle mass should avoid exercising on an empty stomach. Because protein is included in the process, which stops working for muscle growth and restoration.
It’s worth it for burning fat use high-intensity interval training strategy. This is alternating work at maximum intensity with periods of rest or quiet movement. Such workouts lead to greater calorie consumption and fat breakdown. True, if you exercise on an empty stomach, you can significantly reduce productivity.
Exercising on an empty stomach cannot cause any specific harm to health. And if they do not affect your well-being in any way, then there are no other contraindications. But before classes, it is better to consult with specialists. After all, in pursuit of the desired forms, it is important not to harm yourself.
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