Running on an empty stomach. Does it make sense to do cardio on an empty stomach? Disadvantages of training on an empty stomach

Weight loss running is full of different questions and the same different answers. Is it good to workout in the morning on an empty stomach?

"Is it possible or not?" - asks an impatient reader who does not have the ability or desire to have breakfast in the morning and wait another hour before training. Yes, you can. In some cases it is even necessary. However, in some cases it is not necessary and, moreover, not even possible.

What to do, our body is incredibly complex and we still do not know everything about the processes taking place in it. But some facts have already been established and with a high degree of probability it can be argued that they are true and will remain unchanged.

First of all, I'll tell you about who is better do not exercise on an empty stomach. These are people with a predisposition to diabetes or any disorders in the digestive system. And in general, with any malfunctions in the body. It is best to first see an appropriate specialist. It is desirable for an advanced person who has at least something to do with sports medicine.

Running on an empty stomach for weight loss

The first question about running or cardio training on an empty stomach is asked by people who have a very specific and understandable goal -. This is logical. After all, the popular idea of ​​the body's energy supply system looks like this: "by the morning the supply of carbohydrates has dried up and we will burn fat."

Everything is so, but not so. First, you haven't been fasting for several days in a row. You probably had lunch and dinner yesterday.

The body is more cunning than many people think. Therefore, he has a supply of carbohydrates, and a good one. It is in store for different occasions: in case of explosive physical activity (for example, in case of danger), to provide energy to the internal organs. And also for a backup supply of glucose to the main consumer of energy - the brain.

However, by running out to workout on an empty stomach, you can be sure that fat consumption will be higher than if you had breakfast. And not just higher, but even up to 20% higher. But this does not mean that you will begin to lose weight faster..

What is wrong here? The fact is that, despite the differing opinions of researchers about the benefits or harms of running on an empty stomach, the main result was the same for everyone. Long term the amount of fat is not reduced.

Moreover, speaking of the long term, we mean both months and several days. Sometimes even 24 hours. Of course, provided that the total number of calories did not change in any way... And this data is provided by several reputable sources including European Institute of Applied Physiology and International Institute for Sports Research.

And this seems to be much more logical than the unknown where fat has disappeared. However, the first law of thermodynamics can tell us the same thing.

Brief conclusion: you can get rid of fat and lose weight only by reducing the total calorie intake... That is, consume less than spend. Jogging or cardio in the morning on an empty stomach is effective for burning fat. But they are unstable and there is no particular sense in using them for this purpose.

For muscle mass

Unlike fat, which is not a problem for the body to replenish, it is somewhat more difficult to build muscle mass. For this case, training on an empty stomach can be a good thing.

This is because, not burdened with digestion and assimilation of food, the body can deliver more oxygen to the muscles with blood. However, given the low glycogen content, it is important that amino acids are not consumed. That is, muscles if there is little adipose tissue in the body.

Some researchers have unearthed a couple more trump cards in favor of fasting workouts for bodybuilders. This is a cascade of beneficial hormonal changes and the production of growth hormone. However, these studies are still isolated and there is still no serious evidence.

Running and cycling

In cyclic sports, where endurance is critical, training on an empty stomach is used to train the body to make optimal use of its energy resources and improve performance. VO2 Max(assimilation of oxygen from the air).

For example, as the magazine wrote Strength and Conditioning Research, the inclusion of the "fasting regime" in the training process, allowed cyclists to increase PWR- the ratio of power to weight without loss of endurance.

Other studies

Perhaps most important is the assumption that hunger training promotes increased insulin sensitivity... It is an anabolic hormone that is released when food is ingested. At the same time, a decrease in insulin sensitivity can cause unpleasant sores, including heart disease.

The only problem is that this effect will be canceled out if a series of continuous snacks is followed after a hunger workout throughout the day.

Others, also advanced nutritionists and doctors, talk not so much about a decrease or increase in insulin sensitivity, but about the fact that with the classic three meals a day, there is time for insulin levels to return to normal. As you can imagine, with frequent meals, its level almost always remains above normal. And it's really bad if the following foods have a high glycemic index.

According to the latest data, with long-term practice of six to seven meals a day, there is a risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

By the way, contrary to the common misconception, fractional nutrition itself appeared not as some kind of diet for weight loss, but as food medicine to eliminate complications in hypoglycemia. Moreover, the duration of the "course" was only one day, after which it was necessary to return to normal 3 meals a day.

This information may seem somewhat new to athletes with a “continuous menu”. But the very assumption that frequent eating in small portions is harmful to the body has existed since ancient times. Whereas some degree of starvation can positively influence on physiological processes. Unfortunately, there is no absolutely reliable information on this score yet.

However, something else is also known: frequent meals, for example, 6 meals a day, but with the same calorie content and, as in the usual 3 meals a day, has no evidence of its usefulness. Including popular speculations about its benefits in increasing metabolism and its importance for weight loss.

Some experiments have shown another curious thing. After an intense load, the process of afterburning lasted a little longer if the workout was preceded by food.

Let's summarize

1. Exercising on an empty stomach is quite justified to normalize energy processes in the body. In theory, it is important for an athlete to learn how to rationally use stored reserves, including fat. However, constant training on an empty stomach is not desirable.

2. Training on an empty stomach does not lead to weight loss. There is only very short-term effect. For the burning of excess "ballast", only one rule remains quite obvious, which is as old as the world - this. We eat less, we run more.

4. If the plans include the conquest of marathons, the body must gradually get used to assimilate food and water on the go. Not spaghetti with chicken breast, of course, but gels or something.

5. Each organism is too individual, so even large-scale studies often give a blurry picture when it comes to physiological processes.

The fact that such studies are usually carried out within the framework of one region or even one city may also play a role. And even if the results turned out to be quite clear, such nuances as the food culture in a given region or the genetic characteristics of the population are not taken into account.

Many professional bodybuilders and their sympathetic athletes do cardio workouts in the morning on an empty stomach in order to burn more fat. Zozhnik is unearthing scientific evidence on this matter.

The logic behind this strategy is based on the fact that after waking up in the morning, our body has a small store of glycogen, which was used as an energy source during sleep, so fasting cardio will burn more fat. And while this strategy may seem tempting at first glance, science hasn't confirmed that "fast" cardio is a more effective way to lose fat compared to exercising after a meal.

A brief physiology of fat burning

To get the big picture, you need to look into the physiology of fat burning. Fat burning takes place in three stages:

1. Mobilization of fatty acids (lipolysis) - “dissolution”, the breakdown of fat cells into fatty acids,
2. Transport of fatty acids,
3. Oxidation of fatty acids (burning fat as an energy source).

Mobilization is the release of fatty acids from the fat cell. This process is mainly controlled by the hormone insulin, as well as catecholamines, while growth hormone, cortisol and other hormones are involved in this process.

At the next stage, the fatty acids released from the fat cell are transported into the bloodstream. The final stage is oxidation, that is, the burning of fat inside the tissues that need fuel - muscles, liver and heart.

Schoenfeld's Review

In 2011, in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, an expert presented a detailed review entitled "Is cardio on an empty stomach really burns fat as much as possible?"

At the beginning of his work, the scientist emphasized that it is a short-sighted strategy to consider burning fat, which is consumed as an energy source only in training. The human body is a dynamic system that constantly adjusts and adjusts the proportion of fat and carbohydrates used as an energy source. This regulation occurs due to the production of hormones, the activation of enzymes and other factors that can change at any time. Generally, if you burn more fat during exercise, your body will use more carbohydrates for energy during rest, and vice versa.

Thus, fat burning should not be considered over a short training period (hour to hour), but over the long term. Only in this way will a person be able to notice significant changes in the composition of the body.

Scientist Horowitz has compared how average training experience people burn fat when exercising at different intensities. During the experiment, participants pedaled an exercise bike at different intensities for 4 training sessions. In the first two workouts, the subjects consumed high glycemic carbohydrates at the 30th, 60th and 90th minutes, while:

o The first workout was performed at 25% of maximum oxygen consumption (low intensity).

o The second is at the level of 65% of the BMD (moderate intensity).

During the other two workouts, the subjects trained at the same intensity, but on an empty stomach and without eating during the workout itself.

As a result, it was found that during training with low intensity and consumption of carbohydrates, the process of breaking down fat, or lipolysis (in which fat cells release fatty acids, but fat is not yet burned) was reduced by 22% compared to fasting training.

However, until the workout crossed the 80-90 minute mark, fat oxidation (burning itself) was the same for both fasting and carbohydrate workouts.

However, during training at moderate intensity, regardless of whether they took carbohydrates or trained on an empty stomach, the rate of fat oxidation was the same even after the subjects crossed the training mark for an hour and a half. And this despite a 20-25% decrease in the lipolysis process and an increase in the concentration of free fatty acids (fatty acids that are ready for oxidation) in blood.

Another study assessed how carbohydrate consumption before and during exercise affects fat burning.

In a randomized, crossover, blinded study, 7 endurance athletes pedaled an exercise bike for 120 minutes at 63% of maximum power output, followed by a training cycle in which the subjects pedaled as quickly as possible. As in the study above,participants trained at different intensities over 4 training sessions.

1.HIn the first training session, the subjects received a placebo before and during training.

2.Hand the second - a placebo 30 minutes before training and carbohydrates every 15 minutes until the end.

3. Hand the third is carbohydrates 30 minutes before and a placebo during exercise.

4.Hand the fourth is carbohydrates before and every 15 minutes during exercise.

Result: No evidence that carbohydrate consumption before or during exercise inhibits fat oxidation.

Schoenfeld points out that these two studies show that significantly more fat is broken down than oxidized during fasting, moderate-to-high intensity cardio. In this case, fatty acids that have not undergone the oxidation process are converted back into adipose tissue, as a result of which the increased lipolytic effect (breakdown of fats), which is provided by fasting training, is nullified.

In simple terms, during training on an empty stomach, our body does not fully use the fat released from fat cells in a free form for burning, since the concentration of fat in the blood exceeds the body's ability to use it as an energy source.

Disadvantages of training on an empty stomach

Pete McCall, an expert from the American Councilon Exercise, notes that due to the increased hormone cortisol in the morning, unused fatty acids in training are not simply converted back into adipose tissue, but are more likely to find refuge in the abdomen. The specialist emphasizes that instead of burning more fat through fasting workouts, we can really only contribute to the fact that our belly becomes less attractive.

Scientists at Yale University have found that there is a relationship between elevated cortisol and the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area.

You can also recall the cross-design study conducted by Korean scientists in 1999:

Experts compared the effect of fasting workouts to workouts that consumed a mixture of glucose and milk. As a result, it was found that the consumption of glucose with milk before exercise caused a more significant spike in increased post-workout oxygen consumption (effectEPOC) compared to fasting training.

Schoenfeld notes that other studies have found similar results. This is an indicator that a pre-workout meal is superior to a fasting workout, allowing more calories to be expended during rest periods.

The fact is that training after a meal allows you to train more intensely than when a person trains on an empty stomach. This is quite natural, because if the body receives a certain amount of energy before training, a person can train more intensely. As a result, due to the higher training intensity, a person is able to burn more calories both during the training session and after its completion due to the more pronounced EPOC effect.

Most valuable research

In 2014, the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN) published one of the most valuable studies comparing fasting versus post-meal exercise. The researchers did not investigate the effect of the two training strategies on lipolysis or fat oxidation, but the resulting changes in body composition.

The aim of the experiment was to study changes in fat and lean mass in exercising people either on an empty stomach or after a meal. For 1 month, 20 subjects performed 1-hour moderate-intensity cardio training 3 times a week. The participants were divided into 2 groups:

o GroupAtrained in the morning on an empty stomach.

o GroupB- after eating.

It is also important to note that both groups followed a research-controlled meal plan with the same 500 kcal energy deficit and macronutrient ratios. Research result:

The changes in body composition that were observed due to the combination of a hypocaloric diet with aerobic exercise were the same whether the subjects exercised on an empty stomach or after a meal.

Exercising on an empty stomach doesn't burn more fat

In a discussion on the study's findings, the researchers pointed out:

It has previously been hypothesized that exercising on an empty stomach encourages the body to use more fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates, thus lowering body fat more than post-meal exercise. Our research data refutes the validity of this hypothesis. Although both groups lost significant amounts of weight and fat mass, no difference in outcome was found regardless of nutritional status.

Based on all of the above information, we can conclude that it doesn't matter when and in what conditions we train for the final result for the purpose of burning fat. It all depends on the personal preference of each person. At the same time, it is especially worth noting that neither "hungry" cardio, nor training after meals will bring results if you do not follow the law of energy balance. In the end, everything will decide whether you spent more calories per day than you received from food.

By the way, the authors of the above study nevertheless admit that due to the relatively short period of the experiment and the small group of subjects, the likelihood that under certain conditions the tactics of fasting training can have its advantages cannot be rejected. At the same time, it is noted that for the final completion of the disputes, it is necessary to conduct long-term studies using a larger group of subjects.

In defense of fasting cardio

What "certain conditions" did the scientists mention? Perhaps training on an empty stomach to achieve a very low percentage of fat?

In his post on fasting cardio, Ph.D. in exercise physiology Jim Stoppani notes that over the course of working with clients, he has found that cardio on an empty stomach can help shed the most stubborn layer of fat.

For example, most men tend to accumulate fat in the abdomen and lower back, while women tend to store more fat in the thighs and buttocks. When a person achieves intermediate success in the process of losing weight, getting rid of a significant amount of fat, but his body does not look sufficiently prominent, it is these parts of the body that resist to the last.

Over the years of his coaching work, Stoppani noticed that when a person gets rid of most of the adipose tissue, it is cardio on an empty stomach that allows you to get rid of the most stubborn fat in "problem" areas of the body. At the same time, the scientist notes that there is no scientific evidence on this score. This is just an observation.

Fitness expert and nutritionist Lyle McDonald shares the same view as Stoppani. The specialist emphasizes that the determining factor in whether it is advisable to use the cardio strategy on an empty stomach is the current percentage of subcutaneous fat in the human body.

McDonald notes that for many people with reasonably low body fat (approximately 12% for men and 19-22% for women), further fat burning becomes a problem. This is due to the fact that as we get rid of fat, a series of adaptive changes occur in our body, the purpose of which is to slow down the process of mobilizing fatty acids. In addition, poor blood flow in areas of stubborn fat makes the task even more difficult.

For people with a relatively low percentage of fat who are looking to reduce it even further, Lyle McDonald recommends a variety of strategies, including fasting cardio, which is likely to increase free fatty acid mobilization and even improve blood flow in areas of stubborn fat. At the same time, the scientist notes that for a person with an average percentage of body fat (above 12% for men and 19% for women), cardio on an empty stomach will not bring dividends.

It is important to note that McDonald does not claim, but only implies, using the phrase "... fasting cardio ... is likely to enhance fatty acid mobilization." At the same time, summing up, the specialist says the following:

The best time to do cardio workouts is any time, as long as the workouts are done regularly. If you want to exercise in the morning before meals - great, if after meals - great. In this situation, it is much more important to pay attention to the training itself than to worry about exactly when to train.

Conclusions:

The changes in body composition that are observed with a combination of aerobic exercise and an energy deficit diet will be the same whether the person is exercising on an empty stomach or after a meal. Therefore, those seeking to lose fat can exercise whenever they feel like it. It all depends on the personal preference of each individual.

For the sake of objectivity, it should be noted that doing cardio workouts on an empty stomach can be in theory a justified strategy, but only if the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the human body is already low enough, but despite hard training and a calorie deficit, he cannot get rid of the most stubborn layer of fat.

Scientific sources:

o Fasted Exercise for Faster Weight Loss, International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)

o B. Schoenfeld, Does Cardio After an Overnight Fast Maximize Fat Loss, Strength and Conditioning Journal, Feb 2011; Vol. 33

o B. Schoenfeld, A. Aragon, Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise, J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014; 11:54

o Does Fasted Cardio Provide Significant Benefits, American Council on Exercise (ACE)

o Moyer A., ​​Rodin J., Stress-induced cortisol response and fat distribution in women, Obes Res. 1994 May; 2 (3): 255-62

o Epel E., Moyer A., ​​Stress-induced cortisol, mood, and fat distribution in men, Obes Res. 1999 Jan; 7 (1): 9-15

o Fasted Cardio In The Morning, jymsupplementscience.com

o Fasted Cardio and Fat Loss - Q&A, bodyrecomposition.com

In this article, I will tell you about fasting cardio, what are its benefits, why you need it, etc. etc.

So, cardio training on an empty stomach is useful in that during this time period the body contains a minimum amount of ENERGY (CARBOHYDRATES).

And who still does not know, cardio training should be carried out exactly when the body contains a minimum of ENERGY (or when it is completely absent), because only in this way fat will be purposefully burned and burned to the maximum (as efficiently as possible) ... Do you understand?

After sleep, there is no energy (carbohydrates) in the body, because they did not enter the body, of course, if a person does not gobble at night, RESPECTLY FAT WILL BE BURNED AT THE MAXIMUM at this time! That is why, many athletes (s) run in the morning (on an empty stomach) or ride a bicycle or roller skate, or just use brisk walking, in general, there are many options. Who likes what ...

In the field of fitness / bodybuilding, most of the times when people talk about cardio they mean:

1. Jogging or brisk walking;
2. Work on various cardio equipment, such as a treadmill, exercise bike, etc.
3. other directions are rarely used ...

Personally, I absolutely always (in particular to my clients) recommend using low-intensity cardio (this is either a slow jogging or a brisk walk) for a long time (from 60 minutes or more, but as training grows, of course, gradualness is important, i.e. if a person has never run before, etc., then it is worth starting with 15 minutes, then 20, 25 and gradually reaching the required 60 minutes or more; the rule is simple: you drive quieter - you will continue).

Why low intensity?

Because with low intensity cardio, only FAT (no MUSCLE) will be burned. And if the CARDIO INTENSITY IS HIGH, both FAT and MUSCLES will be burned (which is not good). Not good, because the goal of any drying (weight loss) is to preserve muscles to the maximum, because the beauty of bodily forms is muscle tissue (muscles), and not skin and bones.

OUTPUT: low-intensity cardio (landmark, brisk walking, or slow jogging).

Because such a duration of aerobic exercise is very economical in terms of energy supply, i.e. what interests us (FAT) is spent but in small amounts, and in order to increase these amounts of fat loss - there is only one way out - to extend the time spent on this path (i.e., to extend the time of aerobic training (CARDIO)) !!! Therefore, it took so long 🙂

How to do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach?

Woke up, NOTHING IS! This is especially true for CARBOHYDRATES. NO CARBOHYDRATES, because if you sin, then these same carbohydrates will block your FAT BURNING, and all your aerobic training (cardio) will be up to one place ...

All you can do is drink some water. Plain, no gas, not sweet Coca Cola, etc. otherwise they will block your fat burning, and again, your cardio workout will be down to one place. Just plain water.

How to do cardio? At a low pace (what I said, low-intensity training), for example, is either brisk walking or slow jogging. YOUR TASK IS THE DURATION OF THE TRAINING (IT SHOULD BE AT LEAST 60 MINUTES at a low pace). But remember also what I said above (i.e. if beginners, work according to your well-being, for example, start with 15 minutes, then 20, 25 and gradually reach the required 60 minutes or more; do not forget the rule: you drive quieter - further you will).

During this cardio (which you MAY EVEN SHOULD BE TAKING which are composed of three essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) that will protect your muscles from destruction) so you will further preserve your muscles, and at the same time burn FAT.

AFTER CARDIO TRAINING, the longer you don't eat carbohydrates, the LONGER FAT BURNS! Therefore, go to the shower (take your time) in half an hour you can eat something PROTEIN (for example) and the next meal, after an hour, for example, you can eat complex CARBOHYDRATES.

How often do you do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach?

In fact, this is an individual question (and only you know the answer).

By the way, cardio can be done at least every day (not a dogma, don't get it wrong).

If you are ready for this, i.e. if there is a desire (motivation), and if you are a trained athlete (s), then why not? Another question - is it worth doing it every day? =)

Maybe you have from twice a week (cardio in the morning on an empty stomach) fat burns with a bang. Losing weight is going with a bang. Why would you increase to daily? In general, I am telling this in order for you to understand, you need to focus on your well-being, desire (motivation), goal, body weight and many other factors that I do not know, which are known only to you. Do you understand?

Most importantly, do not forget the rule: you go quieter - you will continue 🙂

In general, the answer to the topic of the article is simple: fasting cardio is done in order to target body fat (to purposefully burn body fat). That's the whole secret.

But remember: cardio (any workout) only works in conjunction with diet. = base-base. Without her, at least you will shrink doing that cardio, there will be no sense!

Best regards, administrator.