Empty-stomach cardio (running): do or don't???

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Dietrying

New member
Hello all,

I'm new to this forum, and I'd like to start out with a question. I hope someone can help me out with this.

I'm trying to lose some weight. Actually a lot and I want a fast result. But I keep getting contradicting advice. I'll try to keep it short:

I started walking/running to lose weight, and I heard the most efficient way to burn fat is doing this on a more or less empty stomach, for instance before breakfast. This way the energy that is used comes directly from your fat reserves, rather than going through carbonhydrates from a meal first (however light it may be). That way you have the maximum fat-burning percentage.

However, then I heard that trying to lose weight on a low-input basis like this is very bad, as the energy would be drawn from your muscles by decreasing said tissue, rather than from your fat reserves. In short: it would break down your muscles.

My question: which of these is closer to reality? Is it a matter of personal compatibility with either method or is there such a thing as 'the way to go'?

I'd appreciate any (preferably professional) thoughts on this matter. Thanks.
 
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PS: I'm not talking about drastically lowering food intake. I mean healthy eating during the rest of the day, but not before running.
 
I'm nowhere near being a professional when it comes to nutrition and exercise but I've heard of not eating before exercise. I've tried it; sometimes it makes me feel light headed or I get sickeningly hungry in the middle of the routine sometimes I get through the routine fine. I find that I feel like I have the most energy when I eat a small protein rich meal/ snack a while before I exercise. I don't know about maximum fat burning percentage when exercising on an empty stomach but I do know that anything is maximized when you feel good enough to do it at all. So my suggestion is to do what feels best to you but to keep exercising either way.
Keep up the good work and keep smiling!:D
 
Well, as much as you might not want to hear this, fast results are not the way to go. If you want tips on the latest crash diet, then this really isn't the site for you.

You seem to have taken on board one of the biggest misconceptions about weight loss - the less you eat AND the more you exercise, the more weight you lose. Nothing could be more wrong.

You need to determine where your priorities lie. Is it fast weight loss, which means you're likely to gain it all back, and some, while risking your health and muscle mass, or do you want sustainable weight loss, with all the benefits that a healthy lifestyle brings? If it's the former, then chances are you won't get what you want here, and I doubt a true professional would give you tips for a 'fast' result..

With regard to your question, you need to remember that what you put into your body is what you get out of it. It's like a car - if you refuse to put in fuel (or the right type of fuel) and then you insist on going on a long journey, you're not likely to go very far... I'd suggest that you have a look through the 'Harsh Truth' section of this site as there are quite a few experts there who know more about nutrition than I do. In the meantime, good luck, whatever you decide to do.
 
Thanks for the replies! Some useful information here. But...

It's like a car - if you refuse to put in fuel (or the right type of fuel) and then you insist on going on a long journey, you're not likely to go very far...

I know what you mean and I've heard the comparison a lot. But I'm a very big car with some spare gasoline tanks under the hood, in the trunk and on the roof because I over-fueled for years. Doesn't that count as fuel?
 
(By the way: fast is of course as fast as possible providing the results will sustain.)
 
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I dont know the answer to your question but personally it depends on when I workout.
I like to get my workouts done as early as posible like before 8am so I usually do not eat because i am still mentally sleeping-LOL and I am not a breakfast person nor do I wake up hungry.
When I did work out in the afternoons i made sure i had breakfast and tried to workout then eat lunch I just dont like doing anything on a full stomach.
 
Dietrying said:
Thanks for the replies! Some useful information here. But...

It's like a car - if you refuse to put in fuel (or the right type of fuel) and then you insist on going on a long journey, you're not likely to go very far...

I know what you mean and I've heard the comparison a lot. But I'm a very big car with some spare gasoline tanks under the hood, in the trunk and on the roof because I over-fueled for years. Doesn't that count as fuel?
Click to expand...

Haha, it's funny you should say this cos I used to say it myself! The fact is your body needs a certain amount of energy simply to sustain it. If you decide to stop giving it energy, it'll soon shut down and it's difficult to re-start it... You had to have ingested a certain amount of food to become overweight (I hate that statement but it's the truth) so it doesn't make much sense to just stop eating as much. The human body is more complicated than that, and requires a thorough understanding of how your body works.

I'm glad you mentioned fast results in a healthy way. You definitely will get the advice you need on this site. I don't want to ram my ideas onto you, cos different things work for different people (I, for example, have to eat a couple of hours before ANY workout, which is why I avoid early-morning workouts). Anyhoo, for starters, I'll recommend you to this thread I found: http://weight-loss.fitness.com/topic/11337-words-wisdom.html

It has to contain all you need to know about calorific deficits, exercise and weight loss. If, after going through it all, you're still stuck, then I'd suggest screaming for help from one of the experts..

Let us know what you decide :)
 
I'm not a big fan of fasted cardio. I think the benifits outweigh the risks.

Just a personal opinon, I don't think i can be deemed an `expert` on the topic. What I can tell you is that carbs is your main body prefeered choice of fuel, and it helps with brain activity (alertness, awareness, etc) as well as other bodily functions.

To me, weight loss is a calorie deficit. If your calories consumed is less when your calories expended, you will lose weight. However...you don't want to expend calories from your muscle (protein) mass.

As far as the muscle thing go, I recommend doing a resistance training regime.
 
Thanks for all help.

Anyway, I'll try a light breakfast before training and see how it goes. I didn't have any problems running on an empty stomach, and afterwards it felt kinda rewarding, but I'd hate to risk other issues by doing that.

I forgot to mention: proteins are a problem for me anyway, as I'm a convinced vegetarian as well. :doh:
 
The whole point is finding a system that works for you. If you find it doesn't work as well as you'd like then you can change it round and try something else. There's no shortage of ideas on things to try... Good luck.

Also, there's loads of sources of proteins for vegetarians - pulses, dairy products, nuts & seeds, soya products, free range eggs, etc.
 
Try one slice of whole wheat bread toasted with 1 tbso of peanut butter and a glass of OJ or a half grapefruit. It's not too filling, and gives you enough calories to keep that car running.

I eat a banana after I'm done exercizing.

I also alternate with an egg on whole wheat toast, or, steamed veggies with .25 cup cottage cheese.

I avoid cereal with milk before running or weight lifting. And when I do eat cereal with milk, I try to make it soy milk - otherwise it feels like the milk is souring in my stomach while I exercize.

I used to not eat before working out, and I can tell you from experience, I enjoy the workout more and feel like I am getting more out of it when I nourish myself first.
 
Yes, I'm a huge soy milk fan as well. As for dairy I only use yoghurt.

I'll experiment some more. Feel free to keep the thoughts coming :)
 
I am a vegetarian also. I guess it is different for everybody so I can only speak for myself. I tried all sorts of ways and what works for me : eating something very small about 1.5-2 hrs before I run, so I practically run on an empty stomach. If I try to eat anything closer to my running I get nauseous and can not even finish my run. on the other hand I tried run first thing in the morning after I woke up without eating breakfast first. That did not work for me either. I had no energy and felt like passing out. I am an afternoon exerciser!! :jump:
Have you tried tofu? I am not really a fan of tofu but one way I really like it: buy firm tofu and make sure you press all the water out. Slice it in the middle and put some sauce on top (barbeque sauce, peanut sauce, soy sauce..etc) then bake it in the oven on 350 for about 30-45 min.
I lot of times I just eat a slice of tofu with a low calorie slice of bread(40 cal/slice) 1.5 hrs before I run. Or a piece of fruit, or couple of pieces of raw veggies with hummus...you get the idea.
Good luck!!
 
What type of cardio you do is far more important than both when you do it and whether or not your stomach is full. But even then, energy balance is significantly even more important than what type of cardio you do. You'll burn a lot more fat keeping your calorie intake just under your calorie output (between a 10-25% reduction). Im not so sure that doing cardio on an empty stomach has any worthwhile benefits, but I do know that if you workout on an empty stomach, then refueling properly afterward becomes more crucial. But my main point is that putting so much emphasis on such a miniscule point in terms of the overall picture is more or less a waste of your time and energy. If you prefer to workout on an empty stomach, then by all means go for it. Be sure to refuel as soon afterwards as possible. The body releases some not so wonderful hormones shortly (1-2 hours or so) after workouts if it hasn't been fueled properly. Most people will probably find themselves able to sustain a more productive workout with some food intake within a few hours before working out. In terms of overall metabolism, it doesn't really matter when you eat, as long as you eat the right amount. There are some interesting benefits for both eating once a day and eating many times a day. But that is getting off topic... I think youll find yourself getting more results from ensuring that you are doing the right type of cardio rather than worrying about whether to eat before it. Personally, it is my own principle that exercise is done for all the health related benefits, NOT for weight loss. Nutrition is for weight loss. In fact, on the days I workout I actually increase my calories by about 50-65% of the amount of calories I burned.
 
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