Question about Morning Workouts / Caloric Intake

Okay so my question is this:

Does a person wake up with 0 calories in his or her system?

If so why is it recommended to do your full body workout/ cardio in the morning?

It seems to me like by doing this you are creating a deficit for the rest of the day. Is it easier to start with a deficit than to start with a surplus and burn the surplus away plus the extra needed to lose weight?
 
You will never get everybody agreeing on the working out on an empty stomache theory. I personally wouldn't like to do it but you could try it and see how you felt.

I personally get up early for work anyway and to fit in a workout before work I would probably need to get up, get dressed, and get to the gym in 15 minutes (which would be possible), but it wouldn't be worth it.
 
I don't think you should consider yourself at 0 calories in the morning. Your stomach is really never empty.. there will always be food in it. Also, you should know throughout the day, you spend 70% of your energy just by doing nothing, and 10% in digestion, and roughly 20% in extra activities. With that said, you will always have energy to burn, and you will never be at "0" even when you're dead (for a few days at least).

As for this exercise in the morning on an empty stomach... I think it's old fashion way of doing things. It's up to you really if you want to do it, but most people just aren't morning persons... I'm guessing you're a morning person.
 
I dont agree that the stomach ALWAYS has food in it. I do agree however, that one is never at 0 calories, because if there is none "readily" available it will use some sort of tissue for the calories it needs (muscle and/or fat), so in this sense calories (or energy) are, for the most part, readily available.
 
Jacket, your deficit is usually a consideration over a 24 hour period rather than an hour by hour basis.

Some folks like fasted-state cardio activities.

I wouldn't recommend weight training in a fasted state.
 
Chillen has the best response..

Food is not always in the stomach.

0 calories means your dead meat, or should i say bone.

Your body typically has hundreds of thousands of calories that could be used for energy if required such as fat, protein and glucose.

I personally wouldnt know why anyone would want to do a morning session on an empty stomach. You want to be feeling your best and have the energy to be lifting your best.
 
One needs to understand that the body will fight to survive, and in the presence of a caloric deficit (no matter the severity, but depending on this, it may take longer), the body WILL literally eat itself (fat and/or muscle tissue, and use other molecular stores for its energy and obtain the nutrition it can).
 
Thanks a ton for all of the responses. I thought the point of reducing caloric intake was to coax the body into taking the energy from the extra fat. Is there any way to get the most out of your workout?

Is it better to do the workout at night after you are done with all of your daily activities? It seems to me like you would be using all of your muscles throughout the day and to end with a full body workout would be more beneficial than doing it in the morning before you even eat anything. Plus, if you are eating 500 calories less than your BMR, then at the end of the day your body should already be at least at a 500 calorie "deficit" (for the day) and working out on top of that would basically be extra calories burned to help achieve that two pounds a week. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks,

Matt
 
It's subjective as to when the best time to workout is. There's so many variables and you'll find you get better workouts in the AM than PM or visa-versa or at 4pm rather than 7am or 9 pm.

If you're worried about eating before morning workouts, you can easily shoot down a protein shake if you don't feel up to eating. They mix with oatmeal and berries nicely in the blender.
 
I have no problem tossing down a few eggs and some fruit in the morning and then working out or going on a morning run. I was just wondering if a morning workout is as "productive" as one in the evening or afternoon hours.
 
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