Working Out On an Empty Stomach: Does It Burn Off the Most Fat?

El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez examines working out on an empty stomach.

For a thing that should be simple, working out doesn’t consistently feel that way. There’s choosing the best fat-burning workout. There’s that pesky question of whether diet or exercise is essential for fat loss. And there’s a new one to throw into the mix: whether working out on an empty stomach can help you shed weight faster.

Bodybuilders swear by it while many people religiously enjoy their pre -workout protein shake. What exactly gives? Should you hitting the gym on an empty stomach and be forgoing food in the event you want to lose pounds?

Regrettably, like so much fitness guidance, this falls into the grey, “it depends” place. Let’s inquire.

Work Out On an Empty Stomach?

The theory behind exercising having an empty tummy is that when you squeeze before breakfast, your body burns fat faster.

See, what occurs is that glycogen, a type of carbohydrate which our bodies shop, “ runs out” overnight. When you wake up and hit the gym first thing in the morning, because your body is low on carbs, the notion is the body will really turn to fats next to obtain energy. (1)

Things do get tricky because if the body is completely from glycogen — you had an early dinner, got the full nighttime’s remainder and perhaps snoozed an extra hour or two — the body might bypass fat burning and head directly to muscle shops instead, chipping away at body definition.

Advantages of Working Out On an Empty Stomach

So what does the science say the huge benefits before working out to missing breakfast?

1. Burn Fat Quicker. One study followed 12 active males after breakfast who ran on the treadmill either or while they were still fasting from the night time before. (2) The men who hadn’t broken their fast, i.e. hadn’t had breakfast, burned up to 20 percent more body fat during the same work outs.

What’s especially fascinating is that the guys who jumped breakfast didn’t overeat after or attempt to otherwise make ” for the early AM calories up they missed out on. So obtaining a head start on your fitness regimen pre-breakfast can help you lose more fat without making you sneak in extra calories later.

2. Improve Performance. There’s evidence that exercising when your carb levels are low, like when you’re on an empty stomach, actually helps improve functionality during “normal” workouts. The concept behind “train low, compete ” that is high is that working out in a glycogen- low state helps the body become more efficient at burning off fat so at times when carb levels are quite high, the body is primed and raring to go. (3)

3. Time-Restricted Eating Can Help In Losing Weight. Work Out out on an empty stomach ties into the thought of time-limited eating. On this diet program, it is possible to eat as much as you want of anything you desire. The only caveat is that you just eat strictly between certain hours, with 12–16 hours of time where you don’t eat anything.

The notion is that when our bodies understand just when we’re going to be eating, our hormones react by burning fat and supporting weight reduction during the food-free hours. Scheduling workouts during fasting hours could encourage the body to burn more fat, particularly when you’re exercising first thing in the morning.

4. Improve Body’s Response To Insulin. When we eat, our bodies release insulin to consume all of the nutrients in the foods we’re enjoying. However, as soon as we’re eating way too many carbohydrates and sugar, our bodies become resistant to insulin — it’s unable to do its job at the same time.

All that insulin can bring in regards to an assortment of chronic illnesses and builds up. Among many health benefits of fasting, however, is reducing that susceptibility to insulin. Without continuous food, insulin isn’t so our bodies don’t become immune to the hormone, created often.

5. Inspiration To Work Out More. Let’s confront it — we’re all super active. By working out each morning before stopping to make breakfast, having that cup of coffee or whatever it’s that might derail you in the mornings, you can get your calorie burning out of the way with no distractions that happen after.

In the event you have to be out of your house by 8 a.m., it’s a lot easier to hit the gym before eating as opposed to sitting down for breakfast, waiting to digest and then working out.

When It’s Not Wise To Work Out Without Any Food On Board

But working out on an empty stomach might not be the finest idea for everybody. For each study that says burning fat occurs more easily when you exercise before eating, there’s another one that says the opposite. An International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism study found that a pre-workout snack or light meal actually helps burn body fat. (4)

Plus study found no difference in weight reduction between women who ate a meal-replacement shake before exercising without eating and those that got directly in their workouts. (5)

Another problem is that without any fuel in your belly, you may well not be working out as hard as you could. A pre-workout snack that’s a mix of carbs, protein and healthy fats can give you the energy you need to push yourself harder.

That extra fire might be just things you must finish high-intensity interval workouts like Crossfit or Tabata, which actually help you burn off more calories in a briefer amount of time. These are intense work outs where you’re likely to need to max out your energy.

And when you’re training for endurance sports like long-distance racing or a triathlon, working out on an empty stomach might work for short distances, but you definitely wish to consume before longer work outs — depending on how much you’re going, you might even need to refuel during training.

Finally, if you’re someone who psychologically has to realize which you aren’t going to burn out mid way because you’ve eaten through exercising, it’s not a great day to work out on an empty stomach. Same goes for people who are diabetic or experience low blood sugar. Eating a small bite will make sure that you remain safe throughout your workout.

Final Thoughts

I wish I possibly could tell you that working out on an empty stomach will cause results that are better. But because numerous variables are at play — how fit you are, what type of exercise you’re doing and the way you workout best — it’s impossible.

What is vital is that you just remain hydrated before, during and following your workout. Drinking enough water will keep up energy levels. Drinking enough H2O can also keep pounds from increasing because thirst is, in addition, mistaken for hunger.

Maybe more notably than whether you eat before a workout is what you’re having later. A mix of protein and healthy carbs can help muscle tissue recover. Drinking a post-workout recovery shake or eating eggs with veggies in the first 45 minutes after exercise while your blood is circulating well is ideal. Take a look at my list of 43 greatest post-workout meals for quicker results — you’re certain to find something you’ll adore.

Eventually, whether you’re working out on an empty stomach or not, kudos to you for getting out there and taking control of your quality of life. Keep up the work outs!