Final word on cardio on empty stomach?

[flexed1]

Will show two sides of the argument. Found in a search. Personally I go back to what I said do what works best for you.

"Continuous cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, stairclimbing, or cycling, sustained for at least 30 minutes, will burn body fat no matter when you do it. However, if you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning aerobic exercise on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day.

First of all, morning cardio burns more fat! Early in the morning before you eat, your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) are low. If you eat dinner at 7 p.m and you eat breakfast at 7 a.m., that's 12 hours without food. During this 12-hour overnight fast, your levels of glycogen slowly decline to provide glucose for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. As a result, you wake up in the morning with depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar - the optimum environment for burning fat instead of carbohydrate. How much more fat you'll burn is uncertain, but some studies have suggested that up to 300% more fat is burned when cardio is done in a fasted, glycogen-depleted state.

So how exactly does this work? It's quite simple, really. Carbohydrate (glycogen) is your body's primary and preferred energy source. When your primary fuel source is in short supply, this forces your body to tap into its secondary or reserve energy source; body fat. If you do cardio immediately after eating a meal, you'll still burn fat, but you'll burn less of it because you'll be burning off the carbohydrates you ate first. You always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrate for fuel, but depending on when you exercise, you can burn a greater proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate. If doing cardio first thing in the morning is not an option for you, then the second best time to do it would be immediately after weight training. Lifting weights is anaerobic (carbohydrate-burning) by nature, and therefore depletes muscle glycogen. That's why a post lifting cardio session has a similar effect as morning cardio on an empty stomach.

The second benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated for hours after the session is over. If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.

Burning more fat isn't the only reason you should do your cardio early. The third benefit of morning workouts is the "rush" and feeling of accomplishment that stays with you all day long after an invigorating workout. Exercise can become a pleasant and enjoyable experience, but the more difficult or challenging it is for you, the more important it is to get it out of the way early. When you put off any task you consider unpleasant, it hangs over you all day long, leaving you with a feeling of guilt, stress and incompleteness (not to mention that you are more likely to "blow off" an evening workout if you are tired from a long day at work or if your pals try to persuade you to join them at the pub for happy hour.)

You might find it hard to wake up early in the morning and get motivated to workout. But think back for a moment to a time in your life when you tackled a difficult task and you finished it. Didn't you feel great afterwards? Completing any task, especially a physically challenging one, gives you a "buzz." When the task is exercise, the buzz is physiological and psychological. Physiologically, exercise releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins are opiate-like hormones hundreds of times more powerful than the strongest morphine. Endorphins create a natural "high" that makes you feel positively euphoric! Endorphins reduce stress, improve your mood, increase circulation and relieve pain. The "high" is partly psychological too. Getting up early and successfully achieving a small goal kick starts your day and gives you feelings of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment. For the rest of the day you feel happy and you feel less stress knowing that a difficult part of the day is behind you. "

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[flexed1]

posted on Dave Drapers page


Exercising on an empty stomach is not the best way to go. Research studies have indicated that the number of calories burned is far less than when exercising after a meal. A small meal of 300-400 calories an hour before training will allow you to train harder. You will get about a 10% increase in metabolic rate alone from eating the food, you will be able to train harder as blood glucose levels will not go to super low levels, and you will have a better anabolic hormone response.

My weight loss clients and weight gain clients eat about the same number of meals per day with similar timing strategies. What differs primarily is the calorie load.

Exercising on an empty stomach does not force the body to burn more fat. In some cases it forces it to break down more muscle to get at amino acids. They are deaminated, converted into glucose and then help supply the body with energy. Small amounts of glucose (via conversion into a Kreb's cycle intermediate) are needed to burn fat. Tom

----

In simple man terms (my terms), excessively hard cardio with no energy to back it up causes the body to freak and go after muscle not fat. My experience tells me it actually mimics a starvation mode and actually retards the body's use of fat for energy and starts after hard earned muscle mass. So, here is how I go about it. IF I cardio on an empty stomach, I go at no higher than 65-70%. I will go to 85% if I have had a small meal prior to. Certainly not scientific but with tinkering, I have figured out how my systems react.

 

[satchboogie]

NELSON...

my bad bro.
forgive me.

its just that at times, i feel like what seems like the consensus is argued by you. like the clomid issue for example. the cardio concept too. (although i personally agree it)

perhaps your theories are indeed correct but is seems like at the present time some will not subscribe to them.

 

[Transporter]

i can not belive how many idiots are on this board.
when u wake up u are in catabolism state. and when u go to do cardio on empty stomach, guess what, musle is wasted.

understand one thing, when u do cardio u do not burn body fat!
thats a myth. u burn calories and not body fat.
otherwise i would go and do 8 hours cardio and i would be 3% bodyfat!

cardio speeds up your metabolism and burn calories but u are not burning bodyfat once u are doing cardio.


the best bet is to have a protein shake after waking up and than go do cardio.

 

[Juice Authority]

Here you go Nelson -

Running on empty
by Josh Salzmann


I prefer exercising right after I wake up. Is it bad to work out on an empty stomach?

The advantage of working out on an empty stomach first thing in the morning is that you have just enough energy stored from the night before to fuel your workout, and you also have a greater chance of burning stored fat, which will cause you to lose weight. This is due to the fact that, because your stomach is empty, you are more likely to burn calories already stored as fat, as opposed to using calories from recently digested food in your system.

Working out on an empty stomach does not speed up your metabolism. But it does help to kick-start it by increasing your heart rate, circulation and the amount of incoming oxygen, all things which help your body function more efficiently throughout the day.

Exercising for more than 30 minutes on an empty stomach or at the end of the day is unhealthy and unadvisable since, without the necessary energy to fuel your workout, your body will start using your muscles as an energy source. This is not an efficient form of energy, and you may overexert yourself and experience dizziness or dehydration.

Weight training on an empty stomach is also not advisable, since a lot of energy is required for this kind of workout. Without the necessary energy, you won’t be able to work your muscles efficiently and increase muscle mass. Weight training is one of the best ways to burn calories and consequently lose weight, because the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. So, despite what most people think, starving yourself is the least effective way to lose weight, especially if you want the results to last.

Although working out on an empty stomach can help you lose weight, it will not happen overnight, and should not be used as a long-term solution to weight loss. Maintaining a healthy weight requires a lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.

For more information about Josh Salzmann, visit www.salzmann-fitness.com.

November 2001

The question-of-the-month for November comes from Paul in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, who asks about pre-workout food intake and training on an empty stomach. His question is:

Dear Mike:

My question regards pre-workout food intake. I get up and get to the gym first thing in the morning and it's tough to get a meal in. Can I work out on an empty stomach? If I need to eat beforehand, what and how much of an interval before I hit the gym?

Dear Paul:

Thank you for your great question. This is one of the most important issues when it comes to gaining muscle. Eating before lifting weights is a NECESSITY. Training on an empty stomach (i.e. first thing in the morning before eating) will cause your body to dip into protein stores for energy. As all of you know, muscle is made up of protein. Therefore, if you lift before eating, you will burn muscle. Obviously, this is not what we want to do. So, yes, make sure you eat before training. What should you eat? I recommend eating a meal that consists of 65% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 5% fat 45-90 minutes before training. Experiment with this time frame to find out what works best for you. Some people need more time after eating than others.

On the other hand, I do recommend doing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This is the best way to burn body fat. I have seen some studies that say doing cardio in this manner can burn 400%-600% more body fat than doing cardio after having a carbohydrate meal.

What if you train in the morning and don't have time to do both your workout and cardio? Your best option would be to eat in the morning and then train (as I recommend above). You would then do your cardio last thing at night before going to bed (i.e. you would not eat anything after doing your cardio).

You may also want to check out the June 2000 Question-of-the-Month where I give a sample pre- and post-workout meal.

Good luck and keep training hard. Thanks again for your question.

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

http://www.mikefrancois.com/nov2001.htm

 

[sk*]

Sorry bout that

Not your fault bro. It's just that these kinds of threads always raise hell on elite, lol.

BTW, what heart rate do you run at? How do you find out the best heart rate to run at? I always just run for the sake of running, but I figure I might as well do it by the book. Any good articles that you know of on the subject?

Thanks.

I love how right after cardio I look so nice and lean due to the drop of water retention.

-sk

 

[Juice Authority]

Anytime you're ready.

Here's more:

NFPT Personal Trainer Magazine

by
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http://www.nfpt.com/Library/Articles/hunger_training.htm

Have you ever heard the phrase “stay hungry”? If you’re a long-term bodybuilding fan chances are you have. The Austrian Oak himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, made this phrase popular. So popular in fact that one of the first films he ever appeared in was called Stay Hungry! Once again it seems the bodybuilding community is one step ahead of the scientists. It turns out that hunger pangs can generally be relieved by a bout of moderate to intense resistance exercise, and that training performance is enhanced when training on an empty stomach.


The practice of training hungry definitely should be considered a vital weapon in all resistance exercise programs. In the simplest of terms, resistance exercise and eating do not mix! Moreover, hunger pangs in themselves should not dictate meal timing. In fact, the sensation of hunger has absolutely nothing to do with intelligently planned meal timing. For example, the post-exercise meal is considered by many experts to be the most important meal of the day, as it is vital that recovery energy be provided as soon as possible following a workout. The replacement of expended energy and the maintenance of a positive nitrogen balance is a must. This post-exercise meal should ideally be ingested within a very short period after the workout. And, as we now know, the exercise just performed has effectively soothed the nagging pre-workout hunger pangs. This means that to eat intelligently, more often than not, one needs to eat in the absence of hunger pangs (directly after the exercise session for example). Hence, the sensation of hunger should play no roll in establishing proper meal timing and practicing healthy eating habits, rather it should be considered a preliminary starvation warning to be avoided. The faster the metabolism, the more often the warning. It can be generalized that when adhering to an optimum nutrition program hunger pangs should not even be experienced (except just prior to the workout), as meal timing should be quite frequent.


Training hungry also has biological value. Upon eating, food travels to the small intestine where almost all digestion occurs. The conversion and use of broken down nutrients becomes a priority to the body. In order to transport these newly absorbed nutrients to various organs and body tissues, the blood vessels in and around muscle tissues constrict while vessels in and around digestion dilate. This forces blood away from muscles and towards the digestive system, minimizing oxygen and nutrient provision to the muscles. In understanding this physiological occurrence, imagine ingesting food just prior to training. Digestion is occurring at the same time activity is being performed. This results in a “tug-of-war” between muscles and digestion, both desperately in need of increased blood flow for the purpose of oxygen and nutrient transport. What happens as a result? Exercise will be more taxing, and digestion will be compromised as neither will receive adequate blood flow. What are typical signs of this “tug-of-war”? Excessive rapid breathing, abnormally high exercise heart rate, nausea, and dizziness. The degree of discomfort and severity of the above symptoms will vary according to the intensity being used. When these symptoms occur, it would be appropriate to stop training.


What considerations should be made when setting up the pre-workout meal, you ask?

#1-The kind of food ingested in the pre-workout meal is important. Proteins and lots of light carbs would be appropriate. Generally speaking, select complex carbs that are digested easily to insure there is minimal digestion occurring at the onset of your workout. Since it is always important to include protein in every meal, and protein takes somewhat longer to assimilate, meal timing is also among the most important considerations in pre-workout meal planning, and will be discussed later.


#2-Make your pre-workout meal a small one. There is no reason to ingest any more than about 500 calories before a resistance training workout since the majority of energy used during resistance training will come from inside muscle tissues. This low number of total pre-workout calories should help to insure there is minimal digestion occurring at the onset of exercise, thus freeing up more blood for the purpose of transporting much needed nutrients and oxygen to working muscles for optimum performance.


#3-Eat the pre-workout meal about 2-3 hours before your scheduled workout. In most cases, this should provide plenty of time for the absorption of the small 500 calorie pre-workout meal.


In summary, workout performance is improved greatly when training hungry through proper pre-workout meal planning, and the consequent re-routing of the cardiovascular system. Of additional importance is the knowledge that hunger should never dictate meal planning. In a perfect world, hunger should only be experienced just prior to a workout. The frequency of meal timing throughout the remainder of the day should be such that hunger is not experienced. There you have it. NEVER eat when you’re hungry...train! And when the hunger is gone...eat! Good luck and great gains!

 

[Juice Authority]

http://forum.lowcarber.org/t21258-4.html

I took this excerpt (left out the part about how he said to maintain a low-fat diet!) from an article on askmen.com by Ian Lee entitled "Fat Burning Morning Workouts." Just adding some more info on the positives of AM cardio on am empty stomach!

Now, here's why cardio training in the morning is a great way to blast fat:
Your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (also called stored carbohydrates) are normally very low when you wake up first thing in the morning. With depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar, you'll give your body the perfect environment to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates or glycogen are your body's primary and preferred source of energy. When they're low, your body will tap into your secondary energy reserve, which is your body fat. The idea here is similar to when the engine taps into the car's reserve tank because it's low on fuel.

Obviously, your body is way more complex than your car's gas tank. It always burns up a combination of carbohydrates and fat. However, the less carbohydrates you have, the more fat your body will burn.

Are you convinced yet? If so, great -- but expect an adjustment period. The same way you're jet-lagged after an overseas trip or drowsy when you suddenly have to switch from the graveyard shift to a regular 9 to 5 shift, training in the morning will require some lag time.

Normally, it should take approximately three weeks for your body to fully adjust to the time change. You'll start feeling fully energized; you'll wake up more easily and will generally be more alert.

Now all you need is a louder alarm clock to help you get up those first few weeks. Before you know it, you'll be a lean, mean, morning machine. Good luck and keep on pumpin'.

 

[poantrex]

Juice Authority - 1

Nelson - 0.

I've said this before, but I'd bet nelson would argue with a stop sign if given a chance.

 

[Juice Authority]

http://www.femalemuscle.com/nutrition/morningaerobics.html

Venuto on Nutrition



- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Tom Venuto

When is the best time of day to do your aerobic exercise? The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. Continuous cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, stairclimbing, or cycling, sustained for at least 30 minutes, will burn body fat no matter when you do it. However, if you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning aerobic exercise on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day.

First of all, morning cardio burns more fat! Early in the morning before you eat, your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) are low. If you eat dinner at 7 p.m and you eat breakfast at 7 a.m., that's 12 hours without food. During this 12-hour overnight fast, your levels of glycogen slowly decline to provide glucose for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. As a result, you wake up in the morning with depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar - the optimum environment for burning fat instead of carbohydrate. How much more fat you'll burn is uncertain, but some studies have suggested that up to 300% more fat is burned when cardio is done in a fasted, glycogen-depleted state.

So how exactly does this work? It's quite simple, really. Carbohydrate (glycogen) is your body's primary and preferred energy source. When your primary fuel source is in short supply, this forces your body to tap into its secondary or reserve energy source; body fat. If you do cardio immediately after eating a meal, you'll still burn fat, but you'll burn less of it because you'll be burning off the carbohydrates you ate first. You always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrate for fuel, but depending on when you exercise, you can burn a greater proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate. If doing cardio first thing in the morning is not an option for you, then the second best time to do it would be immediately after weight training. Lifting weights is anaerobic (carbohydrate-burning) by nature, and therefore depletes muscle glycogen. That's why a post lifting cardio session has a similar effect as morning cardio on an empty stomach.

The second benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated for hours after the session is over. If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.

Burning more fat isn't the only reason you should do your cardio early. The third benefit of morning workouts is the "rush" and feeling of accomplishment that stays with you all day long after an invigorating workout. Exercise can become a pleasant and enjoyable experience, but the more difficult or challenging it is for you, the more important it is to get it out of the way early. When you put off any task you consider unpleasant, it hangs over you all day long, leaving you with a feeling of guilt, stress and incompleteness (not to mention that you are more likely to "blow off" an evening workout if you are tired from a long day at work or if your pals try to persuade you to join them at the pub for happy hour.)

You might find it hard to wake up early in the morning and get motivated to workout. But think back for a moment to a time in your life when you tackled a difficult task and you finished it. Didn't you feel great afterwards? Completing any task, especially a physically challenging one, gives you a "buzz." When the task is exercise, the buzz is physiological and psychological. Physiologically, exercise releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins are opiate-like hormones hundreds of times more powerful than the strongest morphine. Endorphins create a natural "high" that makes you feel positively euphoric! Endorphins reduce stress, improve your mood, increase circulation and relieve pain. The "high" is partly psychological too. Getting up early and successfully achieving a small goal kick starts your day and gives you feelings of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment. For the rest of the day you feel happy and you feel less stress knowing that a difficult part of the day is behind you.

So, you say you're not a morning person? Take heart; neither am I. I can sleep in like you wouldn't believe! But I get up anyway because I know the effort is worth the results. When I have a bodybuilding goal that I am clearly focused on, such as reaching 4% or 5% body fat for a competition, I'm on my Stairmaster for 45 minutes every morning at the crack of dawn without fail. Sure it's a challenge at first, but you know what? After a few short weeks, It's no longer a chore and I'm "in the groove" - and you will be too. Just try it. Make a commitment to yourself to do it for just 21 days. Once those 21 days have gone by, you'll already be leaner and you'll be on your way to making morning workouts a habit that's as natural as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Once you start getting used to feeling that buzz, you'll become "positively addicted" to it. The more you do it, the more you'll want to do it. Before you know it, early morning cardio will be your new habit, you'll be leaner, your metabolism will be faster and you'll feel fantastic all day long!