Lifting on an empty stomach?

[Advaik]

Is it a bad idea to lift on an empty stomach. I want to start lifting and doing cardio in the morning instead of doing cardio in the morning then waiting to do lifting in the afternoon. I want to do cardio after lifting, and I have to have an empty stomach for cardio, so I would also have an empty stomach while lifting. Will this be bad for growth? 30 minutes after workout I plan to have a big meal with lots of protein/carbs/supplements.

 

[diamonddiceclay]

NEVER LIFT ON EMPTY STOMACH. ALWAYS DO CARDIO ON EMPTY STOMACH 1st thing in morning- THIS IS A FACT

 

[Advaik]

Actually I plan on doing flexibility training first thing in the morning, followed by cardio.

So then I do cardio, wait 30 minutes, eat, then do strength training?

 

[rez]

NEVER LIFT ON EMPTY STOMACH. ALWAYS DO CARDIO ON EMPTY STOMACH 1st thing in morning- THIS IS A FACT

dimond..does this apply to doing a 'pump' class aswell?

 

[Grantsdu]

I have trained on an empty stomach but I don't recomend it. I work out as soon as I get in from work and shower. Alot of times I don't have time to eat. Anymore, I take time to eat, I always feel better and I seem to work out harder!

 

[Lumberg]

Absolutely. You should not lift while you are starving. Your stomach should be just empty enough so you don't puke if you work out hard. Also cardio and weights should be in separate sessions, like cardio in the a.m. and weights at night. Better yet just do cardio on your off days of your split.

As far as cardio, empty stomach with a couple fat burners (ECAs, NYCs) taken just prior is said to be the way to maximize fat loss. A.m. immediately after waking up is often quoted as being the ideal time.

 

[Snatch518]

I had an intense workout leg workout on an empty stomach and I damn near through up. You body needs the food when you work out.

 

[CytoMel]

I train best on an empty stomach. Well I eat a mal protein bar before training. Some of my training partners eat at Dennys before training, thats disgusting!

Training hungry makes me angry and I train better.

Save the eating until after you train.

 

[scruples]

i workout on an empty stomach (lifting 40 min + cardio 20 min) first thing in the morning... i drink an ECA drink when i get to the gym and have plenty of energy and stamina to make it through my workouts in which i make every effort to keep as intense as possible (3-5 exercises, 2 sets/exercise, 4-8 reps/set -- always to failure)

 

[Lumberg]

i workout on an empty stomach (lifting 40 min + cardio 20 min) first thing in the morning... i drink an ECA drink when i get to the gym and have plenty of energy and stamina to make it through my workouts in which i make every effort to keep as intense as possible (3-5 exercises, 2 sets/exercise, 4-8 reps/set -- always to failure)

Got any pics? Would love to see what that does to the body.

JC

 

[b fold the truth]

Well...I am sure I am not qualified to give any kind of advice for diet or cardio...but believe it or not I used to be very lean. I would get up every morning and ride my bicycle about 10 miles. After that I would eat eggs and toast...and then clean foods all day long.

Many people get losts in the idea that you must eat a clean breakfast before or after doing your cardio. Remember that your diet begins with every single meal that you eat. I would say that breakfast would be the one big hearty meal that you have all day.

Don't know about not eating, lifting, then doing cardio. That is way too much of a catabolic state if you ask me. Just get up and eat lightly, lift, then do your cardio. It is NOT going to make that much of a difference if you eat before it or not...honestly.

If you spend all of your life worrying about the fine details...you will probably end up missing the big picture.

B True

 

[FitnessFrk]

the stomach should be almost empty during a training session as the previous meal should have been eaten 1.5-2 hours prior to the training session.

a small serving of whey(25 grams) or BCAA's can surely be taken right before training but no "real food" should be consumed before weight training.

 

[b fold the truth]

the stomach should be almost empty during a training session as the previous meal should have been eaten 1.5-2 hours prior to the training session.

a small serving of whey(25 grams) or BCAA's can surely be taken right before training but no "real food" should be consumed before weight training.

Why?

I can NOT train very hard unless I have food in my stomach. You expecet me to go 2 hours without a meal...then lift...impossible..lol.

B True

 

[doironron]

Not eating works for me. I train around 3am to about 4:15am, then eat all day long to give the body what it needs to build. around 4:30 I have my first meal (shake) before work, and then every 2-3 hrs until bedtime at 7:30pm (last meal aroung 5pm).

 

[bm2k]

Actually I plan on doing flexibility training first thing in the morning, followed by cardio.

So then I do cardio, wait 30 minutes, eat, then do strength training?

You'd be better served doing flexibility training after cardio as your muscles are warm and respond better to stretching. Additionally, it is potentially harmful to stretch muscles that aren't warm, which is especially the case when you've just woken up.

 

[KISAWA]

I really CAN'T do anything without a BFST in my stomac and the last time I tried to ride my bike on an empty stomac I felt nauseous and I had to stop;
Instead I get up take a ECA, deca, and then protein shake and THEN I 'm ready for 40mn cardio!!!

Evrybody's different and I'm happy with the result.

Protein is good because the body does not have any carbs to burn!!

 

[MrMuscle]

i dunno. i think this would be hard..i could never do deadlifts on an empty stomach..i have t oeat 30 mintes before i hit the gym..or else i get hungry in the middle of the workout.

 

[Vortexx]

As usual the truth lies somewhere in the middle. You know what happens if you a 2 plates of macaroni, rush to the gym with a bulging stomach and want to do heavy squats : PUKE and you know what happens if you want to squat heavy on an empty stomach : it's not going to happen or you simply faint!

It's best to have a SMALL meal with low glycemic index 90 minutes before lifting i.e.
- 2 apples and some cottagecheese
- some oatmeal and baked eggs

The key here is to Stabillize your insuline levels before lifting, I mean the real power comes from the muscle and liverglycogen that got stored by eating those 3 plates of pasta yesterday!

But if you go to the gym and your insuline is too low or too high you just cannot unlock that power

So Yes, have that LAAAARGE meal as breakfast and 1 hour after training (after you already have taken some proteine / high glycemic index carbs immmediately after the workout)

 

[Lord_Suston]

I myself never eat more than an hour before I lift cause i get major cramps and sometimes throw up when doing squats or deads. Other than that I would say a small meal 1.5 hours before a wokout will ensure a decent amount of energy and not slow you down too mcuh, my light meal is an egg sandwich or a protein shake with fruit. I try to avoid milk cause this really cause me to get severe cramps then the clasic protein farts.....

 

[I'D RATHER BE DEADLIFTING]

I train best on an empty stomach. Well I eat a mal protein bar before training. Some of my training partners eat at Dennys before training, thats disgusting!

Training hungry makes me angry and I train better.

Save the eating until after you train.

I competely agree. All I have before I train in the morning is a small whey shake. If I eat a meal I feel like crap when I get in there. I train the best with little in my stomach. Then the rest of the day I eat.

 

[KISAWA]

Well, I have 6 meals a day, so I can't have a big meal otherwise I'm not hungry enough for the next one!!

 

[FitnessFrk]

b fold the truth...with out going into the complexitys of the digestion process, hormone secrection and digestive enzymes etc. lets look at it like this.

weight training is essentially a sport, a very hard and difficult sport. can you name one sport where you would want to ingest food directly before an athletic event ? I don't think so, so why would weight training be any different. .

 

[KISAWA]

Yeah right!!
but I still need something in my stomac or I get hunger cramps in the middle of my workout!!

 

[Aussie Juga naught]

a decent size feed is good before u hit the gym, just give it about 30 minutes to settle down than lift.