Fasted Training vs Eating Before Workouts: Study Compares the Difference

 

There’s a lot of conflicting information when it comes to working out in a fasted state. Some schools of thought say it’s ok to workout fasted as long as you’re doing cardio and not strength training.

Others say that it’s perfectly fine to workout fasted doing cardio or strength training.

But the key is to figure out what works best for you. If you feel as though you need some fuel before working out, do so.

But keep in mind that eating before working out makes your body burn glycogen which is stored sugar in the liver.

If you workout fasted you have a better chance of burning your fat stores. This is especially true if you follow a low carb diet.

Your body will always burn its glycogen stores before fat.

Slowly build to working out fasted

If you’re new to fasting it’s best to work out after eating. Even if it’s a small meal you’ll have an easier time adjusting to your fasting protocol.

As your body becomes used to being in a fasted state you can start to test and see if working out fasted is better.

The benefits of working out fasted include:

• Increased human growth hormone (HGH) levels which aid in fat loss and muscle growth.
• Better performance (once your body becomes accustomed to burning fat)
• You have the potential to have a more efficient metabolism

One study examined the benefits of metabolic adaptations due to endurance exercise training in the fasted state.

In the study:

• 20 healthy males were assigned to two experimental groups for a 6-weeks. There was the fasted group (F) and the fed group who ate an ample amount of carbs before working out (CHO).
• All subjects were active previously and were told not to participate in any strenuous activity other than the exercises prescribed in the study.
• The F group did all training in the fasted state. The CHO group had a carb-rich meal 90 minutes before the training session.
• The study found that the F group had more muscular oxidative capacity. The F group’s blood glucose didn’t drop like the CHO group. The study concluded to say that fasted training is a good tool for endurance.

Your body won’t lose muscle

Contrary to populate belief fasted training won’t inhibit muscle growth. The study I cited above, clearly points out that fasted training enhances physiological adaptations that can improve muscle growth and endurance.

If you are eating the proper amount of healthy calories per day you shouldn't worry about muscle loss while training in a fasted state.

The athletes' strength, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic endurance were not affected after such a long fast.

Dr. Fung highlights the fact that the body simply switches from burning sugar to fat. You have far more fat reserves on your body. This provides an almost boundless energy source for you.

This switch is most effective if you allow a 2 week adjustment period. A low carb diet also helps the body burn fat more effectively.

Vary workouts and fasting schedule

If you have frequent strenuous workouts it’s best to keep an eye out on your caloric intake.

Fasting makes it easy to go into a caloric deficit which is good for most people. But with the goal of gaining lean muscle, proper nutrition, and caloric intake is key.

Every day doesn't have to be a long drawn out fast for you to see results.

Eat more on days when you workout hard. Consider shorter fasts on workout days especially if you’re new to working out fasted.

Bottom line

Fasted training is a great way to increase strength and endurance. It allows you to burn more fat over time. It’s one of the best ways for your body to enter a peak performance state.

Why do you work out?

I’m not only going to tell you why I work out. I’m going to tell you why a lot of gym rats work out. This is a secret that most of them don’t want to tell you. But I’m about to spill the beans.

It’s tradition at this point. OR maybe habit is a more proper word. Like I said, I’ve been training for about 5 years now.

Anytime you do something for that long it becomes a habit. I go to the gym the same way most people brush their teeth.

You wake up, and you do it. You don’t think about it. You just do it.

This is also why I don’t look down on people who can’t seem to stick to the gym. I get it. It’s hard. Doing something as difficult as working out multiple times per week is tough for anybody.

That’s why I try to get people in the habit of going to the gym as quickly as possible.

Here are some tips I came up with to help with habit creation:

1. Get your workout clothes ready and sit them at the door before you go to sleep at night. This is for those who train in the morning. This way you’ll be forced to get out of bed to go to the door and get your clothes on. Put on your clothes and keep going right out the door.
2. Set very specific short term goals. Being specific will allow you to narrow your focus and ignore all the noise. Short term goals will light a fire under your butt while long term goals make procrastination easy. If you have a goal of bench pressing 225 lbs. 6 months from now it becomes easy to say, “I don’t NEED to go. I can miss a day and still hit my goal.”
3. Don’t do too much too quickly. Too many people take an all or nothing mentality to fitness. Starting with a 6 day/week training schedule leaves you nowhere to build to and will burn you out more quickly. Start off small and build from there.
4. Have some fun. The best way to keep yourself going to the gym is to actually enjoy yourself while you’re there. This will take some experimentation on your part, but you have to find a particular niche that you have fun with. Whatever you find enjoyment in, use it to push yourself into that weight room every day.

Can I lose belly fat without strength training?

No, I can tell you exactly.

People who start to gain weight all start with belly fat. The belly is the easiest to accumulate fat, so it is also the most difficult part.

Although waist training (such as rolling belly) can train abdominal muscles, it has no direct effect on reducing visceral fat. Pure strength training can help reduce subcutaneous fat, but has no obvious effect on visceral fat.

If you really want to lose belly fat and get rid of your belly, you need to do these things:

1.Aerobic exercise

In the process of fitness, we must understand that we are losing fat instead of losing weight. We need to consume excess fat through effective methods. There are many types of aerobic exercises, elliptical machines for cycling, etc. If you want to lose waist and abdomen fat, it is very important to persist in the process of aerobic fat reduction, at least 40 minutes.

2. Do more strength training

Strength training is mainly to increase muscle mass to improve the body's basic metabolism. Reducing abdominal fat does not require all the energy to focus on waist and abdomen training. Fat is systemic, not where it is thin.

Fat reduction must be performed all over the body at the same time. There is no such thing as local exercise to reduce local fat. In addition, for stubborn fat in the abdomen, it is necessary to carry out a systematic weight loss exercise. After you have experienced systemic weight loss exercise, you will slowly lose your "belly" and your abdominal muscles and vest lines will slowly Revealed.

Can arrange lumbar and abdominal training 1-2 times a week

More muscle groups can be arranged for the legs, chest, shoulders, etc.

3. Appropriate attention to diet and reasonable intake of nutrition.

Healthy eating: including increasing protein and fiber content, and controlling meals, all of which have been shown to help reduce body fat.

Protein intake is about 25-30% of your daily calories and may increase your metabolism by up to 100 calories per day.

Increasing fiber intake is another good strategy for weight loss. Vegetables rich in soluble fiber help to lose weight, it increases satiety and reduces calorie intake.

Must remember: eat less carbohydrate foods, do not eat any snacks, do not drink drinks, beer.

If you have any other questions about losing weight, please leave your comment.

If you think this answer is helpful, could you please upvote me.

How can I increase my fitness?

Once we know what physical conditions we have, the next step is to improve them. For this I give you 5 practical tips that will help you a lot on your way to a healthier life

1-Take care of your diet

The way you feed yourself will depend on your progress. To eat in a healthy way, I recommend two aspects. First, learn to prepare your food, because knowing what you eat and the way it was prepared will help you to have control over your diet. Eating healthy does not have to be boring; Be creative in the kitchen and this will help you both achieve your goals and save money. Second, avoid processed foods , as they contain sugars and preservatives that harm your health and therefore affect your physical condition. Buy more vegetables, vegetables, fruits, eggs and meats (red and white).

2-Create your training ruin and follow it

Organize a training plan according to your physical abilities and establish the time you will spend. Thirty minutes a day 4 times a week is a good start. Find the activity that best suits you, whether it is running, walking, swimming or doing functional exercises. The important thing is that you work your body as a unit, that is, doing exercises where as many muscles are involved as possible.

3-Train by circuits

When doing aerobic activities (running, walking or swimming) train by circuits, doing short repetitions at your maximum capacity. This type of training is very effective because it is a high intensity work that will help you burn more fat, develop and improve your cardio respiratory capabilities in a short time. I give you an example:

Trot 5 to 10 minutes at a gentle pace to warm up, then do 10 repetitions of 20 seconds at full speed and rest 40 seconds. You can also do this by bicycle, swimming or jumping rope.

4-Work your flexibility

Muscle flexibility is very important to avoid injuries. We must understand that, as we get older, we lose it and that is why it is essential that we work it. At the end of your workout spend at least 8 minutes to stretch all the muscles, to relax and to avoid pain after training. In addition to maintaining our muscular health, flexibility improves circulation, balance and coordination, which is very important in older people to avoid falls. It also improves posture and helps fight stress.

5-Train or play in a group

If you do not like to train just join a training group or invite your friends to exercise with you. This will make you feel challenged and motivated to achieve your goals. One way to exercise and have fun is to play with your friends or your family sports such as football, basketball, volleyball or any activity that helps you stay active outside the routine, in addition to sharing good times will help to substantially improve your physical condition .

Here is an example of a routine you can do from the comfort of your home:

Heating

-2 rounds rest 1 minute between series.

-50 jumping jacks or marine jump as fast as you can.

training

-2 to 3 rounds without rest (depends on your physical capacity).

-20 squats.

-20 push-ups or push-ups.

-20 kneeling up.

-20 abdominals.

Remember to work your flexibility. Always stretch your muscles.

This routine can be followed for 1 to 2 weeks and you can add more rounds, or if you prefer, more repetitions per exercise. It is a complete body routine that you can do anywhere without much space or much time. A final tip: do it as fast as you can.