You may think that if you start working out and always hungry, you will quickly get back in shape. In fact, this makes you easily tired all day and does not guarantee the desired weight loss effect.
Many people believe that exercising before eating helps to burn fat, so exercising to lose weight will be effective. However, the habit of exercising after eating again helps you increase energy and improve exercise capacity.
If you keep an empty stomach when exercising to lose weight, there is a higher risk of hypoglycemia.
Fasted cardio, also known as cardio when hungry, will help you burn more fat but is not suitable for those who like to exercise heavily or have some medical conditions.
So you have to consider many factors to know if you should keep an empty stomach when exercising.
Fasted cardio is the trend to exercise on an empty stomach. This fitness trend requires you to do cardio when your body no longer has to digest food.
Many people believe that this is a quick and effective way to exercise weight loss, but there is also an opinion that exercising on an empty stomach costs you energy.
Fasted cardio does not mean you pursue intermittent fasting, a diet that involves a cycle of fasting and alternating fasting.
This practice is as simple as doing cardio, like jogging first before having breakfast. So how do you know if you should exercise on an empty stomach on a fasted cardio?
Before adopting the fasted cardio regimen, you should consider whether you are in the group that qualifies for fasted cardio.
At the same time, you should also know the tips to help fasted cardio avoid health risks safely.
Let's learn about the benefits and risks of exercising on an empty stomach. At the same time, you also need to know whether you should eat before or after exercise to lose weight to be effective.
Exercise to lose weight on an empty stomach
A pre-breakfast routine of exercising can enhance fat burning and blood sugar control.
This is the result of a study by British scientists published in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” (Journal of Endocrinology & Clinical Metabolism) on October 19, 2019.
Getting hungry while exercising has the effect of losing weight?
The theory is that your body consumes stored fat and carbohydrates for energy instead of the food you eat, so fat is lost faster on an empty stomach. In fact, the effects of weight loss when exercising on an empty stomach are still debating many researchers. You can actually lose weight, but you run the risk of losing muscle mass.
• When you are not hungry: The body will not use the stored energy sources in the body (muscle, fat) but only consume the amount of sugar in the blood, so it does not affect weight.
• When you fast: Your body, after using up blood sugar, will burn muscle and fat for energy, leading to weight loss. However, this is not beneficial for bodybuilders looking to build muscle.
Read more: Walk After Meal Benefits – You'll Don't Want to Spend Time Watching TV Anymore.
Health risks of exercising on an empty stomach
Although some research supports an empty stomach exercise regimen, this doesn't mean this is the ideal way to exercise for weight loss.
If you practice on an empty stomach, you can burn precious energy for your body. Being active on an empty stomach can cause hypoglycemia, making you dizzy, nauseous, or trembling.
Another possibility is that your body will adjust to constantly use its fat reserves for energy and begin to store more fat than usual.
This both makes the exercise plan to lose weight unsuccessful and has negative effects on your health.
You may look more chubby because of genetics, so it is not necessary to lose weight at all to get a slim figure. Instead of deciding to fast when exercising to lose weight, you can eat before and after the exercise at the right time.
Food helps increase exercise efficiency.
A balanced diet will help you exercise and lose weight more effectively. Instead of a miserable fast, you should pay attention to the foods that increase exercise efficiency:
- Natural foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
- Healthy fats: olive oil, coconut oil, ghee avocado, and avocado.
- Food was rich in nutrients: nuts, sprouts, fish …
- Protein: lean meats, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
If you eat pre-workout, choose easily digestible foods that contain carbohydrates, proteins and fats. You can eat these foods for about 2-3 hours before exercising. If you don't have a lot of time, try a snack with a sandwich, a sandwich, a fresh fruit or a dried fruit.
Always remember to stay hydrated before, during, and after exercise. In addition to water, you can also drink fruit juice or sports drinks.
Certain foods can help improve and enhance your post-workout recovery. You can eat foods rich in carbohydrates (sugars, starches, and fibers) and protein (protein) for about 30 minutes – 2 hours after your workout.
Healthy protein can help boost your immune system and promote healing. You should also include foods rich in vitamins C, D, zinc, and calcium.
Here are a few things you can eat and drink after exercising:
- Pizza
- sandwich
- Nuts
- Soymilk
- Fruit juice
- Fruit yogurt
- Energy cake
- Whole-wheat bread
- Low-fat chocolate milk
The group can practice fasted cardio.
The habit of getting hungry while doing cardio can have several benefits if you are in stable health. This is an exercise regime suitable for those who are overweight and want to lose weight quickly. You might consider doing a fasted cardio if:
• Want to burn more fat: A method of cardio exercise using a treadmill or bike before meals is said to help with weight loss. If you keep an empty stomach when exercising, your body has no calories or excess energy, so you must use your stored energy reserves. The energy used at this time is glycogen, and fat accumulates in the body.
A few small studies show that exercising in the morning after 8-12 hours without eating anything at night can help you burn up to 20% more fat.
• Worrying about high blood sugar after eating: Eating a meal or even a snack before cardio can cause blood sugar to rise. This can make you feel tired during exercise. This fatigue feeling is very likely to occur when you eat foods rich in fat and fiber in the morning.
To avoid a rise in blood sugar, you can exercise on an empty stomach if you feel the meal is too big or don't have enough 1-2 hours to digest the food before exercising.
• Like the feeling of exercise when hungry: How to exercise fasted cardio not only based on the need to lose weight but also depending on individual preferences. Some people only like to exercise when they are hungry, but others exercise more effectively after 2-3 hours of eating.
To see if you should exercise on an empty stomach, start with a small step-by-step experiment with fasted cardio.
Try a banana or a piece of toast before your workout and listen to your body's response. If you find your body reacts positively, you can try exercising as soon as you wake up the next morning.
The group should not practice fasted cardio.
The form of cardio exercise without eating may not be suitable for some special groups, especially those with weak health. The fasted cardio exercise method is also not ideal for those who aim to build lean muscle mass. You should consider carefully if you belong to the following groups:
• You want to gain muscle mass: Muscle maintenance is not the same as gaining muscle mass. If you want to maintain muscle mass, you need to eat adequate protein and regularly use it to fast cardio. However, those who are aiming to gain muscle should not starve when exercising.
When the body lacks calories, it will usually use carbs and fat reserves, not muscle.
However, heavy exercise routines when you are hungry for a long time can deplete the body of energy and draw energy from the muscles. This will cause you to gradually lose muscle mass and be unable to build muscle and expected.
• You love doing exercises that require strength and speed: If you want to do some exercises that require a lot of energy or speed, consider eating before exercising to get enough strength. Glucose is a suitable fuel source for activities that require energy and speed. However, the body will not have enough of this necessary energy when you are not eating or drinking.
• You have some medical problems: To do cardio on an empty stomach, you need to be in good health. You should consider avoiding fasted cardio if you have health conditions that can lower blood pressure or blood sugar and lead to dizziness. These conditions may put you at a higher risk of injury from movement.
The secret to doing cardio when hungry is safe
If you decide to try fasted cardio after considering your health and fitness goals, take note of the following points to ensure more safety:
- Always drink enough water when exercising.
- Don't do cardio for more than 60 minutes without eating anything.
- Choose mid to low intensity exercises.
Weight and physique are determined by when to exercise and depend on your lifestyle and diet.
Therefore, you should not force yourself to fasted cardio if you feel tired or not suitable for weight loss. Instead, choose a form of exercise that you feel comfortable with so that you can maintain long-term physical training habits.
Exercises help you get in shape and need to ensure your health and fitness is a healthy choice. Patiently combine your exercise regimen with food and rest, and you will get better and better!
Does FASTED Cardio Burn More Fat? (What The Science Says)
Should you eat before or after you exercise?
To determine whether or not you should eat before exercising, you can rely on your practice.
• Light subjects: You do not have to eat before practicing light subjects such as walking, golf, yoga …
• The subject needs a lot of strength: You should have a snack before training, especially when the time is prolonged in sports such as jogging, tennis, swimming …
You may want to eat during strenuous exercise that lasts longer than an hour, such as during a marathon. This has important implications for maintaining the blood sugar needed to keep moving. As a result, you also avoid using up the muscles' energy and help you build muscle mass.
You can have a snack about 1-2 hours before training and eat and drink normally about 30 minutes – 1 hour after exercising. If you are aiming to gain muscle, then you should add more protein within 2 hours of training.
It's best to talk to your doctor if your health conditions affect your diet and exercise pattern. If you have diabetes, pay attention to controlling your blood sugar before, during, and after exercise.
If you have thyroid disease, low blood pressure, or high blood pressure, take note of your diet and exercise to manage your condition.
Don't overdo it if you exercise on an empty stomach, especially when doing stretched activities. Whether you eat before or after you exercise depends on how you feel.
It is important to maintain drinking enough fluids, with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. It would help if you also talked to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
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