Is working out on an empty stomach ok?
- September 24, 2007
I never recommend working out without some protein (take in about 20 grams of protein powder about 30 minutes before you workout), avoiding carbs before training forces the body to quickly dig into carbohydates reserves called muscle glycogen. As glycogen drops, fat burning increases. Some people will find training after consuming little or no carbs difficult, but within a week or so, the body quickly adapts to it. I only reccomend this before doing cardio. Doing cardio on an empty stomach (that doesn’t include the 10-20 grams of protein you should take 20-30 minutes beforehand) is great for fat-burning as well as first thing in the morning, before you eat breakfast, is a good time to do it.
Hormones play a huge role in fat-burning, specifically insulin, the dominant hormone that can inhibit the breakdown of bodyfat when it’s released into the bloodstream after the comsumption of carbs. When there is a lack of carbs in the body, insulin levels remain low, which maximizes the release of fat burning hormones. When you wake up in the morning your carb levels will probably be at there lowest all day, setting the stage for a fat-shreding cardio session. As I said this should be done only before cardio. Working out with weights without carbs in the system causes the body to use muscle for energy, and having lean dense muscle raises your metabolism.
Thanks for the info! I’m gonna try your suggestion for morning or after work cardio.