What will happen if you train on an empty stomach.
There is some truth in the idea that training with weights on an empty stomach burns fat, but in fact everything is a little more complicated. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this practice.What is a workout with weights on an empty stomach?
When you are on an empty stomach (at least four to six hours after eating), your body has time to digest and assimilate most of what you ate during the last meal. This means that your body will switch from glucose to fat burning, since there is no other source of energy.
You can fast before strength training as a special strategy. This is also true for those who fast for religious purposes, who practice intermittent fasting, and those who need to fast for certain periods of time for medical reasons (for example, because you need an empty stomach blood test).
Hormones such as insulin and glucagen vary depending on the amount of glucose in the blood and liver. When blood glucose levels are high, the body uses glucose as fuel. Glucose comes from all macronutrients, but mainly from carbohydrates. When blood glucose levels decrease, the body burns fat to keep glucose stored in the muscles and liver. This helps to maintain optimal blood glucose levels.
Fasting weight training focuses on how the body uses substances to generate energy to optimize the amount of fat burned during exercise. Some believe that you can burn more fat by exercising on an empty stomach. Others believe that some pre-workout nutrition makes your weight training more effective because your body has more energy.
Benefits of training with weights on an empty stomach
In a state of fasting, insulin sensitivity increases, as well as the production of growth hormone increases. Both of them can accelerate fat loss, which supports the argument that fasting exercise leads to greater fat loss.
Exercising on an empty stomach is a strategy to increase fat burning with the hope of using some of the accumulated fat. For those who practice interval fasting, training on an empty stomach may be more convenient because you may have more free time in your schedule during the fasting period.
Disadvantages of fasting training
The intensity of the exercises you perform affects whether your body uses fat or glucose as fuel. Lifting weights or running fast will use stored muscle glucose (glycogen) more than fat, regardless of whether you do these heavy workouts on an empty stomach or not.
When you exercise too hard on an empty stomach, your muscles can degrade. This is because your body breaks down amino acids to help maintain critical blood glucose levels. Chronic low blood glucose levels and elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can depress the immune system.
In addition, the amount of fat and glucose used as fuel takes priority for 24 hours in relation to all energy needs, not just the needs of your workout. You can burn a little extra fat while exercising on an empty stomach, but it is unlikely that this will be enough to burn a lot of accumulated fat, if you consider it as a whole.
The best fuel before training
The best strategy for burning the maximum amount of fat is to eat two hours before a workout with weights or other exercises. If you wake up early and like to exercise first thing, have a snack before training, for example, toast with honey or an energy bar. Or drink a diluted glass of juice or a small sports drink during a workout. (Eating too much before a workout can lead to an upset stomach.)
A mixture of carbohydrates and proteins is an excellent choice before training with weights. Carbohydrates give your body fuel to boost performance, and protein helps your body build muscle mass during the recovery phase.
By eating a small snack before training, you can still stimulate the fat burning process without depriving your body of the necessary fuel. You also need some calories, protein and carbohydrates after your workout to help your muscles recover and become stronger.
Result
Fasting workouts have their pros and cons, so you should consider your unique situation to determine which option is best for you personally. Think about your own goals and see how you feel when you perform strength training on an empty stomach instead of pre-fortified with light snacks.
Sport is a long way to go, so if it's healthy, experiment with different levels of food before strength training or do exercises on an empty stomach, followed by a period of training with snacks before training.
If you have any concerns about how you should fuel your workouts, talk to your doctor. They can help you find the best solution for your health and fitness goals.
