I find that an hour to 90 minutes I do better in a fasted state, as I feel lighter and more energetic, but after that I hit ‘the wall’ and suffer… I haven’t found the solution yet, but as someone who likes to do 100km cycle races and other long stuff eating right to fuel a long session is a challenge.
If I keep the intensity right down (Like I did when doing a 40km race with my beginner fiancée) then I can happily exercise for 3 or 4 hours… without any food, just a very low calorie sports drink to stop me from dehydrating or cramping.
Over the weekend I hit the gym with my buddy Mikey for a morning cardio workout.
Now, I say “cardio”, but really it was a metabolic resistance training session.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, the simple definition for metabolic resistance training is “cardio with weights”. We’ll cover this more in detail in another update so as not to get too off topic.
So we’re about 10 minutes into the workout and Mikey looks like he’s in pretty bad shape (despite being in really GOOD shape). So I asked him what the deal was.
“I didn’t eat anything for breakfast.”
Me: Why the heck not?
“I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do if you want to burn the most fat from your morning workouts.”
Uh oh.
Perhaps you’re still believing this old myth just like good ol’ Mikey, so allow me to take a moment to dispel it.
The theory behind empty stomach is cardio is simple: supposedly, by doing cardio on a empty stomach, you tap directly into fat stores since glycogen (carbohydrate) stores are somewhat depleted after an overnight fast.
Seems to make sense, but research has proven this to be wrong.
Several studies have shown no difference in substrate utilization (glycogen vs. fat) for those working out on an empty stomach vs. those who eat a small meal prior to their morning workouts.
In fact, one study showed the exact opposite—those who had a small meal first burned more calories and more fat than the empty stomach group.
How can this be?
The reason is rather simple if you think about it. I was kicking butt and taking names with my workout, and Mikey was barely able to get through his. Even if not eating beforehand allowed you to burn more fat (which it doesn’t), the major trade off is performance.
And why does performance matter? Well, if you can’t perform at an optimal level and put forth maximal effort, then you are not going to be burning an optimal amount of calories–period.
The truth is, empty stomach cardio is an outdated philosophy whose theory was proven incorrect by research. Still, there are plenty of people who hold on to the theory despite the available research. Perhaps they’re not aware of it, perhaps they just go by what the fitness and bodybuilding magazines tell them (bad idea); I’m not sure.
Whatever the reason, popular philosophy doesn’t always mean correct philosophy, and this is one such instance.
So I’ll leave you with some practical recommendations:
At the very minimum, have a couple scoops of whey before any morning “cardio” workout.
That said, if it’s still negatively affecting your performance, you need to go a bit further. The meal doesn’t have to be large, but it should contain some complex carbs (oatmeal, etc) along with a small serving of protein.
Give it about a half hour to begin digesting and then hit your workout.
Better performance = more calories burned = more fat loss = improved cardiovascular functioning = even better performance = even more calories burned = even more fat loss.
Don’t be like my friend Mikey and have a crappy workout because you didn’t eat. As I shared with you, the research shows that’s not going to make a difference anyway. Instead, eat your Wheaties (figuratively speaking) and then dominate your workout!
Alright, now it’s comment time:
I want to know: Do you still do empty stomach cardio? Will you give it up based on this post? Do you notice your performance suffers?
Or maybe you do REALLY well with empty stomach cardio.
Either way, let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!
Chat with you below!
Your friend,
Joel
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I actually got to see articles that stated otherwise.
If you go on a moderate intensity cardio on an empty stomach you should burn more fat. It also found that eating a diner with a reasonable amount of carbs the night before going on an empty stomach cardio you would perform and burn fat way better.
Then again you don’t burn that much fat doing moderate intensity cardio but I guess it could be interesting for people with diabete disease or heart condition.
I should be able to find the articles on pubmed if you want to see them.
I get great results from doing empty stomach HIIT workouts. I just drink a glass of water and a cup of black coffee and I’m off. I can see awesome results in less than a month with just a once a week HIIT session.
Its dead easy. Stop doing steps and do any of the following workouts: circuits, metabolic resistance, high intensity free weights which includes supersets or tri sets with minimum rest. also do interval training on treadmill or bike. People need to stop doing PUSSY workouts and expecting results!!!!
I tried both methods, and I gotta say…when I dont eat anything prior to my morning cardio…I feel like I am really suffering through it and I just wont be able to finish my workout. But when I get a fair amount of protien and carbs and wait about an hour before my workout….I feel great and I perform much better. Although I have to ask….I bought a jar of BCAA from Optimum Nutrition since prograde doesnt ship to my country. It has the same composition of prograde’s BCAA which are 500 mg of L-Leucine, 250 mg of L-Isoleucine and 250 mg of L-Valine. In your 1000 cal challenge, you state that we should have 5 grams of BCAA between every meal for a total of 25 grams daily. Since the BCAA that I use has 1000 mg per serving, that means I need 5 servings which is a total of 10 capsules between every meal ( 50 capsules daily) Are my calculations correct?
I am a Personal Trainer who has read many articles and books regarding pre and post exercise nutrition for optimal performance for both sport and exercise. From a personal point of view I always have something to eat before my workouts and would recommend my clients to do so. Nonetheless, if they tell me that they are training at 4:00am in the morning and cant find a suitable snack before their workout then for me its NO BIG DEAL as long as their hydrating throughout their workout. Lets be honest, is the average person training that hard that their carb stores are depleted before workouts, I doubt it. So if they feel fine working out without eating then so be it. Everybody is different and individualist. I play semi pro soccer and know guys who can run and sprint for the whole game wiithout eating very little before games. Hope this puts different spin on things.
Your body will tell you what IT needs. Personally I can’t eat anything when I wake up. All I can manage is some water. About an hour later I’m ready to eat.
I did Joel’s XFLD earlier this year and the most intense workouts I had were on the fast days. I had lots of energy, even though I was up before the birds to fit it in my busy day.
I’m now doing the 1000 Cal Challenge and find I can con concentrate more and get a better workout if I haven’t eaten prior to it.
The info Joel, and others, give is great stuff. But if it doesn’t work for you don’t sweat it. Everyone is different and until I’m personally tested in one of the many studies I’ll continue to read, try and evaluate.;-)
Cheers
Chris
I do really well training in the early morning on an empty stomach and always have done. I was able to lose a lot of weight like this. It is actually better to train on an empty stomach because if ur stomach contains food, ur blood will be mainly redirected towards ur stomach any way for digestion and assimilation of the food.Also energy will be redirected towards ur digestive system too. It makes sense that if ur stomach is empty when u train, ur body will have to get its workout supply from somwhere, and glycogen stores and fat stores are the oly available source. Its more mental than physical.
I also think it depends on what you ate and how long before you went to bed. I also think that a low intensity workout can be done on an empty stomach cause of the simple fact that your body needs more oxygen to burn fat than glycogene or proteins. If your workout is on a high level of intensity your body will go for the glycogene and if there is not enough storage of that in your body and you are on a to high of a intensitylevel your body will take the next best thing that can be burned with the minimum of oxygen and that is unfortunately protein or in case of an empty stomache muscles!
I do empty stomach cardio due to lack of time. I workout at 7am and I have to be at work by 9. I figured that I should not eat and work out immediately. instead, I grab a fruit cocktail with a pinch of almonds and drink that in the way to work, after the workout.
is that all bad?
First of all I want to say that I don’t always workout on an empty stomache but I just listin to my body if I think I need something I eat something if not I go for my run on an empty stomache. The most comen heard reason to eat before a workout is the fact that you can perform longer and therefor burn more calories but isn’t it a little bit filling one whole with another? I mean if I eat something for instance a total of 300/350 calories to extend my workout how long do I have to extend or intensify my workout too burn the extra 300/350 calories compared to someone that didn’t eat those 300/350 calories?? If you train with someone with about the same capacity/level you will have to make quite a difference to burn 300/350- calories more than your trainingpartner.
I am so sick of articles going against each other. Who is right and who is wrong?! Articles always say “studies show” but then they do not cite their information. I don’t know you, so why am I going to believe you if you are not backing yourself up. Joel, nothing against you, but I am just getting so tired of learning one thing then finding out it is wrong. This entire industry is skewed and it is really starting to mess with my head because I do not know who to believe anymore.
Watch, tomorrow I am going to find out the chocolate helps you lose weight too. Wonderful.
I only have a half hour before my morning workout, is that enough time to digest a small pre workout meal?
@ karen:
I agree. I get up at 3:30 am every morning and work out on an empty stomach. I sure dont want to get up at 3. I have plenty of energy and have very effective and gratifying workouts this way. I have lost 90lbs in the last year doing this. I think if you are used to working out on an empty stomach and it is working for you, don’t change it.
@ Michael Powell:
im sorry to hear that but im glad i can inform you that powerwalking is NOT what you should be doing to burn fat.
If you are eating right( high protein and healthy fats, low carbs) and also doing some EFFECTIVE training such as KettleBelll Circuits, Bodyweight circuits with sprints, sled dragging, strongman circuits, escalating density training etc, the fat will melt right off with some effort. Powerwalking isnt going to be effective because it plainly is not intense enough. With the msot effeectve weight loss training, you may not be losing massive amounts of actual weight but your body fat will be decreasing rapidly which im assuming is what you want ( get leaner)
hope i was of help :D
I regularly run on an empty stomach; mainly because I go out first thing in the morning after the kids have gone to school. I don’t find any problems with this despite doing 10-15 miles. As Michael said (post above) I think its more to do with what you’ve eaten the night before that impacts a training session. It certainly means I look forward to my breakfast when I get back!
hi this is sam from spain, i´ve done empty stomach weightlifting, & cardio.
weightlifting: in the beginning it costs a little bit, but after few days, i´ve done workouts at 100% (depending on what i´ve done on previuos days).
About Cardio(jogging, HIIT & swimming) on empty stomach is the only problem i have, I feel too tired after that, can´t eat properly the breakfast, & feel tired the whole day untill i have a good sleep of few hours….
my main reason of trying to do workouts on empty stomach is, i can´t workout with any food in stomach, it has to be empty, otherwise can´t give 100%. i´ve tried eating something a tuna sandwich 1h30min before workout, & still don´t feel 100% comfortable.
regards, Sam
Sounds like “chonic cardio”. Too much working out, not enough balance.
Cut out 100% sugar and flour and you’ll lose weight.
Check our Marc Sisson Primal Blueprint.
Have a intermittant mild irritating pain to severe and it has varying degrees of pain to even fully giving out. I think it originally began when I was doing Pull-ups thus I thought it was just a muscle pull. Few weeks later after babying it went to Dr. as it was still very bothersome intermittantly. He thought it was a minor Bi-cep tear recommended pressure-bands one for Bicep and one for Forearm and gave me some exercises (low weight) to strengthen the area. Now going on eight weeks and no relief, any ideas?
What if you don’t have time to eat before morning workout. I like to start with an early morning workout but schedule does not allow me to eat small meal and let it digest before starting. I really have never eaten before I workout sometimes it bothers me but not as a rule. what is your advice??
love your articles, Cat
Joel,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!!!! I can’t workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and have always said it’s like trying to start a car without gas. As you stated, your performance suffers and you’re not working out as intensely as you can.
Throughout the years, I have told every one of my clients to make sure they have something 30-45 minutes before they workout. Those who have trained with me on an empty stomach have learned their lesson the hard way. When you’re training on an empty stomach, your blood sugar levels are already low. When you work out, your body taps into glycogen stores plummeting your blood sugar levels even lower and guess what happens…. you get light headed and feel like you’re about to puke and you can’t finish your workout. And really, what good is that!
I get my mojo going every morning with a bowl of old fashioned oats, mixed with 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, topped with walnuts, cinnamon, a bit of honey. One hour later I’m ready to tear that gym up :D
Cheers!
ShariFitness
I cycle approx 6 miles every morning before having breakfast and find that it doesn’t effect my performance but I never do metabolic resistance training on an empty stomach as I feel my performance is always better once I have eaten.
Joel just before I read your tip of the day I had a small cup of raw oatmeal with teaspoon of cinnamon, 10 raisins, a few drops of maple syrup. I also had a scoop of Casein in organic 1% milk. This was @ 4:00 am and I will be in a pool @ 6:00 to swim 2 miles. Lots of questions. I read somewhere, either you or one of your recomended friends, that two hours before a workout was better than 1/2 hour, I used Casein because it was 2 hours and Whey would be gone. I do not need the raisins or the maple syrup but your friend Isabel tells me it is good in very small amounts. Of this what should I do and what should I cut out? I am trying to do everything just right but I will read from Isabel not to use soy anything and then she will have me click on something from Kim Lyons that is pushing a protein with soy in it. What is correct and what is not?
Thank you,
tim
I have been doing the the Get Lean in 12 program and their big push is to do cardio training on an empty stomach. Now you are saying that is out dated. I heard of your program thru their program. So now I’m confused on who’s program is the best for me. Please help.
Hi Joel,
You mention cardio on an empty stomach is not good…. what about weight training? Same principle???
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...