Can You Lose Weight Faster by Exercising on an Empty Stomach?

Has anyone ever suggested you work out on an empty stomach? Doing cardio before or without fueling with food, otherwise known as fasted cardio, is a hot topic in the fitness and nutrition world.

So if people can lose weight faster by exercising on an empty stomach?

Here’s the answer from study:

“Fasting exercise has little effect on the change of body fat content, the key to long-term fat loss is to consume more calories than intake.”

Is the Fasted Cardio Useful or Harmful?

Although fasting exercise does not make much difference in weight loss, it has a greater impact on our body.

To achieve the effect of weight loss, aerobic exercise time needs at least 45 minutes. Exercising on an empty stomach for a long time often leads to fatigue, dizziness, palpitation, and “exercise hypoglycemia”, which is not conducive to ensuring high-quality aerobic exercise. The effect of weight loss can be imagined.

But if you choose fasting exercise, pay attention to a few points:

Fasting exercise should not be too intense, preferably at 50-60% of the maximum exercise intensity;

The time of fasting exercise should not be too long and should be controlled within 1 hour;

Fasting exercise should pay attention to supplement water;

It is best to eat some protein-rich foods after exercise, and pay attention to supplementing carbohydrates and water.

How to Eat Correctly Before Exercise?

It is recommended to eat 1 to 2 hours before exercise and choose a low GI carbohydrate.

Food with low GI value: The so-called “low GI” is simply understood as the effect of a certain food on blood sugar. Low-GI foods will increase blood sugar at a slower rate and decrease steadily, allowing the body to use these sugars slowly, making it less likely to feel hungry. Whole wheat bread, corn and some potatoes are all good choices.

Supplement the appropriate amount of high-quality high-protein food: moderate intake of high-quality protein before exercise can help muscle synthesis.

But remember not to be too full, just eat to 6 minutes full.

Tips: How to Eat after Exercising?

Within 45 minutes after exercise, the body’s metabolism will increase. Appropriate food can repair and grow muscles at maximum speed. Not only is it not easy to gain weight, it also helps to improve basic metabolism and exercise capacity, and will also make fat loss and exercise more efficient in the future.

The first thing after a workout is to drink water to replenish the water that you lost due to sweating during the workout.

You need to add some carbohydrates after exercise. Carbohydrates stimulate the secretion of insulin, and insulin can help muscles synthesize glycogen and promote rapid repair of the body.

Protein supplementation can help muscle repair. Protein is the source of muscle. The essential amino acids provided by protein can repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise and relieve exercise fatigue.

In short, if you want to effectively repair damaged tissues and quickly restore strength after strenuous exercise, then you need to consume carbohydrates and protein within half an hour after exercise.