Exercise on Empty Stomach
Question:
GOAL: Lose Weight.
I am a 5'10" 146 pound female with around 25% body fat.
I work out in the afternoon while my youngest (of 3) is in preschool.
Usually from noon-2 p.m. I've tried getting up early to exercise (run) but
find that I have much more energy and endurance in the afternoon. My
question is what and when should I be eating before I go and exercise? I
usually eat a piece of wheat toast with some peanut butter on it about an
hour before I work out. Does this make it so I am not burning any fat
while I am running (approx. 3 miles then some weight lifting)? Should I be
exercising on an empty stomach?
Answer:
Good Question
Your pre-workout food intake sounds text book perfect. If you are
trying to lose weight you NEVER should be concerned what fuel your body is using
during your exercise sessions.
Burning fat and losing weight is all about eating a balanced healthy diet
with 3-6 small meals/snacks evenly spread throughout the day and plenty of water
and rest.
If you exercise 1 hour a day for 7 days a week that is 7 hours. There
is 168 hours in a week. This means even if you exercise for 7 hours a week
you are exercising 4% of your time.
Focus on your diet during the other 161 hours in the week. Having a
proper amount of food before your workout will allow you to workout with the
necessary intensity to boost your metabolism and help you tone up and lose
weight.
How much and what you eat before your workouts depends on the individual.
The time usually ranges from 3 hours to 1 hour before your workout.
Working out with a full stomach is not good either but your small toast and
peanut butter an hour before you workout should allow you to get through your
workouts at full intensity without a crash.
Don't forget to immediately refuel your body after you workout with a quality
low fat, carbohydrate and protein source as well. Workout hard, eat right
and the pounds will fly off when you watch TV, take care of your kids and sleep.
More Nutrition & Diet Info
Exercise Information
Click on body part of anatomy chart and find anatomy &
physiology information as well as exercise videos and descriptions. Learn
the reason behind certain exercises and the proper way to perform them.
Best Diets
When a complete lifestyle change isn't good enough, you can follow specific diet
plans successfully. Learn some of the best diets.
Why Nutrition is so Important
Exercise on an empty stomach is only right for
some. Make sure you know how important nutrition is to your exercise and
your fitness results before you try to exercise on empty stomach and fail to
accomplish your fitness goals.
If you have a question about health or
fitness you can have your questions answered within 24 hours by a
professional who cares about your health and fitness issues. Ask if it
is a good idea to
exercise on empty stomach
with with proper exercise selection.
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