Aerobic exercise AM - eat before or after for fat burn?

giggles

I'm a regular overweight girl trying to sort myself out :-)

I'm going to start doing spinning classes in the morning, I'm trying to lose body fat/weight and I'm confused if I should eat before or after the class. Any feedback is much appreciated

Colm_OReilly

giggles,

Weight loss is down to a very simple formula: energy in versus energy out. From that perspective it doesn't matter if you eat before or after your workout.

Your title asked about fat burn. Whether your body uses fat as a fuel source during exercise depends on the intensity (and duration). The less intense a workout is, the more likely the body is to use fat as a fuel source.

BUT, the more intense the workout is the greater return in terms of fitness results, and you'll burn more fat off during the day (not just during the workout).

Now, whether you eat pre or post workout should be down to how much it affects your ability to perform in the spinning class. If eating before the class helps you work harder throughout the class, I'd recommend it. If it made you feel sluggish and bloated (generally uncomfortable) don't do it, eat afterwards.

If you've any other questions fire away,
Best of luck and congratulations on improving your health!!!

Colm

Hanley

What Colm said.

Also consider this. Even if fasted cardio (which is what you're proposing) is 20% more effective (which it may or may not be, the number's being pulled out of my ass) than unfasted you're only really looking at an extra 4 lbs lost over the course of 3 months. That's assuming a weight (that is to say fat) loss of 2lbs per week either way.

Plus if you do chose to do that you run the risk of serioous muscle wastage. On the otherhand if you feel better training on an empty stomach then by all means have at it.

Try it out, see how your body reacts and work from there.

EileenG

I came across an interesting study where they made cyclists ride for 50 minutes at different times of day. If they rode about two hours after eating, the cyclists have a very reduced appetite for several hours afterwards, while if they rode before breakfast or immediately after eating, they got very hungry afterwards.

Personally, I find I can't work hard enough to be effective if I haven't eaten that day. So I definitely vote against fasted cardio.

giggles

Thanks Guys! I had read and got confused about the body using different stores for energy, so I just wanted to try and do it right.

I was glad to see these posts as I personally wouldn't be able to eat very much before that time in the morning anyway :-)

Well, I went down to the the gym this morning for my spinning class at 7am and I was the only one who had turned up for it - All was not lost though as I had my ipod with me so jumped on the threadmill & stairmaster instead.

I feel really motivated at the moment - thanks for the encouragement! :-)

yop

Giggles, best of luck with your weight loss.

Personally I find it very hard to exercise in the morning, I don't have the energy to do it, especially weights. Eating I would expect would be better as it gives you more fuel but then again you may feel a bit sick if you do it then train.

BossArky

Personally I don't like getting up early to train because of less sleep and feeling wrecked at work by 11am. However, if I do make it to the gym the session feels just like any other.

I think I'll stick to my 9pm - 10pm evening slots for the moment Shower and bed after suits me.

rubadub

Hanley wrote:

Even if fasted cardio (which is what you're proposing) is 20% more effective

Say it was 20% more effective at losing fat, for some people they might be able to work 30% harder after a good feed, so infact use more calories for the given hour workout.

I have been cycling to work on an empty stomach and feel it is working well. There is a difference there though- I am going a fixed distance so even if my performance was down I would burn use around the same calories. i.e. it might take me longer to do the cycle which I do not mind. But if you are cycling for a fixed time rather than a fixed difference eating might be the better option.

From "burn the fat feed the muscle"

1. After an overnight 8-12 hour fast, your body's stores of glycogen are depleted and you
burn more fat when glycogen is low.
2. Eating causes a release of insulin. Insulin interferes with the mobilization of body fat.
Less insulin is present in the morning; so more body fat is burned when cardio is done in
the morning.
3. There is less carbohydrate (glucose) in the bloodstream when you wake up after an
overnight fast. With less glucose available, you burn more fat.
4. If you eat immediately before a workout, you have to burn off what you just ate first
before tapping into stored body fat (and insulin is elevated after a meal.)
5. When you do cardio in the morning, your metabolism stays elevated for a period of
time after the workout is over. If you do cardio in the evening, you burn calories during
the session, but you fail to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your
metabolic rate drops dramatically as soon as you go to sleep.
6. Morning cardio gives you a feeling of accomplishment and makes you feel great all day
by releasing mood-enhancing endorphins.
7. Morning cardio "energizes" you and "wakes you up."
8. Morning cardio may help regulate your appetite for the rest of the day.
9. Your body’s circadian rhythm adjusts to your morning routine, making it easier to
wake up at the same time every day.
10. You’ll be less likely to "blow off" your workout when it’s out of the way early (like
when you’re exhausted after work or when friends ask you to join them at the pub for
happy hour).
11. You can always "make time" for exercise by setting your alarm earlier in the morning.