Fasting before workout

Heat_Wave

Hi there,

Newbie here.

I have two questions.

1) Is it better to skip breakfast and fast before your morning workout (weight lifting)?

2) I usually have a small cappuccino before working out, but apparently one should not drink milk before exercising. Is this true and if so, what is the reasoning behind this?

Thanks

Alf Veedersane

Heat_Wave wrote: »

Hi there,

Newbie here.

I have two questions.

1) Is it better to skip breakfast and fast before your morning workout (weight lifting)?

2) I usually have a small cappuccino before working out, but apparently one should not drink milk before exercising. Is this true and if so, what is the reasoning behind this?

Thanks

It is not better or worse to exercise fasted. Makes no difference. Personally, I'd get something into me before working out...even just something small like a banana or whatever. But no reason to do either except for whichever works best for you.

Some people find milk doesn't sit well before training but it's usually chugging back a pint or more. Small cappuccino unlikely to be an issue. If you don't feel off after it, it's not a bad pre-workout.

Mellor

Heat_Wave wrote: »

1) Is it better to skip breakfast and fast before your morning workout (weight lifting)?

No

2) I usually have a small cappuccino before working out, but apparently one should not drink milk before exercising. Is this true...

No

mathie

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4595101/

In the absence of any other dietary guidance, restricting caloric consumption to a 4-hour window on 4 days per week was not sufficient to elicit body composition improvements in 8 weeks, although lean mass was maintained in both groups. This form of IF was sufficient to reduce caloric intake on fasting days, but this did not translate to body fat reductions in many subjects. Untrained young men experience similar strength adaptations whether they eat normally or perform this form of IF. Protein intake may be of particular concern for individuals implementing IF and young men beginning a resistance training program.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3639860/

In conclusion, hypertrophic resistance training, unlike aerobic training, was not affected, at least in terms of body composition and markers of immune and inflammatory systems, when performed in a fed compared to a fasted state during Ramadan. However, resistance training performed during Ramadan was associated with an improved lipid profile and evidence of mild dehydration which may alters parameters indicative of renal function.

In terms of a practical application, trainers should educate bodybuilders on the importance of hydration during the nighttime in order to compensate for the dehydration that occurs during daytime within the month Ramadan. In addition the trainers should stress the importance of adopting a nutritional protocol similar to that of the normal non-fasting period.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5050386/

With the increasing popularity of “training low” protocols that encourage exercising after an overnight fast, it is important that the effects these protocols have on a variety of physiologic components be examined. Particularly, as many athletes and active individuals are interested in improving both physical fitness and body composition, the effect exercising in the fasted state has on energy balance is of interest. Our results add to a growing area of research that suggests that fasting prior to exercise may be advantageous for reducing energy intake and increasing fat oxidation which have potential implications for weight and body composition management.

Read into those what you will because they put me to sleep

fatbhoy

I usually make sure I've eaten something about two hours before a weights session (that's all I do). Fasting isn't a good idea. Eating to near to your workout time isn't good either, especially if it's a heavy session like squatting.

Mr. CooL ICE

I used to lift fasted because I was in the gym early and couldn't stomach food that early. Would have just had some water and a coffee. I'd usually be both hungry and drained halfway through the session.

Simple remedy was to wake a few minutes earlier and force myself to eat something. Nowadays, I drink a good bit of water the minute I wake up and then have two slices of toast with a coffee. Combined with a big dinner the night before, that's plenty for me.

SozBbz

I sometimes train on a saturday morning and never have breakfast beforehand, becuase I live near my gym, and I'm literally out of bed and in the gym within 10 minutes and probably in a bit of a fog.

I do find I'm a little off my top strength training first thing in the morning but for circuts etc I find it easier on an empty stomach.

Something small like a banana might be a happy medium if you don't want to train on an empty stomach.

mathie

fatbhoy wrote: »

I usually make sure I've eaten something about two hours before a weights session (that's all I do). Fasting isn't a good idea. Eating to near to your workout time isn't good either, especially if it's a heavy session like squatting.

Why is it not a good idea?

klm1

I think what you can get from the responses here is that there's no scientific proof to say that either training fasted or training fed is better or worse for you, and each person should find what works for them.

Personally, I always train fasted. 2 reasons; 1. I train early in the morning. 2. Anytime I've trained after food, I felt weaker and less able.

starlit

I wouldn't recommend it eat something light if you not eaten in a while. Usually they say if you not eaten for 2-3 hours to eat something light before a work out if too close to the time after a main meal best not to or just drink milk/loads of water or something very light like fruit to keep your stamina going. Try not to let yourself get dehydrated and risk fainting or getting dizzy/light headed if your prone to low blood pressure. Reduce salt if you prone to high blood pressure.

The fitness drinks and shakes aren't all that they are cracked up to be as far as I am aware they didn't help me build up muscle I lost when trying to get fit. I lost more fat and muscle while burnt too much and have had difficulty trying to gain weight despite eating a balance diet.

Dtp1979

starlit wrote: »

The fitness drinks and shakes aren't all that they are cracked up to be as far as I am aware they didn't help me build up muscle I lost when trying to get fit. I lost more fat and muscle while burnt too much and have had difficulty trying to gain weight despite eating a balance diet.

Why on earth would you lose muscle while trying to get fit??? If you want to build muscle or maintain muscle you need to eat a calorie surplus or maintenance calories. Either shouldn’t effect fitness.
Op I’m training 2 years now from 6-7.30 am most mornings doing mostly heavy lifting with nothing before except strong coffee. So far all is going well. Try both and see what works for you

fatbhoy

mathie wrote: »

Why is it not a good idea?

Because you'd be "running on empty". If you're lifting what's heavy for you, you don't want to get hit by a dizzy spell because of this and maybe injure yourself. I don't like the feeling of running out of strength because of hunger either.

Mellor

starlit wrote: »

I lost more fat and muscle while burnt too much and have had difficulty trying to gain weight despite eating a balance diet.

That's pretty bad as results go. The opposite of that you want and kinda of undermines the advice you give.

fatbhoy wrote: »

Because you'd be "running on empty". If you're lifting what's heavy for you, you don't want to get hit by a dizzy spell because of this and maybe injure yourself. I don't like the feeling of running out of strength because of hunger either.

You are unlikely to be running on empty. Glycogen stores, even first thing in the morning have more than enough energy for a full workout. (full loaded they've enough for a half marathon or more).

If if you are a low carber and depleted. You've got bloodstream fatty acids for energy. That's where you AM energy comes from.
If you eat in the morning before training, it's not even going to be digested to fuel your training.

starlit

Mellor wrote: »

That's pretty bad as results go. The opposite of that you want and kinda of undermines the advice you give.



You are unlikely to be running on empty. Glycogen stores, even first thing in the morning have more than enough energy for a full workout. (full loaded they've enough for a half marathon or more).

If if you are a low carber and depleted. You've got bloodstream fatty acids for energy. That's where you AM energy comes from.
If you eat in the morning before training, it's not even going to be digested to fuel your training.

What I meant to say is to gain back healthy weight. Sorry I try to rephrase what I was getting at. I was already slim at a size 8-10 and didn't need to loose weight just to get fitter. I ended up over-exercising and need to put back on muscle mass/some bit of weight not necessary fat. My bmi and body fat is quiet low almost borderline as a female. I just lost too much weight for my size and now down to a size 6-8 having lost more than 1-2 stone which was too much for me to loose.

I am not saying to gain back any kind of weight I am talking about gain back healthy weight. Different for someone who needs to loose it. Different for someone who needs to put healthy weight back on who has lost too much which happened to me and I am struggling to gain back healthy muscle mass/weight due to over exercising and having too healthy a diet. That is the point I am getting across. Yes it not healthy regain back unhealthy weight/fat but I am talking about regaining healthy weight/muscle mass for someone who is petit in size.

At no point did I advise to put back weight on to anyone I said it from my own experience of having lost too much weight too quickly from exercise and diet alone that I am finding it difficult to put back weight for a healthier bmi.

Don't know what advise I am trying to give just to be careful to anyone who looses weight too quickly to do so in moderation trying to stay fit.

Dtp1979

I’m not sure what you’re trying to say. Are you trying to regain 1-2 stone in muscle? If you do you’ll look like a jacked up bodybuilder if it’s 2 stone of muscle. If you wanna regain weight then some of that is going to have to be fat too. Gaining fat dosent mean you’re going to be fat

starlit

Yes to try and regain healthy fat/muscle not necessarily be a body builder. I was 8 stone dropped to 7 stone and dropped a stone to 6 stone in space of a few weeks and only gained back a few pounds since but can easily loose it with little effort. So don’t know if it’s calorie intake and exercise isn’t balanced enough. I’ve been to a dietitian and hasn’t helped.