Racer X Virtual Trainer

What are your thoughts on exercising on an empty stomach first thing in the am? I have heard a lot of talk about doing so maximizes your body’s ability to burn fat. I searched but couldn't find what I was looking for...Thanks for your help.

On edit: I found the aticle what to eat on race day and it answered some of my guestions. I do still wonder about the thought process of burning more fat in a fasted state first thing In the am on an empty stomach.....any truth/science behind that?

I guess it depends on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to lose weight, then further research on the topic may be warranted. MAYBE….But without reading all the research out there on the topic, I will offer this: I think training in a fasted state is a dumb idea. Even if the research supports the notion, I think it is a bad idea. If you are trying to lose weight, the human body is an amazing machine. Exercise, eat right, get adequate sleep, and recover properly and you will not have to worry about all the "tricks" to losing weight that everyone wants to promote. Its an amazingly simple process if you are patient and actually do the work. But, thats just my opinion.

With that said, if your goal is not to lose weight necessarily but to train for motocross, than I think you can guess my opinion. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Not calling you dumb just the idea of training in a fasted state dumb. And your question is an excellent one. Thanks for asking and please put gas in you engine before you train.

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Tim Crytser
Your Virtual Trainer
www.racerxVT.com

There is a phrase taught in Dietetics about this. The phrase "fat burns in a carbohydrate flame". What this means is that if there are no carbs available to burn the body will not burn as much fat.

If you do cardio on an empty stomach chances are your metabolism will slow and you will not burn as many calories. In addition, your body will shift to fat conservation and burn more protein for energy. Obviously this is not what you want to happen.

I agree with Tims statements regarding the negative effect on performance.

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Kim Wathen M.S.
Exercise Physiologist/Dietitian/Personal Trainer
kim@fitnessandfuel.com

I totally agree with everything that Tim and Kim say...I think your body is smart and if you exercise with low energy stores/low blood sugar levels your body will just compensate by lowering your basal metabolic rate so that you can function with less food energy. If you think this through, then the opposite must be true...the more good foods you put in, the higher the metabolic rate can be since there is enough fuel to power high energy activity...

On rare occasion, once in a blue moon, I will do low level exercise or just physical activity like ranch work without eating breakfast or lunch that day (partial fast) because it has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity..but I am NOT hungry and my blood sugar is NOT low.

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Coach Seiji
www.coachseiji.com