When looking for an effective workout to lose extra pounds, there are many doubts that can arise. We need to do workouts that enhance fat burning. In this sense, fasting has become one of the top topics of interest in the fitness world that is causing the most controversy.
There are many studies that talk about fasting training and about the pros and cons of exercising without eating before. Some consider that it helps to lose fat while others claim that we have less energy and therefore the training will not be effective enough.
To consider a fasting period, at least 8 hours must have passed without food intake. However, during this period we can consume liquids.
What Nutritionists Say About Fasting
You will find very few studies supporting fasting and exercise in recent times. Nutritionists have a very strong opinion about this: it’s bad. We must eat five meals a day, and the most important is breakfast. Normally, since we finish dinner until we get up the next day, around 10 hours have passed. It’s too long to get a good workout.
There is a factor that you must bear in mind: if you are going to perform cardiovascular exercises, where the intensity is usually quite high, doing it on an empty stomach can cause a drop in blood pressure, among many other scares. Furthermore, if the idea we have is to lose fat “instantly”, doing exercise on an empty stomach is not the best option. This is because our body will first use up muscle glycogen stores and then it will start with fat stores. To burn fat, it is best to do a workout after having a proper breakfast. Performing a fasting workout will lower our intensity due to a lack of energy. Therefore, we will be burning fewer calories than desired.
Fasted training = less strength?
Performing a fasting workout also has another disadvantage: the loss of strength due to fasting time. Precisely, this is one of the points most supported by the disapprovers of fasting training.
While it is true that it is possible to find studies that support the efficacy of fasting training. This means that there is no suitable way of acting for everyone.
Protocol to train on an empty stomach
If despite everything, you have decided that you want to train on an empty stomach, it is important that you do not forget to follow some guidelines. For example, you should look at the duration of the exercise, the type of training you are going to do, and, above all, the intensity.
The most important thing is your health and your body will send you signals if it feels that there is something wrong. Therefore, it is important to be a little alert to what is happening inside your body. At the slightest sign of muscle failure, dizziness, or nausea, it is appropriate to stop and provide the body with the necessary nutrients.
