You’ve heard different suggestions and theories from various ‘experts’ so…what’s the verdict?
Should exercise be done on a full or an empty stomach?
Well, I’ve come across some experts that claim exercising on an empty stomach was GREAT for fat-burning. But then I turned around and heard another source emphatically say to NEVER exercise on an empty stomach!
Ohh-kaay.
So, who’s right and who’s wrong?
Well, neither is right or wrong…but based on both arguments, there are just certain instances for each case:
1. If you are considered overweight for your height and age then you have excess body fat and therefore, exercising on an empty stomach can actually be a GOOD thing because you want the excess fat to be what gets burned/used up as you work-out.
2. However, if you are already lean and NOT considered overweight, then the consensus is that you’ll want to have eaten 30-60 minutes PRIOR to working out – so in essence you’re not really working out on a FULL-full stomach, but not totally empty either! That way, your body won’t burn/feed off of your muscle tissue, but rather the food you’ve recently eaten!
And in either case, you will want to consume some form of protein (preferably in the form of a shake for quicker, easier absorption) within 30 minutes AFTER your workout to build muscle tissue.
Now it’s also advised that when working out on an empty stomach that you not do TOO rigorous of a work-out… you should keep it light-to-moderate as to not over-exert yourself.
But all in all, what you DON’T want to do is allow this whole “empty vs. full” argument to get you so caught up that you end up not exercising at all!
So in other words…(cliche’ ahead alert!!!)
Just DO it! 😉
