I am not here to tell you what is best because I have found through coaching, teaching, and self-awareness that what works best for me does not mean it works best for you! I am by far not perfect, nor do I claim to be, but navigating this healthy, fit, and busy world is hard. So, utilize the KISS (keep it simple smarty 😉) method. The information provided will focus on the actual research behind the reasoning, and not my overall opinion.
Fasted Cardio: Your body is in a fasted state when you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. A good night’s sleep is a sufficient amount of time to get your body into a fasted state. When insulin levels are low because you haven’t eaten, your body has no choice but to burn fat. Naturally, this happens faster when you haven’t eaten for 8 hours.
Non-Fasted Cardio: is when you workout while your body is still processing food and your insulin levels are high. It takes 4-6 hours for your insulin levels to come back down.
We here it over and over again, the question everyone wants to know, “should I eat prior to workout, or after the workout?” Well, the great news, the science is equivocal. A study published by the British Journal of Nutrition that showed participants who did fasted cardio burned 20 percent more fat than when they did cardio with a meal in their system. Contrary, another study from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that when they fed participants it showed an increase in oxygen consumption (VO2) and substrate utilization (fat usage) both during the workout and in the 12 to 24 hours post workout versus participants who fasted. The science continues like this over and over again.
The bottom line is that focusing on fat loss isn’t as simple as a light switch that you can flip on and off depending on the kind of exercise you do. There are other things to take into consideration as well, such as your metabolic, dietary and lifestyle needs. And how do you figure that out? Get up and move! Try it early in the AM for 2 weeks, without food prior to cardio workout of any type. If you feel yuck, no energy, or start to gain weight, then it doesn’t simply work for you. However, even if it seems to be working, try it out early in the AM for 2 weeks, with food prior to cardio, and see how you respond. A simple trial and error is effective in getting to know your body better!
What if you can’t workout in the morning? Keep posted…
Healthy, Fit, & Busy - OH MY 