Fasted training: is there any effect in “fasted” cardio? Fitness trainer's opinion

Training rules

There are many opinions about exercising early in the morning. Some people consider this nonsense and a dangerous idea, while others, on the contrary, consider it an ideal way to lose weight. Whatever one may say, there have been and will be such disputes, we just have to look at the facts. And they are as follows: scientists have found a connection between the effectiveness of weight loss and early exercise.

Doctors monitored the metabolism of fasting athletes and noticed that they lose weight faster during fasting periods. For many years, professionals have been using this trick to get in shape faster. But you need to know a few important rules so as not to harm yourself.

Advice one

The correct choice of loads is important. Which option to choose for weight loss? Taking into account all the hormonal features of the body’s functioning immediately after waking up, scientists are unanimous in their opinion - you need to stop on light cardio immediately after waking up. This could be dynamic yoga, cycling, dancing, aerobics, step and much more. The point is to use only your body without additional weights.

Therefore, strength training is not suitable. You can simply undermine your health. But we are talking specifically about morning exercises on an empty stomach. Afterwards, for example, in the evening, you can complete your sports cycle by lifting iron, bench presses and dumbbells. It’s worth starting the morning with light aerobic exercise.

Why is that? It is at the moment when the body is still waking up that it produces a lot of cortisol , a hormone that helps metabolism. It launches all fat burning processes to their full potential. This saves not only during training, but also normalizes metabolism throughout the day.

Tip two

Do not overdo it. Time should be limited to 40 minutes. But you need to start with 15-20 minutes, gradually lengthening the sessions. The fact is that when doing work in the morning, the body uses energy from our fat reserves, but it is limited, and then muscle tissue is used. In order not to destroy muscles and undermine your health, you do not need to organize one and a half hour aerobics marathons.

40 minutes is the optimal time to start losing weight.

Tip three

Light cardio at first light isn't for everyone. There are several points that are important to observe:

• Training should begin between 6 and 8 am . It is at this moment that cortisol is highest;
• Before this, you should get a good night's sleep (at least 7-8 hours). That is, going to bed at two or three in the morning and getting up a couple of hours later for aerobics is a bad idea. The body must be rested. Only in this case, all hormones are produced correctly, and metabolism starts at full strength;
• Fasting and sports are incompatible if you have chronic diseases. For example, problems with the stomach, kidneys. Ideally, you should consult a doctor.

Hungry Athletes Burn More Fat

You dream of having an ideal body, you count calories every day and have developed the ideal workout program. It's time to hit the gym. It seems you have thought of everything. Stop! Did you remember to eat two hours before class? Or do you decide to skip a meal? Proponents of exercising on an empty stomach suggest that they can speed up weight loss by not eating. A scientific study published in the British Journal of Nutrition confirms these findings.

During the experiment, participants who attended the gym were divided into two groups. As you might guess, one group of recreational athletes did their workout on an empty stomach, while the other did not ignore food before training. As a result, it was found that participants in the fasting group managed to burn 20 percent more fat than their well-fed opponents. Similar results were obtained in another study. From which the following conclusions follow: aerobic training in a state of hunger reduces the percentage of fat in the body.

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The benefits of sports on an empty stomach

There are many advantages of this method of losing weight.

1. Firstly, this is an ideal option for those who cannot lose weight for a long time and seem to have tried everything. Early dancing or running literally restarts metabolism and fat is burned faster. Have you tried this method yet? Rather, set your alarm for eight in the morning and do cardio regularly.
2. Secondly, it is a relatively easy way to get in shape. There is no need for forceful movements or work to the point of exhaustion. By the way, you can avoid muscle pain that usually occurs in the first days. If you choose yoga or dancing, your body will not suffer as much.
3. Thirdly, I don’t know a better way to awaken than this. Yes, it is not easy to wake up early, but as soon as you start moving, sleep will go away on its own. Plus, you will have a charge of vivacity and good mood, but isn’t this the key to a great day?
4. In addition, early sports train endurance, willpower and establish a routine.
5. Plus, a running metabolism will help you better absorb what you eat throughout the day.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the use of nutrients by the liver, body muscles and fat cells. Insulin is produced in response to carbohydrates entering the body. Every time you eat a banana, chew a carrot, swallow a sandwich or drink juice, your body produces insulin, which controls the absorption of nutrients.

Insulin thus helps control fat cells and food absorption. And lack of sleep, lack of mobility (or a sedentary lifestyle without exercise), and overheating of the body make our bodies less sensitive to the effects of insulin. This so-called insulin resistance makes us more prone to diabetes, certain types of cancer and obesity, which is a major health problem in developed countries.

If you decide to exercise when most of the glucose and glycogen from your last meal has been used up, your body is likely to turn its attention to fat cells as an energy source. After fasting, your body becomes most sensitive to the insulin it produces whenever you eat.

This sensitivity does magical things - it uses carbohydrates, proteins and fats more efficiently, promoting body muscle growth and fat burning.

One of the explanations why the topic of insulin resistance has become such a hot topic today is the theory of “thrifty” genes. She states that our metabolism speeds up when we consciously vary periods of eating and fasting, vigorous exercise and rest. This is in stark contrast to the lifestyle of the modern average person with his sedentary lifestyle, abundance of food and constant consumption of it. The thrifty gene theory is one explanation for why a 2005 study found that intermittent fasting improved insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in healthy men.

Minuses

With all the positive effects of this method of losing weight, it also has its disadvantages:

• This method is not suitable for everyone. If you like to go to bed at dawn and get up by lunchtime, this exercise regimen will not suit you. You simply won't keep up;
• There are health restrictions. Not everyone can afford such training. Consulting a doctor will be the deciding verdict whether it is worth it or not;
• Early rise. For example, it was very difficult for me to force myself to wake up at this time in winter. Waking up turned into agony and haggling as I talked myself into getting up after 5 minutes. With the arrival of spring, everything became much simpler;
• Hunger. People who get up with a voracious appetite will definitely experience discomfort.

How to organize a “hunger strike day”?

For such a day, light, pleasant and leisurely physical activity is best suited. You can do yoga, meditate, take a short walk in the park, or even better, in the garden.

Doing a lot of laundry or cleaning, going shopping or going on a hike is a bad idea. But if you feel cheerful and have a desire, then there is no reason to deny yourself this. For a healthy body, one day of fasting is completely harmless. In the end, humans are omnivores, including predatory creatures, and all predators that live in natural conditions eat extremely irregularly, and go hunting no earlier than they are properly hungry (and this usually happens after 2-3 days after a very hearty lunch).

You can drink a couple of glasses of water at your usual lunch and dinner times, as well as during particularly acute attacks of hunger. When liquid enters the stomach, it reduces discomfort. Of course, water does not stay in an empty stomach for a long time (it very quickly goes further into the intestines), but it will become much easier to endure hunger.

Inexperienced starving people try to suppress their hunger with bran. But it is strictly not recommended to do this, since bran taken on an empty stomach greatly irritates both the stomach and intestines, and can even cause intestinal obstruction or severe constipation.

Meals after

What to eat when the load is complete? You want to eat everything you find in the refrigerator. However, this is a mistake.

• It is best to start by drinking tea or coffee (without sugar) with some light snack. For example, with bread and cheese or with fruit.
• After a light breakfast, be sure to eat a hearty meal, but after one and a half to two hours. Food must be protein and fiber. For example, a piece of lean meat with vegetables, an omelette made from a couple of eggs or cottage cheese 5%. Naturally, do not allow any sweets or starchy foods.
• Once a week or two you can have a small cheat meal.

To drink coffee

If your goal in life is to suffer from heartburn, then there is no reason to deny yourself a morning tradition. Coffee contains a large amount of chlorogenic compounds, which contribute to the production of excess hydrochloric acid in the stomach. You drank coffee, released acid, which has nothing to digest, and like a frisky sea urchin it begins to tear and scratch your womb. And after a couple of years of a heartburn diet, more serious problems begin. And you don’t have to make excuses that only coffee on an empty stomach invigorates you, but food immediately makes you sleepy. By the way, be careful with your cheerfulness, otherwise your brain will go into overdrive and a migraine will be added to heartburn. Plus, such a diet naturally stops producing cortisol, and over time, the body without “doping” is no longer able to wake up and actively engage in work. Vigilance and attentiveness decrease, but irritability and stress increase.

As always, there is a way out of the situation: eat at least a piece of bread before drinking a cup of invigorating drink. At least a small piece. Ideally, you should drink a cup of coffee an hour after your meal. But who will do that...

Recommendations for beginners

If you are just starting out on your weight loss journey, be sure to follow these tips:

• Drink water during exercise (not just for beginners);
• Start with short workouts - no more than 15 minutes a day. Add five minutes every week;
• It is enough to exercise two to three times a week. You shouldn’t immediately load yourself up like Stakhanov;
• Choose light cardio that you like, there are a lot of selections on YouTube;
• Monitor your sleep and eating patterns;
• Don't forget to praise yourself for your willpower!

Do you like morning sports? Tell us about your favorite aerobic exercise and share your secrets on how to wake up early in the morning with ease and without the desire to kill.

To drink coffee

Did you know that coffee (even decaffeinated) stimulates the production of stomach acid? This causes heartburn and other digestive problems. That's why you should give up the habit of drinking your favorite drink in the morning on an empty stomach. Well, if you skip breakfast and settle solely for a cup of coffee, this leads to a deficiency of serotonin and a gloomy mood for the rest of the day.

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Tip: Milk or cream will help somewhat reduce the negative effects of caffeine. The fat found in dairy products reduces acid production. If you do not have the opportunity to drink natural coffee, choose a freeze-dried product.

Drink alcohol

One day, Vladislav, after a sleepless night and a very busy day during which he literally did not eat a crumb, decided to drink two cans of Baltika. After that, he sat on the sidewalk, vomited endlessly, sobbed and asked the Lord to deliver him from such torment. Perhaps the green serpent will treat you much more mercifully. You'll just get drunk from the second (this is not a joke!) sip of wine, your soul will feel cheerful and warm. After the fifth sip, you will begin to unnaturally row and have fun, like the heroes of Zhora Kryzhovnikov’s films. After the sixth - casually, as if by the way, you will vomit on the go and pass out, as if under chloroform. And in the morning - headaches and remorse. Have a snack, don’t snack, but eat before drinking alcohol. Otherwise, intoxication comes quickly, and the impressions are disgusting.

Have sex

Some people believe that there is no greater bliss than having sex immediately after waking up, when your mouth is dry and smells bad, and your tired body cannot understand what is happening and where the blood should flow. Drink at least a glass of water, kids. It is clear that a full belly is deaf to sex and it is better to undereat than to overeat. But if you like the roar that a hungry whale nestled in your belly makes at the most crucial moment, then please, good luck! Let hunger help you cum and get maximum pleasure from the process, because for some it makes itself felt even in moments of supreme bliss.

Take medication

Medicines are not hematogens that you can eat whenever you want. There are instructions - follow them. And without amateur performances! It is written that the tablets are intended exclusively for taking on an empty stomach or 30 minutes before a meal - which means you should drink it that way. And the rest - only if there is a fresh dumpling dangling in your stomach or whatever you are eating. Otherwise, such delights of life as nausea, dizziness, gas formation, problems with blood pressure and other beauties indicated in the column “Side Effects” are revealed. You need to be especially careful with aspirin, paracetamol and other similar drugs. Otherwise, it may lead to serious health problems such as stomach bleeding.

There is no need to tell you that you always swallow pills on an empty stomach and feel great. For the time being, just trust the elderly. When we were young, we didn’t care either, but now it’s crazy that you involuntarily think about sick leave and rinsing.