burning fat

[aschendell]

I read on abouthealth.com that you burn more fat by working out on an empty stomach (ie first thing in the morning before breakfast with only water to prevent dehydration) and that if you work out later in the day after eating that it takes 20-30 minutes to start burning fat...And that you can burn muscle instead of fat later in the day...Does this make any sense? I have always thought of calories as calories no matter when you work out...I feel like I get a better cardio workout on a full tummy. I don't feel nearly as winded when I work our later in the day. Can you shed any light on this?
ps you're my work out guru...and your dvd's have changed my shape and my life.

Thanks for any thoughts
Debra

 

[CDPotier]

Everyone is different, but I would feel very faint if I worked out on an empty stomach. I like to have a very light meal before I work out. I am sure the Cathe and the others here will have other opinions.

 

[LuckeeLaydee]

I have also heard that it is good to workout on an empty stomache and I have gotten used to that. Now, having said that, I must add that when I do those 3-4 workouts during the week on an empty stomache, I may have to shorten them a bit both for time sake (I do have to go to work!) and because I don't have quite the stamina w/o food.
For example, this morning I did the 51 minute premix of KPC and I was beat. If it was a Saturday and I had eaten breakfast and wasn't over tired from something else, I would have done the whole 68 minute workout. So I guess my point is, you can do both and see if you feel there is a benefit. I must say I do feel better when I exercise first thing in the AM and it's over for the day.

Good Luck.

Paula

 

[Bobbi]

I prefer to workout on an empty stomach but if you can't work out first thing, giving yourself two to three hours after you eat is great. After about an hour your stomach empties but digestion is more complicated than that and those nutrients have to go where they are needed. It is rare to sacrifice muscle if you eat properly. If yor body has to turn to muscle stores for fuel, I recommend you go and eat now! You also have stores of glycogen in your liver. Should you use up what is stored in in muscle, your body will use that store before turning to it's own protein. It's important to eat enough carbohydrate to have good glycogen stores because it's the best fuel for working out. Protein is for rebuilding and when it's what the body has for fuel, it is not pretty. When we work out we always burn both fat and glycogen. At higher the intensities we burn more overall calories and therefore, more fat. As you become more aerobically trained, your body adapts to rely on burning a higher percentage of total calories and that increases the total number of fat calories. This spares glycogen and keeps your from pooping out. The better aerobically trained you are, the better you burn fat. You know the old adage about not swimming for an hour after you eat? That is this. Your body is busy digesting and it directs blood supply to the digestive system. Try to workout and take it away and you'll feel like throwing up. An empty stomach simply allows your body to utilize all it has for burning calories and doing the work. If you can workout first thing on an empty stomach, it's great but eating and giving yourself time to digest works as well. If you must eat, easily digestible things are best. I focus on my after workout meals the most because that's when I can give my body what it needs to restore it's energy stores and to build good muscle mass.
Bobbi "Chicks rule!"http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/tiere/animal-smiley-032.gif
Tell me what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/linie/smiley-linie-00

 

[kywst00]

Thanks for all that info. I really learned alot! I used to workout in the morning before I had my son but now it's pretty much impossible since I know sleep is very important too. I'm going to try and make sure now though that I eat a couple hours before my workout at night.