Fasted Cardio?--from Oxygen

[kellymom]

I just received my first issue of Oxygen in the mail and am a bit confused about this topic. In the first few pages they have a blurb about whether cardio done before eating in the morning really burns more fat (they say technically yes, a little bit more), but then tell you it's not the smartest way to exercise (your body needs fuel to keep it up, yada yada). Then, towards the back of the issue, in the ask the expert page a woman asks how to lower her body fat even though she doesn't need to lose "weight" and she is told to switch some of her cardio to fasted cardio (in the morning before eating). Does it work or not? Anybody?

Kelly

 

[amyg]

Kelly, all I can say is that this morning I ended up doing a fasted cardio session and I was miserable throughout!!! I plan to never do that again... but I hadn't planned the workout like that in the first place, so I guess it might happen again.

The thing to think about when you're debating a "fasting cardio" session is that the *amount of effort* you put into a workout is what will burn calories. For me, I can pretty easily put in all-out effort for 80 minutes of cardio most days, IF I have eaten something first. Today, however, I had to keep stopping my workout because I didn't have the energy to go on. This means that there was no chance I was burning as many calories as I would have if I had eaten beforehand.

My vote is strongly in the "eat first" category... :9

 

[rjroubi]

I think this is really a very individual question. I'm absolutely useless without food in my stomach for fuel. On my Richter Scale...a few extra calories that could be burned if I fasted is irrelevant since I don't do cardio to lose weight anyway (plus I'm not sure I could do anything without fuel ).......to other people it is very important that they do their cardio fasted and they wouldn't do it any other way.

Your best bet probably is to try it out and see what works best for you. I really think that is the only way you will be able to judge.

Robin

 

[Armywife]

I am totally the opposite. I can't exercise with food in my stomach. I exercise as soon as I wake up and then eat or else my stomach will be in knots. That is just how my body is. Everyone is different so you have to do what is best for you. Try both ways and see what works for you.

 

[bethj]

I have found that when I am overweight I can do fasting cardio, probably because I have so much extra "fuel" in my body. The closer I get to ideal weight the less I am able to exercise fasting. I've never been more than 20 pounds overweight but I think this would apply to people heavier. I think if you are more than 15 pounds overweight you might benefit from fasting cardio; if you are not overweight I wouldn't do it that way.
Beth

 

[Runcrazy]

I'm like Toni, I get up and workout without having anything to eat. I have been doing this for years and it is just my routine. With that said, my purpose in doing it had nothing to do with fasted cardio or not but purely to get up and have my workout done for the day. But, I usually eat about 5 times a day with my last little snack in the evening (be that a piece of fruit or cottage cheese and tomoatos - something light). If I don't have that little snack then I find my morning workout is more challenging energy wise. My body is very used to this routine so it isn't a problem, even on the weekend when I generally workout longer.

Jo

 

[fit_fairy]

I used to try to do Kickmax fasted. When I got to the blast section, I literally almost passed out. Stayed shakey and HR stayed up there even during the leg drills. Just always thought that it was one killer w/o till one morning I ate and then did it. Big difference!! I think as far as wt loss/fat burning you are ok to do steady state cardio fasted but shouldn't do intense cardio (anything with drills or high intense intervals) fasted.

Catherine

 

[kellymom]

Thanks everyone--I thought it was so weird that they published two differing opinions--I might try it, but I don't know....

Kelly

ps--Happy Easter!