THIS is what happens when you workout on an empty stomach; Find Out

It is mostly said that when you do workout on an empty stomach, it helps to lose more weight. But eating before workout may actually give you more energy and improve your performance. Working out on an empty stomach is commonly known as fasted cardio. In this process, the body produces energy from the stored fat and carbohydrate rather than the recently eaten foods for higher levels of weight loss.

However, there have been some researches which were contradictory to this theory of fasted cardio. They think fasted cardio uses protein as fuel. But protein is important to repair muscles after exercise. And using fat as fuel doesn’t mean that you are burning more calories.  

Is it safe to do workout on an empty stomach?

Working out on an empty stomach is not always helpful. It may burn your energy leaving you with less stamina. Since in fasted state our sugar level is very low, this condition may make us feel nauseous. And if we keep on practicing this workout, then our body will adjust to it and be using fat as energy resources. So, then it will start storing more fat than usual. And losing more protein means muscle loss as well. So, fasted cardio is not recommended for muscle build-up. Hence, it’s better to do workout after eating something. But you should maintain a strict gap between the meal and exercises.

What should you eat before workout?

If you want to eat anything before workout, then have easily digestible foods that have carbohydrates, protein and fats. And eat before 2 to 3 hours before doing exercises. Always keep yourself hydrated before, during and after workout. It can be plain water, sports drinks, juice, smoothies, etc.

You should also look after your post-workout meal. So, you can munch on these healthy foods right after your exercises:

Yoghurt.

Fruit smoothie.

Energy bar.

Sandwich.

Soy milk.

Nuts and seeds.

Low-fat chocolate milk.

When to eat?

Time depends on the type of exercises that you are doing. If you are practicing some light workout, like walking or yoga then you don’t need to maintain a strict diet plan before the workout. But if you are going to do intense exercises that require a lot of energy and endurance like gymming, swimming, running, etc. you need to fuel up your energy with foods. This should be done for maintaining the glucose levels in the blood.

If you have any serious health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or hypertension, then be careful about your sugar levels before, during and after the workout session. You can also talk to your doctor before heading to exercise.

Conclusion

For strenuous and long-lasting activities, it is not at all recommended to do workout on an empty stomach. If you are comfortable with doing this, then check on your health, stay hydrated and follow a strict diet plan. Talk to your doctor if you have any problem.