First, let\u2019s answer the question that I think most people want answered: Does exercising in the morning on an empty stomach burn more fat?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It has been shown that the body burns a higher proportion of fat compared to carbohydrates during low-intensity exercise. So, this \u2013 in combination with the fact that you have low or depleted glycogen stores in the morning \u2013 means it is now accepted that if you want to burn fat you should get your walking shoes on and go for a walk before breakfast. However, this is all something of a myth that is worth dispelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The body\u2019s main source of energy during exercise is carbohydrates because they are the easiest to convert to energy. The body can store some carbohydrates in muscles and the liver in the form of glycogen. During the night, glycogen stores are broken down to maintain blood sugar levels and provide energy for the brain and nervous system. When we wake up, our glycogen stores are either low or depleted, depending on how much we ate the night before. When the stores run out, the body has to find another way to supply the brain, nervous system and muscles with energy. What happens then is that the body\u2019s fat and, to some extent, muscle mass is broken down and converted into energy instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is true that more fat is burned relative to carbohydrates at a lower rate than during more intensive exercise, and that more fat is burned when carbohydrates are not available. However, the rate at which you burn fat is lower than the rate at which you burn carbohydrates, which means that when your glycogen stores run out and your body is forced to slow down to a lower rate of energy exchange, the intensity of your effort drops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, while exercising on an empty stomach will result in slightly more fat being burned, it does not appear to be beneficial in the long run. Think about it \u2013 if you are listless, tired and have low blood sugar, you won\u2019t be able to exercise to your full potential and you won\u2019t be able to perform an effective workout. Ultimately, it\u2019s about how hard you exercise and how long you can keep at it. Because your body burns more overall when you exercise more vigorously, you\u2019ll burn more fat calories if you can walk at a brisker pace and you walk further because you had a snack before your morning walk than you could on an empty stomach. As well as enabling you to walk more briskly, studies have also shown that those who eat something light before exercising in the morning eat less overall during the day than those who exercise on an empty stomach. By eating something light, you will be able to control your food intake more for the rest of the day. It has also been shown that the more carbohydrates you burn during a workout, and the higher the intensity of the workout, the more fat you burn afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bottom line is that you should distinguish between the energy source that is being used at any given time and how much energy you burn in total during the day. Any exercise you actually do is good exercise<\/strong> \u2013 so, as long as you feel that you have a spring in your step and don\u2019t feel sluggish, you can \u2013 of course \u2013 go out for a walk on an empty stomach. However, you should know that working out on an empty stomach does not necessarily lead to increased fat burning. This is not to say that prolonged fasting doesn\u2019t provide other health benefits \u2013 such as increased insulin sensitivity (more on this in the future).<\/p>\n\n\n\n What you can have before a morning walk:<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>A piece of fruit How much you can tolerate without experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort is highly individual \u2013 so experiment and see what works for you! Time and quantity are opposing forces \u2013 the closer you are to an activity, the less you will be able to eat to avoid discomfort, and the less you should eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now on to what recommendations<\/strong> there are about what you should eat before a workout based on intensity to provide as little gastrointestinal discomfort as possible, and to provide the body with the best possible energy to complete the workout and optimise recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask yourself what kind of activity you are going to perform. Consider the intensity of the workout and whether or not you are using weights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the answer to this question is a high-intensity<\/strong> workout such as strength training, circuit training or any other form of performance-based workout, you should always<\/strong> eat something before your workout. When strength training, you want to have the energy and power to lift and perform all the sets and repetitions with good form. You may risk burning hard-earned muscle if you do this in a fasted state. Eating before your morning workout of these types of exercise has been shown to increase performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American College of Sport Medicine recommends that \u2018Adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve recovery time.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n High-intensity exercise and weight training burn more carbohydrates than fat for fuel. It\u2019s a balancing act to give your body enough energy to push through your workout and get the maximum benefit, while avoiding overeating, which can lead to stomach cramps, indigestion and a lack of energy. This is because your blood then focuses on your stomach so it can digest the food, and less oxygen is pumped around your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You achieve this balance by eating a simple meal with a relatively high carbohydrate content to maintain blood glucose levels and maximise glycogen storage, a relatively low fat and fibre content to facilitate gastric emptying and minimise gastrointestinal discomfort, and a moderate amount of protein to reduce muscle breakdown and stimulate muscle building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Liquid food is often better tolerated than solid food the closer to an activity it is ingested, as part of the effort of breaking down the food has already been done. Why not kill two birds with one stone with an easy-to-digest coffee smoothie that provides an energy boost from the caffeine, and adds energy in the form of glucose for your muscles and protein to minimise muscle breakdown and instead stimulate rebuilding?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Muscle helps you to burn fat, so if your long-term goal is to burn fat, it\u2019s a good idea to eat a light snack before your strength training session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next level is moderate-intensity,<\/strong> and this is probably the most common intensity for morning workouts. In this category, you use light or no weights and instead put greater demands on your cardiovascular system, resulting in an increased breathing rate with little strain on your muscles. This could even be a relatively intense running session, a TRX session or kickboxing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During moderate-intensity activities, the use of carbohydrates versus fat as an energy source is more balanced. Your body\u2019s preferred fuel will depend on your typical eating habits and how fit you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re doing moderate-intensity training, I suggest you eat something light. Eat a couple of chunks of banana or a few bites of an apple, or drink a few sips of milk. Personally, I opt for a spoonful of peanut butter, which provides some carbohydrates and protein as well as a decent amount of fat. See how hungry you are, then experiment and see how you feel. If you\u2019re hungry \u2013 eat more! If you feel dizzy during or after your workout \u2013 it\u2019s a sign that you need more fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For low-intensity workouts<\/strong> such as yoga, Pilates or a gentle morning walk or jog, go by how hungry you feel before you start. If you\u2019re hungry \u2013 eat something small. Keep it simple (see the examples of what you can eat in the section about burning fat on an empty stomach)! Bear in mind that you won\u2019t necessarily burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach, so fill up with the amount of energy that you are most comfortable with, and that you know you will sustain you throughout your activity. If you don\u2019t feel hungry when you wake up, or you\u2019re used to exercising on an empty stomach and feel that your blood sugar is stable \u2013 a light morning workout won\u2019t hurt you. You probably have enough protein and carbohydrates in your system from the night before, assuming you had dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experiment, listen to your body and make adjustments accordingly \u2013 you know your body and how it responds better than anyone. Eat smart and exercise smarter!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sources<\/strong> Annerstedt, C. & Gjerset, A. (1997). Idrottens tr\u00e4ningsl\u00e4ra [The theory of sports training]. <\/em>SISU Idrottsb\u00f6cker, Burke, L. (2007). Practical Sports Nutrition [The theory of sports training].<\/em> Human Kinetics, The American College of Sport Medicine, National Institute of Health, Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2011 Feb;21(1):48-54. Exercising fasting or fed to enhance fat loss? Influence of food intake on respiratory ratio and excess postexercise oxygen consumption after a bout of endurance training.\u201d Paoli A(1), Marcolin G, Zonin F, Neri M, Sivieri A, Pacelli QF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By<\/strong> Frida R\u00f6kaas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Morning workouts aren\u2019t for everyone, but for those people who love them (or for those who just think it\u2019s better to get exercise over with early in the day), the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":15029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[254],"tags":[98,156,105,255,235],"class_list":["post-15028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet","tag-frukost","tag-kolhydrater","tag-cardio","tag-dietary-advice","tag-traning"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mammafit-1239.appspot.com\/iStock-543813586.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>A glass of milk
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>A smoothie made with banana, milk and coffee
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>A smoothie made with fruit\/berries, milk and protein powder
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>Low-fat yoghurt with berries
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>Coffee with milk
\u2705<\/strong> <\/strong>A boiled egg with a piece of fruit<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mammafit-1239.appspot.com\/iStock-472316628.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow intense is your workout?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n