Some scientists argue that if you want to get rid of more fat, you should skip pre-workout eating. Several studies suggest exercising while your body is low on food may be a good way to trim excess fat. In a recent study, researchers found that cyclists who trained without eating burned significantly more fat.
According to USA Today: "Muscles usually get their energy from carbohydrates ... if you haven't eaten before exercising, your body doesn't have many carbohydrates in reserve. That forces it to burn fat instead."
As you can tell from reading the USA Today article above, there's plenty of controversy on this issue. There's general agreement that exercising on an empty stomach will help burn more fat, but that's about where the general consensus ends. Some experts believe it's a bad idea because exercising vigorously when you're blood sugar is low could lead to dizziness and poor performance. Others warn that exercising while hungry can lead to overeating afterwards.
I believe the best approach is to use some common sense and listen to your body. A number of individual factors can play a role, such as your age, when you last ate, whether or not you're pregnant, taking medications, your medical history, level of fitness, and the type of workout you engage in. For example, if you feel weak or nauseous while exercising on an empty stomach, you may want to at least eat a small meal before exercising.
But first, let's look at the science behind this theory.
There's actually quite a bit of evidence supporting the theory that you'll burn more fat if you don't eat prior to your workout. USA Today mentions several such studies.
How Fasting Forces Your Body to Shed Excess Fat
All fat burning processes in your body are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS is inherently activated by exercise and lack of food. The combination of fasting and exercising maximizes the impact of cellular factors and catalysts, which force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy. So yes, training on an empty stomach is actually a very effective way to force your body to burn fat. It's also important to realize that eating a full meal, particularly carbohydrates, will inhibit the SNS and reduce the fat burning effect of your exercise. Instead, eating lots of carbs activates your parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which promotes energy storage—the complete opposite of what you're aiming for.
Keep in mind, though, that the majority of the "fuel" used during most exercise is not coming from the food you have just eaten. If you're working out at a moderate to high intensity, you're using glycogen and fat that is stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells. Typically, we have enough of that stored fuel to last for one to two hours of intense to very intense work, or three to four of moderate intensity. So having said this, if you are consuming a high quality diet, eating every three to four hours, your body may not need anything to eat before you begin your workout. But, some people do have a hard time exercising without eating something first. Typically these people are more sensitive to changes in their blood sugar levels, which can decline during the first 15-25 minutes of their workout. It is this decline in blood sugar that causes dizziness, faintness, nausea or lightheadedness. This is especially true if you exercise first thing in the morning.
What to Eat Before Exercise to Really Boost Fat Burning
The flip side of fasting prior to exercise, however, is reduced performance. Fortunately, there's another, perhaps even more efficient way to boost fat burning without fasting. Another recent study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, demonstrated that consuming whey protein (20g protein / serving) 30 minutes before resistance training boosts your body's metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout. It appears as though the amino acids found in high quality whey protein activate certain cellular mechanisms, which in turn promote muscle protein synthesis, boost thyroid, and also protect against declining testosterone levels after exercise. In practical terms, consuming 20 grams of whey protein before exercise and another serving afterward will most likely yield the double benefit of increasing both fat burning and muscle build-up at the same time. Again, not everyone will need to eat something prior to exercise, but if you do, whey protein is one of your best bets.
How to Select a High Quality Whey Protein
Whey protein is a by-product of dairy, so for starters you'll want to make sure the whey you're buying is derived from organic, grass-fed, non-hormonally treated cows. It should also be minimally processed in order to preserve beneficial components. Most commercial whey products are derived from pasteurized dairy and processed with heat and acid, which destroys most of the whey's fragile molecular structure. Many of them also contain artificial sweeteners, which come with their own set of health hazards. And contrary to popular belief, artificial sweeteners actually sabotage your weight loss efforts by impairing your ability to regulate your appetite naturally.
The Dream Protein that we offer in our office comes from New Zeeland so it contains no pesticides or herbicides. It is also cold processed to preserve all of the healthy nutrients and enzymes that are naturally available in the whey protein. Ask your doctor if you are interested in this great product.
You can also order it online at www.FirstShake.com/3556 to get it shipped anywhere. They offer free samples at the website.
Source: June 18, 2010; USA Today
Contact me if you have any questions at 920-954-1002 or DrDan1221@yahoo.com
