Cardio on empty stomach more effective

[Bast000]

Is this a myth or the truth?  Any science to back it up?

[figgs]

Is this a myth or the truth?  Any science to back it up?

Prepare yourself for a 19 page argument. 

Some say it's the best for burning fat because your body's glycogen reserves are low right upon waking and so instead of burning carbs, your body burns fat. Those that disagree think doing this has catabolic effects. I never tried it because there's no conclusion to the argument which means there's that risk of losing muscle. That's not a comforting state of mind; knowing you're losing muscle. 

[WhiteHulk4]

Don't know about the science, but if you ask Bill Phillips he'll tell you there's more scientific research to back it up than anything else on earth...  But then again, he says that about anything he recommends!

However, I have done the early morning cardio on an empty stomach for long periods of time, throughout the last 12 years and I've had great success with it.  Not only are you forced to use stored fuel (because really, what else do you have when you haven't eaten in 8-10 hours?), but you'll find that you don't have to work nearly as hard to get your heart rate going at a good pace.

If you're really concerned about losing muscle, try drinking a pure whey protein shake, no carbs, no milk, just protein and water, before you do the cardio.  The amino acids floating in your bloodstream should protect you from any meaningful muscle loss.

[Dr. Shock]

I do cardio 3-4 mornings before work. I take 15g of aminos before it to keep my body from burning muscle tissue. Seems to work a treat. As long as your in positive nitrogen balance, your body should burn the next available fuel source, ie fat (since you have no carbohydrates stored either).

[Overload]

Heard both sides of the arguement...i prefer to drink a protein shake with water 30 minutes before cardio. i have not had any problems losing weight in this fassion.


 

[The BEAST]

I've tried both and have had better results getting some protein in me before morning cardio plus some BCAA's.  I felt I held onto more muscle and didn't feel sick after 30 minutes or so like I did on an empty stomach.  Egg whites are a really good choice but protein shakes are much easier.

[Jr. Yates]

Prepare yourself for a 19 page argument. 

haha!

[Mike]

I can only do it on the weekends after getting 11 hours of sleep.  Any other day I hate waking up earlier than I have to and I don't have ANY energy.  I'd rather blast out 45mins after work than half-ass 30 minutes before. 

As far as the benefits, I think it's  the best for fat loss.

[jmt1]

never do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach...in the morning most people have just fasted for 6-8 hours...then on top of that you want to add a catabolic activity like cardio?...also cortisol levels are already high in the morning and adding exercise on an empty stomach increases those levels even more...so basically if your doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach you are just asking to burn lean muscle tissue.

the shake, bcaa, glutamine is the best way to preserve muscle tissue without having much impact on fat loss...it is true that some of the protein will be burned as energy but the amount of muscle tissue saved is worth it.

its also a mistake to do high intensity cardio...it should be done at around 60% of max heart rate.

[Blockhead]

 There is truth behind it BASTelli...

 The way to stay in a NOn-catabolic state is all about timing, son...timing.

 I'm hoping before bed you have a decent PM protein shake like a egg/casein shake mixed in water with a fishoil or efa with it...plus I hope you get in bed at a decent time...my trick is I have the shake...drink enough fluids to where a 3am wake up to piss is inevitable...so when I wake up at 3am to piss...I go to the kitchen and drink down another serving of the same shake this time with a serving of BCAA's and glutamine(capsules) and go right back to bed...then when I wake up at 6:30 for cardio...

 ...as I wake up at 6:30 I gotta piss again then I go back ot the kitchen and have a tablespoon of BCAA powder and glutamine powder, a PS tab, 25mg of ephedrine, 200mg of caffeine and 81mg of aspirin then drive to the gym for cardio...by 6:50...Im at the gym and by 7am...it's 40 minutes of cardio striving to burn 100-120 calories every 10 minutes.

 It's all about TIMIMG. Careful and planned TIMING. Doing it like this will keep you in a NON-catabolic state and will combat the effects of cortisol rising. Think about it BASTino.