Exercise before or after breakfast

[JennyR]

What's better for fat burning? To exercise before you eat in the morning (so like as soon as you get up) or to have breakfast first and then go? I'm wondering because I'm the type of person who doesn't want food until at least an hour after I've been awake, so I'd far rather get my exercise out of the way then wait until after breakfast when I'm far more likely to be unmotivated. Is it bad for my health to exercise first ting in the morning before eating?

[brightstar]

Neither is better for fat burning. This is a common misconception about exercise and burning fat. If you exercise on an empty stomach, yes, your body will need to use something for calories. However, it won't yet be in a state of ketosis because your fast (not eating overnight) won't have been long enough. Therefore, it's more likely that it will use an easier form of energy coming from proteins - that is, your muscles, including everything from the muscles in your biceps, bootie and even your heart, which is a muscle. Then, you'll eat calories in your breakfast and you'll burn some of those and store any extra as fat just as you would at any other meal at any other time. That said, your performance during your workout will be weaker because you won't have a ready source of energy from food, your body needed to strip it from your muscles.
Instead, eat your breakfast first (you're getting those calories regardless so you may as well use them for your workout and avoid feeling weak). You'll still burn calories during your workout but later on if needed, you'll be more likely to preserve your lean muscle and burn into your fat stores instead, provided you don't overeat.

If you like exercising right away but don't like eating, have something small. It's way better for preserving your muscle (and heart!) health, then eat the rest as soon as you get home. Your energy burn continues after your workout, so finishing your breakfast afterward can work in your favor. Just don't make it too big.

Remember that your workouts aren't actually your main fat burners. Your meals are. So even the fat burning you get from a workout isn't that high. It's not risk damaging your heart over, but you don't need many calories to protect yourself!

[Freddy]

Neither is better for fat burning. This is a common misconception about exercise and burning fat. If you exercise on an empty stomach, yes, your body will need to use something for calories. However, it won't yet be in a state of ketosis because your fast (not eating overnight) won't have been long enough. Therefore, it's more likely that it will use an easier form of energy coming from proteins - that is, your muscles, including everything from the muscles in your biceps, bootie and even your heart, which is a muscle. Then, you'll eat calories in your breakfast and you'll burn some of those and store any extra as fat just as you would at any other meal at any other time. That said, your performance during your workout will be weaker because you won't have a ready source of energy from food, your body needed to strip it from your muscles.
Instead, eat your breakfast first (you're getting those calories regardless so you may as well use them for your workout and avoid feeling weak). You'll still burn calories during your workout but later on if needed, you'll be more likely to preserve your lean muscle and burn into your fat stores instead, provided you don't overeat.

If you like exercising right away but don't like eating, have something small. It's way better for preserving your muscle (and heart!) health, then eat the rest as soon as you get home. Your energy burn continues after your workout, so finishing your breakfast afterward can work in your favor. Just don't make it too big.

Remember that your workouts aren't actually your main fat burners. Your meals are. So even the fat burning you get from a workout isn't that high. It's not risk damaging your heart over, but you don't need many calories to protect yourself!

Wow! I had no idea that exercising on an empty stomach could do bad things to your heart...but I guess since it's not great for your muscles and your heart is a muscle that makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing all that brightstar!

[brightstar]

Wow! I had no idea that exercising on an empty stomach could do bad things to your heart...but I guess since it's not great for your muscles and your heart is a muscle that makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing all that brightstar!

To be honest, I didn't know it either until shortly before I replied to that post. I knew it burned muscle, too, but I wanted to be sure so I googled it. THere have been soooooo many studies about that subject and they do warn that the heart is a muscle, too. Scary, right?

[BabyButtons]

To be honest, I didn't know it either until shortly before I replied to that post. I knew it burned muscle, too, but I wanted to be sure so I googled it. THere have been soooooo many studies about that subject and they do warn that the heart is a muscle, too. Scary, right?

Yes! So scary!!!

[JennyR]

Neither is better for fat burning. This is a common misconception about exercise and burning fat. If you exercise on an empty stomach, yes, your body will need to use something for calories. However, it won't yet be in a state of ketosis because your fast (not eating overnight) won't have been long enough. Therefore, it's more likely that it will use an easier form of energy coming from proteins - that is, your muscles, including everything from the muscles in your biceps, bootie and even your heart, which is a muscle. Then, you'll eat calories in your breakfast and you'll burn some of those and store any extra as fat just as you would at any other meal at any other time. That said, your performance during your workout will be weaker because you won't have a ready source of energy from food, your body needed to strip it from your muscles.
Instead, eat your breakfast first (you're getting those calories regardless so you may as well use them for your workout and avoid feeling weak). You'll still burn calories during your workout but later on if needed, you'll be more likely to preserve your lean muscle and burn into your fat stores instead, provided you don't overeat.

If you like exercising right away but don't like eating, have something small. It's way better for preserving your muscle (and heart!) health, then eat the rest as soon as you get home. Your energy burn continues after your workout, so finishing your breakfast afterward can work in your favor. Just don't make it too big.

Remember that your workouts aren't actually your main fat burners. Your meals are. So even the fat burning you get from a workout isn't that high. It's not risk damaging your heart over, but you don't need many calories to protect yourself!

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up. From now on I'll eat breakfast first.

[KittyKatt]

It's scary that so many personal trainers recommend that body builders workout on an empty stomach.

[Lady Greenfairy]

It's scary that so many personal trainers recommend that body builders workout on an empty stomach.

So true. Even if something works, this doesn't mean that it's good for you.

[KittyKatt]

So true. Even if something works, this doesn't mean that it's good for you.

Good point! there's a difference between doing something that gets a result and doing something that safely gets a result.