The topic of nutrition is closely linked to sport. Many people ask themselves what they should eat before exercising. Some people may have already tried training on an empty stomach. This trend is called “fasted training”. The idea that you can start burning fat straight away makes many people do their first training session on an empty stomach before breakfast.
But should you eat something before training? And if so, what? Is there food that improves training performance so that you can reach your personal goals faster?
The answer is: it depends! Below we'll look at what in theory speaks for training on an empty stomach, but in practice you should eat something before your workout .
These are the benefits of training on an empty stomach
In theory, it is true that your body goes straight to its iron reserves when carbohydrates are not available. If you haven't eaten for a long time, your stores are probably empty and your body has to draw energy from your protein and fat stores.
Working out on an empty stomach is also intended to improve the way your body responds to insulin. This could reduce the risk of developing diabetes or heart disease, according to a study from the University of Bath.
Nevertheless, various studies have found that training on an empty stomach only causes marginal differences in the workout itself and hardly leads to greater weight loss in the long term.
Why doesn't training on an empty stomach work?
If you start training on an empty stomach or even really hungry, your body will rebel. It switches to emergency mode, which you may already know from the yo-yo effect when losing weight. This means: Physical performance is reduced because your body fears that it will run into a nutritional bottleneck.
The less intense and shorter your workout is, the lower the fat burning effect. If you still push through, you could be faced with a real craving after training. At some point you have to fill your storage again.
If you eat a lavish, high-calorie breakfast after training and don't move much afterwards, this could even have a negative impact on the scales because you are very hungry and may therefore eat more than usual.
Training on an empty stomach is also not a good idea if you want to build muscle . In the aforementioned emergency mode, the body also draws energy from proteins, which are essential for building muscle mass. If you train on an empty stomach, you deprive your muscles of the building materials they need to grow.
The right meal before training
Foods recommended for training include spinach, chicken, eggs, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, soy flakes, fennel and cream cheese. Of course, you should avoid foods such as kebab, currywurst, beer or lemonade before your workout.
Especially during short but intense training, the glucose stores in your liver and muscles are the main source of energy. Glucose stores fill up when you consume carbohydrates.
A sugar snack marketed as a “sports bar” isn’t really the best choice before a workout either. Although an increase in blood sugar levels can help you get up to speed, this effect only lasts for a short time and can also put you in quite a hole, so that you then need supplies quickly.
It's better to rely on long-chain carbohydrates, which you find in whole grain products, for example. They provide the body with energy for longer and evenly. But you shouldn't do a 10-minute workout, but rather train for a while so that your body can start burning fat.
Top athletes go even further: so-called “carb loading” describes the process when athletes consume carbohydrates before exercise. They also need this because they are perfectly trained and have practically no fat reserves. If you're pursuing the goal of losing weight, you shouldn't overfill your stomach. A small snack is enough.
Conclusion about training on an empty stomach
So if you want to achieve success in your workout, don't do it on an empty stomach. But don't overload him with sugary foods or fast food either. Instead, eat a balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
This means your body is efficient and you are ready for an intensive workout that will bring you closer to your training goals. Your muscles will thank you too and let's be honest - it's just no fun to train hungry!
