Running on an empty stomach: benefit or harm
People who want to lose weight use various methods that suit their lifestyle. One popular method is the idea of running in the morning. This is a good way to give the body the right tone, accessible to everyone. Professional athletes or people building their endurance do the same training. Is it right to run in the morning on an empty stomach? Or did you need to eat a little?
The benefits of running on an empty stomach
A person losing weight will achieve a much greater effect if the diet is combined with energy expenditure during exercise. And for athletes, nutrition is important to achieve maximum results. Correctly combining diet with physical education requires considerations determined by the goal. Namely, for:
- maintaining physical fitness;
- health;
- weight loss.
But there are certain rules that are the same for all these cases. Those who intend to maintain their health for a long time or maintain their shape run. In order to find out whether there is any benefit to jogging in the morning on an empty stomach, let's turn to physiology.
When a person wakes up, his body has a minimum of glycogen reserves. This is reflected in the state, which in the first half hour may be drowsy with some lethargy. The body consumes vitality from glycogen. In its absence, it looks for a way to replenish energy in other sources. First of all, these are fat deposits. And their maximum burning can be achieved in the morning, before meals, with intense stress on the heart.
This effect is explained by the stimulation under stressful circumstances created by running on an empty stomach. Exercise forces the brain to activate resources, one of which is fat, a source of energy. From this aspect, one can see the benefits of jogging before breakfast for people struggling with excess weight. For a person with a slow metabolism, this method of training is highly recommended. Having become accustomed to such stress, the body automatically begins to burn fat reserves.
The harm of running on an empty stomach
It is also necessary to talk about the harm: there are people who have contraindications. Let's list who is at risk. 1. The ban applies to those who have minimal fat reserves. For example, some athletes are engaged in building lean muscle mass, as well as people who have dystrophy. The limitations are explained by the fact that in the absence of glycogen and fat reserves, the body will extract energy from the muscles by destroying tissue. Catabolism will appear - a phenomenon in which the hormone cortisol is produced intensively, which leads to stressful conditions. The functioning of the heart and blood vessels may deteriorate, as well as the condition of this important system itself.
2. Running on an empty stomach should not be “joked” by those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This is especially true for the diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease. Exercise will make your metabolism active. The body will burn a large amount of calories, which will cause increased appetite. As a result of morning stress, gastric juice is released, which can enlarge the ulcer in the empty organ.
The rule is a calm rhythm of training on an empty stomach. Its duration cannot exceed half an hour. If not followed, a diet combined with morning jogging will lose its benefits. A state of fatigue may occur, leading to effects opposite to those desired: decreased tone, loss of strength, pressure changes. The recovery period will also be long.
More benefit or harm?
We have come to the most important question. Does running on an empty stomach do you more good or bad? Let's consider the main pros and cons of such training.
pros
- Fasted training increases the sensitivity of muscle receptors to insulin. Therefore, glucose is used more efficiently by the body, and fats begin to be broken down earlier;
- It has been observed that running on an empty stomach increases the level of somatotropin (growth hormone) in the blood. This substance stimulates the anabolism of muscle tissue proteins, enhances bone mineralization;
- It is the adipose tissue that is actively burned, which means the “sides” go away. However, there are some nuances, which we will discuss below;
- Time is saved in the morning, such jogging is more accessible and convenient;
- The body uses alternative ways of producing and redistributing energy.
Minuses
- Even active fat burning during a morning run on an empty stomach will not provide as much energy as can be obtained when the body uses glycogen. Therefore, calorie consumption is lower, which means weight loss does not occur as intensely as with intense exercise after breakfast;
- If you do not follow the principle of a “calorie deficit,” then a test such as running on an empty stomach will not bring any results. It is important that the number of calories burned is always greater than the number consumed;
- If you don’t have enough dinner, your health may deteriorate significantly, even to the point of loss of consciousness;
- It’s already difficult to force yourself to go for a run in the morning, especially if your body hasn’t woken up yet. Running on an empty stomach is associated with weakness and fatigue. Motivation is even lower, so it’s easier to burn out;
- Eating stimulates the production of “happiness” hormones;
- There are a number of contraindications for running on an empty stomach.
Contraindications
Before you start running on an empty stomach, it is best to consult your doctor. Here are some contraindications:
- Diabetes;
- Dysfunction of the thyroid gland, sex hormones;
- Dystrophy;
- Reduced body weight;
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.
How many hours before training can you eat?
How should you eat to get the maximum benefit from athletics? What to eat before running early in the morning? It is recommended to have a limited breakfast. Namely, consume 200 grams of dairy products, which can be replaced with other proteins. The body will receive a supply of substances, which will prevent possible absorption of energy from the muscles. Housing and communal services will prepare to digest the main portion of food. And you can take this food only half an hour after finishing your run.
The question of whether it is possible to eat before running in the morning also includes taking into account the athlete’s build. If he is thin, he should drink one of the following liquids:
- a glass of kefir;
- weak coffee;
- tea.
Eating while running in the morning with these drinks will provide the carbohydrates you need. Catabolism will be minimized in its effect on the muscles, and the heart will not be overworked.
Why do you need to run in the morning on an empty stomach?
Do you really need to eat before running in the morning? As a result of experiments, data were obtained according to which fats are best broken down when jogging on an empty stomach. But in the evening or during the day such an effect will not work. Only in the morning does the figure benefit. Although, due to the minimal concentration of sugar in the morning, some people risk fainting. If you pay close attention to your conditions, sometimes it is very useful to resort to the method of running on an empty stomach. The usual health benefits obtained from training will be complemented by an increase in the following effects.
- Increased endurance threshold.
- Strengthening the cardiovascular system.
- Activation of blood circulation.
- Saturation of tissues with oxygen with improved functions.
- Uplifting mood.
Studies have found that 30 minutes after the start of a workout, a person produces “happiness hormones.” Athletics helps both stress and depression. But it is necessary to treat its extreme forms with caution. One aspect to pay attention to is nutrition when running.
Running on an empty stomach for weight loss
Those who want to lose weight should not eat a significant amount of food before their morning jog. But drinking, including an energy drink, will not only be appropriate, but also mandatory. Sweet tea will give you a dose of sugar as a source of quick energy. In this case, training can become intense, and the blood will reduce its viscosity, typical for the morning hours. Without a drink, the heart will receive an excessively large load, and the body will weaken. This is quite dangerous.
It is known that with systematic jogging, a beautiful figure is formed. People are struggling with excess weight, improving their posture. In addition to a proper diet to complement your training, sometimes, but not systematically, you can use the effective method of jogging on an empty stomach. At the same time, it is necessary to show criticism of your state of health, as well as observe the body’s reaction.
Benefits of running on an empty stomach
Running on an empty stomach traditionally means running at least 6-8 hours after your last meal. This could be a run first thing after getting up in the morning, or a workout in the evening, as long as you didn't eat or drink anything other than plain water after lunch.
Minimal risk of stomach upset
Often, athletes are faced with a situation where running some time after eating or drinking causes a feeling of discomfort or even nausea. Some of the undigested food begins to “walk” through the stomach while the runner is moving, stimulating it too actively, which leads to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Another cause of diarrhea can be a violation of the blood supply to the intestines, since during running the blood flow accelerates, and the blood flows to the head and limbs much more than to the gastrointestinal tract.
When the stomach is empty, the mucous membrane is not irritated and the active phase of digestion does not occur, which means that the chance that the athlete will have to urgently end the workout and run to the toilet is minimized.
Potentially Increase Your Efficiency
When you run without fuel, the body has to expend previously accumulated energy, that is, use existing glycogen reserves. During regular training on an empty stomach, the body learns to obtain the main energy from fats and use glycogen in muscles more economically during running.
Fasted cardio: burning fat or muscle?
Eating when running in the morning is not necessary, but in some cases you cannot train without food or drink. After all, if there is not enough adipose tissue in the body, under load it will begin to extract energy from the muscles, causing them harm. Therefore, you need to accept the fact that you need to eat a little. The amount of food and drink depends on the duration and activity of the workout. It is better to run in the morning for 15 minutes, taking some coffee or tea with sugar or cookies. More intense and longer sessions will require more energy. What is there before that? You can add milk to your coffee, and double the serving of cookies.
Running on an empty stomach is a good way to lose weight
This is not to say that exercising on an empty stomach is a bad way to burn fat. On the contrary, such training burns a large amount of fat deposits because the body lacks simpler sources of energy, such as carbohydrates and protein.
As a result of even a slight load, the process of fat burning and, consequently, weight loss begins. The physiology of the body is such that after waking up, the blood contains a minimal amount of glycogen (complex carbohydrate), which causes drowsiness in the first few minutes after waking up. And most often it is not coffee that helps you wake up, but sugar, which contains glycogens.
Since the body has a low supply of glycogen in the morning, you will have to make much less effort to use it up and start burning fat than in the evening. Therefore, to lose weight you need to run less.
Regular morning jogging on an empty stomach will be beneficial for people with slow metabolism. It is always more difficult for such people to lose weight, because carbohydrates and proteins are consumed extremely slowly. If you run systematically in the morning, your body will readjust and be prone to losing fat tissue in the first half of the day.
Should you run in the morning on an empty stomach or not?
To sum up the question of how to jog in the morning, on an empty stomach or not, we can say the following: the person realized that training before breakfast is beneficial. It is quite possible that this effect will be repeated many times. And some will decide to always do this way. Weighing all the pros and cons, the athlete himself has the right to come to the conclusion whether he needs to eat before the race. At the same time, you should not exhaust yourself, but you need to take into account all the nuances of your condition.
It is advisable not to turn such a fact into a system. A small amount of food consumed before training is just the norm. What you eat before running is a personal choice for the runner. Most likely, this is a drink with a small portion of food: porridge, cottage cheese, cookies. It is recommended to have a full breakfast after jogging, including carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. These components will help restore the body, acting as its building materials.
Does running on an empty stomach help you lose weight faster?
Regular morning jogging on an empty stomach can be beneficial for people with slow metabolisms. After all, physical activity in the morning will help burn more fat deposits due to the lack of simple energy sources in the body - carbohydrates and proteins. However, other factors also influence the final result.
Vladimir:
Running on an empty stomach, like any other workout without first eating, will not affect your weight loss goals. Only daily caloric intake matters. And when exactly you eat - before or after training - is not critically important. The most important point is the comfort of such activities for you personally.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Question of the day. Does running help you lose weight?
