Exercising on an empty stomach

[MarkE]

In Dr. Atkins book it says that you should not exercise on an empty stomach. But it does not say why. I am walking for 1 hour when I wake up then I eat some eggs when I get home. Should I be eating first? And why?

[flpooh19701]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I don't know the science behind it but I get a much better work out when I eat breakfast. If I don't I seem to fizzle out quicker.

[ValidRouge]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

Mark, I haven't seen that reference, could you point it out?

Even without that, when I exercise in the morning, it's always on an empty stomach.

I ran a half marathon on a single boiled egg. If you are consistently fueling your body on low carb foods, your body doesn't need any type of food for fuel as it will be primed to use your fat stores for energy.

[ttdriver]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I ran a half marathon on a single boiled egg. If you are consistently fueling your body on low carb foods, your body doesn't need any type of food for fuel as it will be primed to use your fat stores for energy

Exactly. I run 13 miles every Saturday morning on an empty stomach.

Betty

[Chora]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I prefer to workout on a slightly empty stomach. I eat lunch at noon and eat a cheese stick at 3:00 and I am at the gym at four which helps me.

[Lisa]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

The reference is in the chapter regarding exercise (I love that chapter! ).

I understand the idea behind what Dr. A's saying: you have to burn the fuel in your body and if you don't have fuel to burn, you run out of gas (glucose stored?). I know I just read an article about that recently on line that had information about to do or not to do about eating before hand---of course I didn't bookmark it (dummmmm)---it came down to knowing your body and knowing what you can and cannot do.

I have to have a small something before I exercise if I do it in the morning, otherwise, I'm nauseated and heading for the floor.

[Trisha001]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I have to workout on an empty stomach or I cramp up....

[Minofex1]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

Lisa, I am glad you brought that up. Not to change the subject MarkE but I want to mention my thought process on the eating and fueling subject. Okay, here is my thoughts on the subject.

I have been eating 5-6 meals daily for a while. No major meals just several small meal. Since I have been eating less while still maintaining my 5-6 meals per day. My thought is that instead of filling up with fuel that gets burned from what I eat, why can't I just allow the excess Fibrous Adipose Tissue be used? I prefer to have my existing fat to be used for fuel and not the actual food that I intake on a daily basis. . .

Is this a crazy philosophy? Thanks for your input.

By the way, I like running every morning on an empty stomach!

Regards,
- Minofex1

[sallyseachange]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I do all my exercise (half hour work-out and long dog walk) after I get up... on an empty stomach. So far so good. It makes breakfast all the more welcome!

[Raventhor]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

sounds like all this is a double edged sword, work out with an empty stomach and burn ur fat off from ur stores but in that proccess tire urself out, or eat first and then risk not losing as much as u want since its burning from ur food. interested, which side will u choose XD.

[IrishMom82]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

Well for me I have to eat something otherwise I'm sick to my stomach. I normally have a small breakfast (eggs and some kinda meat) about an hour before I work out.

I've learned over the months that as long as I'm active I'm losing. So for me what I focus on is not the fat that I'm burning (or not burning since my tummy isn't empty) it's the fact that I'm getting my metabolism active again.

[TheFinalSQL]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

I have been walking 6 miles a day in the morning as soon as I wake up. Always on an empty stomach. I have plenty of stored fuel to burn.



Norm

[boonie stomper]

Re: Exercising on an empty stomach

Once again, here I come.

Let's read between the lines on this one, since there seems to be a gray area
in the book.

Don't exercise on an empty stomach.

Ok, your stomach could be considered empty if you just vomited. But I think most of the time, there's at the very least something in there - even if it is water and/or other fluids. So, let's assume we don't want to exercise right after vomiting.

Now, exercise is for some simply the act of breathing. Did the book say how much exercise? So lets try to chill out completely, at least for a little while, if you just vomited.

Now, common sense time. You don't want to run a marathon with a full stomach. Why? You will vomit, and then you have to stop exercising awhile.

KIS - eat a little then work out a little, and when you get tired eat a little more and work out some more.
I will say this, if I walk 1st thing after I get up and have had only water and supplements I quickly regret it if I don't put some food (not a lot) in there with them.