cardio on empty stomach

[Hunter-S-Thompson]

I've tried both, noticed no difference as far as fat loss... only thing I ever noticed was how $hitty I felt during/after am cardio on an empty stomach.. had no energy at all... I stopped fasted cardio for that reason... people will debate this back and forth, but when it comes down to it, I think you should just listen to your body...if you feel so crappy like I did, somethings just not right..

[jfalco]

I've tried both, noticed no difference as far as fat loss... only thing I ever noticed was how $hitty I felt during/after am cardio on an empty stomach.. had no energy at all... I stopped fasted cardio for that reason... people will debate this back and forth, but when it comes down to it, I think you should just listen to your body...if you feel so crappy like I did, somethings just not right..

Bingo!

If you're the rare person that doesn't feel like crap when you do cardio on an empty stomach, maybe you're not loosing muscle. For most people, you will feel like shit and you will burn muscle.

[aer_vlad]

Very interesting thread.

First, Phate, you mentioned that your protein has about 1g of carbohydrate; and therefore, causes no change in insulin. Correct me if I'm wrong, but protein (including whey) causes a fairly large raise in insulin - just by itself. Your pancreas isn't only responsive to carbohydrates.

Also, in contrast to you all who feel "shitty" after a fasted cardio state, I do not. My head actually feels clearer and I'm more focused it seems. After some research, this could be attributed to increased catecholamine activity. To each his own... but that is my own experience.

Another point I would like to raise: from what I have read, your body will metabolize stored glycogen, fat, or amino acids (muscle) for energy. From these three primary energy sources, your body will take the path of least resistance and use glycogen first, fat second, and muscle third. Now I'm not saying your body is run exactly like a car and once one tank is empty *ding!* it moves on to the next. But from a general point of view, glycogen is mostly depleted (after eight hours of sleeping, glycogen in the liver is almost all metabolized), then low intensity aerobic exercise would cause the body to metabolize adipose tissue as energy.

With supplemental BCAA's (as previously mentioned by Phate: "BCAA's are catabolized in the skeletal muscle of the body (therefore bypassing the liver). Skeletal muscle contains enzymes that break down the BCAA's & utilize there energy) that fasted state cardio could be beneficial.

Whether or not BCAA cause any insulin response, I do not know (does anybody know the answer to this?) but point in case, raised insulin levels would blunt the effects of adipose oxidation.

Anyways, that's my two cents. I seem to be the Devil's Advocate here lol.

[BigMatt]

Very interesting thread.

First, Phate, you mentioned that your protein has about 1g of carbohydrate; and therefore, causes no change in insulin. Correct me if I'm wrong, but protein (including whey) causes a fairly large raise in insulin - just by itself. Your pancreas isn't only responsive to carbohydrates.

Also, in contrast to you all who feel "shitty" after a fasted cardio state, I do not. My head actually feels clearer and I'm more focused it seems. After some research, this could be attributed to increased catecholamine activity. To each his own... but that is my own experience.

Another point I would like to raise: from what I have read, your body will metabolize stored glycogen, fat, or amino acids (muscle) for energy. From these three primary energy sources, your body will take the path of least resistance and use glycogen first, fat second, and muscle third. Now I'm not saying your body is run exactly like a car and once one tank is empty *ding!* it moves on to the next. But from a general point of view, glycogen is mostly depleted (after eight hours of sleeping, glycogen in the liver is almost all metabolized), then low intensity aerobic exercise would cause the body to metabolize adipose tissue as energy.

With supplemental BCAA's (as previously mentioned by Phate: "BCAA's are catabolized in the skeletal muscle of the body (therefore bypassing the liver). Skeletal muscle contains enzymes that break down the BCAA's & utilize there energy) that fasted state cardio could be beneficial.

Whether or not BCAA cause any insulin response, I do not know (does anybody know the answer to this?) but point in case, raised insulin levels would blunt the effects of adipose oxidation.

Anyways, that's my two cents. I seem to be the Devil's Advocate here lol.

Correct