Hi Jean!

First of all, know that exercise at ANY time of the day is beneficial. So just because you didn't exercise first thing in the morning, or on an empty stomach, it doesn't mean it was in vain.

Secondly, if you're not eating at all until after you workout (like 2pm?) then you're doing cardio on empty and will still get the benefits.

But not eating anything until 2pm is a little drastic, what time do you wake up? I would never be able to do that. Try to eat some sort of protein for breakfast or make sure you have the protein shake. Exercising on empty in the morning works well because you don't have carbs in your system, so your body goes directly to burning fat.

So in your situation, it should be fine to have some eggs or a protein shake for breakfast and then work out at 2pm. Maybe you could even have eggs for breakfast when you wake up and then a protein shake an hour or two before you work out. Just an idea. By 2pm I would've already eaten my breakfast, a snack, and my lunch. You need to eat continuously throughout the day to rev your metabolism, so don't forget to do so!

If you're still not convinced that you'd get the same benefits as cardio first thing in the AM, then wake up an hour before you normally do and workout then. That way you should be hungry enough to eat some breakfast and otherwise eat normally throughout the rest of the day.

Good luck!

thanks for the reply. i get up at 9:30 start work at 10 (live at college and work in a lab) i usually get done at 12:30 ish right next to gym, and i could never make it till 2 without eating normally but i just hate waking up early and walking the hill to the gym so i go when i am right next door!!! i know another lazy college student I am going to try and make a point to eat a hardboiled egg or shake for breakfast though. thanks for the advice this is my first week and i am trying sooo hard to stay motivated
jean

I would try to exercise first thing in the morning for a week. You may suprise yourself and really get hooked! I know personally, it's great to get it out of the way and not have to worry about it. Also, it really wakes me up and I have energy for the rest of the day!

I've heard differing opinions on this, and in Muscle and Fitness they've got an article stating that it doesn't matter if you work out on an empty stomach or not. No matter when you get your exercise in, you are burning calories. Exercise whenever you can. I personally get sick if I work out with no food (but I wait at least 30 minutes after eating, or else I get cramps). I have two small kids, and my youngest is teething and we get no sleep. I'm certainly not going to exercise in the morning

Diddo Dan....I wish these posts were dated...I had the same question as Nat. I currently drink 2 cups of caffeinated coffee with 1/2 & 1/2. Is this a positive thing to do or negative. I do have a significant amount of weight to loose. I know just doing my daily cardio is a positve thing but I don't want to start with negative habits. If need be I can cut out the small amount of carbs but I do love that caffeine in the a.m.!

THanks!
Marg

Marg, the posts are dated - look at the top of the post on the left right above the username of the poster.

FYI, I've been doing the whipping cream in half a cup of coffee for 2 years now and I don't think it's hurt my progress.

Nat

nikkiend: I tried that Body Flex thing and I just couldn't stick to it. The breathing was strange to me, made me a litty dizzy and dried out my sinuses too much.
I'm cusiour how i;ts been working for you bcasue, in theory, it seems like a great program.

MarieB,
It's been working great. Honestly, tho, I went on vacation last month and took it with me but never ended up using it and have not gotten back to it yet, unfortunately. Just not quite ready yet. I had lost over 21 inches in 7 weeks on it. You may not have been doing the breathing correctly. In my opinion, it would be worth a try to sit down with the instructional video again and practice more. Maybe you need to take it slower than others. It is a great program and I love it. Just need to get myself motivated again!!! Let me know if you try again. I'd be glad to give any pointers I can.

WOW! That sounds like incredible progress. I actually ordered the tapes from the home shopping channel, tried it for a while, found that she moved too quickly for me, for one thing, and so I sent the tapes back. I do remember the breathing technique, I think that her pacing might have just been too quick for me. I also found that some of the positions were a little strange. For instance, the cat one, where you're on your hands and knees, gave me a good, I don't know what to call it, vaccum thing going on with my breath...you know what I mean. But when I did the floor stuff, like the crunches, I didn't feel that. Am I making any sense? I should see if I can find the tape and maybe incorporate it into my regular workouts, it might give them a boost.
HOw many times a week do you reccommend to start?

MarieB,
You must have ordered a different program than I have. I have the BodyFlex resistance bar and the exercises start with stretches and then go to resistance exercises with the bar, so I can't really help you there. If you do decide to order what I have, I've found that it's cheaper if you order it thru Home Shopping Network.
It has you start with just the breathing exercises, then you incorporate the stretches and the resistance bar within a few days. You eventually end up (supposed to, anyway) doing it twice a day. Once first thing in the am b4 eating anything, then in the evening b4 eating dinner. I think they have you wait a week b4 going to twice a day. The exercises and breathing on this video are easy to follow and actually, I find that Greer is slower than me, so I started doing it without the video and would view the videos occasionally just to assure I was still doing it correctly.
HSN does give you a 30 day return policy. I believe with shipping it was just over $40.00.

Hey, Nikkiend Thanks for responding. I ordered my body flex about 6 or 7 years ago. So she must have added and revised the package, and maybe she moves slower now. I don't have cable, so I don't get the shopping channel, but if I write to them they'll probably know about it. I'll keep Body Flex in mind for the future. I'll let you know if I start up on it again.
Hugs
DId you do your body flex this morning? I find it hard to get back into my routine when I've been neglecting it for a while. But if I force myself for the first couple days, it comes much easier by the third and fourth days. Keep up the good work, nikki

MarieB,
You can get online and order it. The website is www.hsn.com. I've got the item # somewhere so if you need it, let me know.
No, I haven't gotten myself doing it again, yet. I'm on my way, tho. I got the bar in the back bedroom where I do it and got the chair set up, so I'm working towards it. One thing I know about myself is if I force myself to start doing something when I'm not ready, I won't keep it up. Same with LC'ing. If I start back and I'm not ready, I'll cheat by the weekend. Maybe that sounds like a copout, but that's how I work. Keep me posted about the BodyFlex. There are infomercials on about it if you can catch one, you can learn alot more about the program.

Ok...probably a stupid question, but should the whole am thing even apply to people who are on lc diets. ....we already have low levels of sugar , or so I thought.

I have that same question. If we are already in fat burning mode and consume very low levels of carbs, does the working out on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, really make a difference? I find I get light headed if I don't eat something before I work out.

Lisaf, after you stared the morning work outs how long and how much did you end up losing?