I workout on an empty stomach everyday.

I beleive in morning cardio and right now since i cant do weight training its even better.

But some studies did say that at night when you lie down to sleep the body doesnt rest but it activate itself, cause when you sleep the body has so many fonctions to take care.

I have a question that relates to much of the information on this thread--specifically about the advisability (or benefits) of exercising before having breakfast.

My morning routine is somewhat different from those of others I'm reading here. For instance, I'm generally up at 8:30, and it's about 9:30-10:00 AM before I'm ready to go out for my morning 45-minute run (or bike ride). Originally--before LC'ing--I did it on any empty stomach, and came back, washed up, and was ready for lunch at around 12 or 12:30. I skipped breakfast, as a result.

When I started LC'ing, most of the advice I received on this board was not to skip breakfast--kick-start my metabolism, give myself 3-5 small meals/day, not let too much time go by without eating, etc. So I did start to eat my LC breakfast (I'm on PP)--and began to have it before I left for jogging. It's not very large--I take in about 1250 cals/day, for my height/age/goal weight.

Anyway, the question now is, if I go back to jogging on an empty stomach, I will not have breakfast at all, but will return in time--after cleaning up, doing a few errands, etc.--for lunch. I don't want to have a meal at around 11:30, because it isn't practical workwise for me to wait again till around 1:30/2 PM to eat the second meal. Currently, meals snacks are (approx.) at 9:30, 12:30, 3, 5:30/6 (and a snack if I really need one at around 7:30).

I can't seem to get up earlier than 8:30. I work out of my home office and use my eyes a lot, so sleep is important, and I get/need about 9 1/2 to 10 hours/night.

Those of you reading this: Would you still advise me to get my AM exercise on an empty stomach and skip b'fast altogether in favor of lunch at 12:00-12:30--or should I eat a little something before going out?

Thanks for any input!

Best, Sona

Don't remember if I said it before, but I've been asking a well-known bodybuildster what her preference was. She said: late at evening, because afterwards she would go to bed and burn fat all night long.
people seem to think that their body doesn't burn more energy at night after cardio, but it DOES.
The advantage of late night cardio is that you don't need to get up at an insane hour and can be more relaxed time-wise (no rushing) and also that you don't overeat AFTER cardio. After all, it's a matter of less calories in vs out. Many people overeat after strenuous cardio. By sleeping at those times, you are less likely to do so.

Fietser

I think that I am going to give this AM cardio a try, cause at the moment I do my workout in the evening and I am not seeing any results!! I am going to give it a try for three weeks!!

I found what works best for me is doing cardio on an empty stomach but eating something high in protien, like a shake, immediately afterwards. But i would NEVER do my weight training on an empty stomach.

For Sona:

What about having a little snack when you get back (ie some celery with peanut butter) and then having lunch at the same time or just a little later than usual??

Just a suggestion...

Nicole

Today I started back at the gym and did an easier workout (Didn't want to hurt myself) I did: 5 minutes at 2.5 on the Treadmill and 6 min at 1 on the cross trainer. About 20 minutes afterwards I felt sick in my stomach also I had a wicked headache. I normally fast before working out. Could I have made my sugar drop? Or could it be not having much water before hand?
(I left my water bottle at home). Thanks!! I prefer fasting before exercising for anytime I eat then work out my sugar drops like a rock. By fasting, it normally doesn't do that.

I just stumbled onto this thread and read the first 6-7 pages of it!!! As well as the last few!!

I'm totally convinced!!! I had to switch my gym workouts from afterwork to first thing in the morning!!! I don't eat before I go and I'm at the gym by 5:45-6am. I love it!!! I feel great all day!!!!

When I look back at my weight loss years ago...I remember doing my workouts in the morning and losing a ton of weight!!!

I love this board!! So much great information!! I'll keep everyone posted as to the speed of my weight loss resulting from this change!

I've always loved AM cardio, it really sets the mood for the rest of my day. This, coming from a woman who loves to sleep in on days off.

I do have one question though. Does anyone have a simple weight training plan they've used and had success with?

Today, for example, I went and tried out a few different machines and felt good afterwards, but it was my understanding (granted, not an expert by any means) that you would 'feel' your worked muscles afterwards.

All I feel is a bit of a sore neck and that's it. Should I be working harder with heavier weights, or is this normal?

thanks for your input, it's much appreciated. great thread, too!

Inanna, go to Built's journal. She as a routine laid out there.

red

Maybe not cognitive, but there is a switch. Everything about your metabolism and everything your body does is controlled by enzymes and receptors wich are the product of genes. The reason Atkins induction works is because in those two weeks or more when you are starting to consume much more fat than carbs your body realizes that carbs are not around anymore. This is realized by receptors and other cellular machinery in very complex, but very real ways, and your body does make a metabolic switch to a fat burning metabolism.

When fat is the main calorie source, your cells have to "upregulate" fat burning enzymes at the genetic level. This means that your body transcribes the genes that control fat catabolism a ton more than they did before. For this reason, people on low carb diets are much better at mobilizing fat in all circumstances.

I don't know for sure that LCers will burn body fat rather than body protein in a fasted state, but they absolutely have much more capacity to do so than someone who does not restrict their carbs.

Jamian-B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UC Davis

All circumstances? How do you explain someone who can get into single digit bodyfat percentages without really restricting carbs, but rather restricting fat intake, and yet can't seem to get there with a low carb, moderate/high fat diet.

Be careful of blanket statements.