Many of us wonder whether to eat before or after exercising. We’ve all heard that eating before exercising fuels the muscles for a more effective workout session. But is this true when it comes to weight loss, or burning body fat?
Hormones are very important when it comes to losing weight, because they control how quickly we lose weight and how fast we build muscle. Of course, calories play a big role in weight loss, but when you diet and exercise you shouldn’t only focus on calories and neglect your hormones, because our hormones enable us to achieve the fastest fat burn and most rapid body transformation.
When consuming a meal that mostly contains carbohydrates (and to a lesser degree, protein), our body releases insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Without insulin, our blood sugar would spike after meals and remain elevated. This could eventually lead to death, because too much sugar in our blood is toxic.
But insulin is also a fat storage hormone. And when it is elevated — like after meals — the body is in a state where it wants to store fat, and not burn it. So, even if you exercise after a meal, you still won’t be able to burn the fat until the levels of insulin drop, which usually takes two-to-three hours, and sometimes longer.
We must also mention another hormone that controls fat burn: the growth hormone. It not only facilitates fat burn, but also stimulates muscle growth and metabolism. And we must mention that insulin and growth hormone are antagonistic hormones. This means that when one hormone is elevated, it suppresses the other hormone. So when we eat something, the insulin levels rise, thus suppressing the growth hormone. On the other hand, when we fast, the insulin levels are at their lowest point, and the growth hormone elevates.
What all this information is telling us is that we shouldn’t eat before exercising. Now let’s talk about “fasted training.” This means that we should exercise on an empty stomach. Or, exercise first thing in the morning before breakfast, when our insulin levels are at their lowest.
It is important to listen to your body. If you start feeling dizzy, take a break. Also, make sure to drink plenty of water during your workout, as well as during the day. After your fasted workout, eat a balanced meal. This training works because you are working with your hormones to maximize fat burn. And since the hormones are the ones that help set the pace for weight loss, skip the pre-workout meal.
Sourced: mindbodygreen
