Cardio on an empty stomach – to do or not to do?

Many, even professional bodybuilders opt for morning cardio sessions to burn larger amounts of subcutaneous fat. The ordinary people, who want to ensure the best possible results in this way, are going in their steps. Is it a good way, though?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cardio on an empty stomach – pros
2. Cons
3. Who can do it and who should avoid exercising in the morning?

• Cardio on an empty stomach – pros

According to many athletes and trainers, fasting training helps to burn larger layers of subcutaneous fat. This happens only when the person exercising in the morning ensures adequate protection for the muscles and consumes 20 grams of branched chain amino acids (BCAA). Otherwise, not only fat can burn slower than during a traditional cardio session after training, but muscle mass can also suffer.

• Cardio on an empty stomach – cons

Physical activity just after waking up can lead to problems with the spine, including intervertebral hernia. This is because during sleep, the disks between the vertebrae become hydrated, which makes them easily damaged during the morning physical activity. Their drying (descent of spinal fluid) takes about an hour, that is why cardio-fasting training makes sense only after an hour of wake up. In addition, injured training, especially with poor nutrition may aggravate muscle catabolism, and thus the process of burning muscle tissue.

Badly performed cardio training on an empty stomach in the morning can contribute to increased muscle degradation, if the person does not previously take care of adequate muscle protection, eg with the use of branched chain amino acids BCAA, which should be taken before cardio exercises. Thanks to the immediate entry into the bloodstream, branched chain amino acids BCAA protect muscles from degradation.

Cardio training on an empty stomach in the morning, as the name suggests, takes place before eating any meal. In connection with the above, the energy consumed for the activity will be lower, which will adequately burn less calories, and thus, less subcutaneous fat will be degraded.

• Who can do it and who should avoid exercising in the morning?

Cardio training on an empty stomach in the morning is justifiable only for people suffering from a large overweight or even obese. Due to the very high percentage of subcutaneous fat, they should perform mild cardio sessions, which will gradually increase the capacity, strengthen the entire movement apparatus, and burn additional fat deposits.