ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — You may have heard that you need energy to burn energy. In fact, many trainers tell their clients not to workout without eating something first. But a new study suggests exercising on an empty stomach may not be a bad idea.
A new British study found skipping breakfast and working out on an empty stomach may offer benefits. Researchers followed ten overweight and sedentary men who walked for an hour on a treadmill. When the participants ate breakfast before their workout, they burned more calories. But when they skipped breakfast, they burned more fat and the genes in their fat cells were much more active. Scientists say these results seem to show that the best health benefits come from fasting before working out. But the research is preliminary. If you do eat before exercising, choose whole, nutrient-dense foods like bananas, oats, yogurt, whole-grain bread, or a hardboiled egg. It could give you the boost you need to help you succeed!
Be sure to avoid very fatty foods before a workout. Fat leaves the stomach slowly, which can make you feel full and sluggish and increase your risk of developing cramps. Foods high in sugar can trigger a sugar crash during your workout, so avoid those as well.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor.
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