If you have wondered if it is better to exercise fasting, before breakfast, or have breakfast and then do your training session, I will evaluate it here.

For years we’ve been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that you should eat a good nutritious breakfast to get the best workout. But is that really true? Here are some benefits of working out fasted, which means, before you eat breakfast or whatever ends up being your first meal of the day if you intermittently fast, like I do.

Fasting exercise improves glucose and insulin levels, reducing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes;

As I explain on Today is Still the Day, exercising while fasted is particularly effective for fat loss, as it reduces both total body weight and percentage of body fat. Exercising after eating only reduces body weight;

Reduce food intake for the rest of the day, resulting in an overall energy deficit of about 400 calories;

It can stimulate growth hormone and testosterone production, which prevents depression and optimizes tissue regeneration;

People who skipped breakfast and exercised on an empty stomach had better working memory by mid-afternoon and reported less mental fatigue and tension at the end of the day than those who ate cereal before exercising.

Helps prevent depression.

Exercise and fasting together cause oxidative stress, which helps counteract muscle aging.

So I think it’s safe to say that if losing fat and improving muscle health is your primary goal, getting a quick workout would be the way to go.

Another big advantage is that exercising while fasting for more than 14-18 hours (which you might do if you’re intermittent fasting) probably activates as much autophagy as fasting for two to three days by increasing AMPK, NAD+, and inhibiting mTOR. Autophagy is the process by which the body cleans out damaged cells to regenerate newer, healthier cells. It occurs during prolonged fasting.

So you should never eat before you exercise? It is not appropriate for everyone. It depends on your age, the last time you ate, whether or not you are pregnant, medication use, medical history, fitness level, whether or not you are metabolically flexible, and the type of exercise you do. If you feel weak, dizzy, nauseated, or lightheaded, you should probably eat something before you exercise. I certainly wouldn’t recommend a bowl of cereal, by the way. A light protein meal, such as a small whey protein shake, is a good choice.

As with all things, it’s always best to listen to your body and use wisdom to find what works best for you.

Do you eat before you exercise or do you routinely exercise on an empty stomach?