To Fast or Not to Fast?

Wondering about fasted training and whether or not it would be a good fit for you?

Chances are, yes.

Fasted training, or training on an empty stomach, is most easily done first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat.

Why do it?  In simple terms, training on empty allows your body to tap into its fat stores to use as its fuel source.  

Equally, if not more importantly, exercising in a fasted state suppresses insulin levels which is crucial in keeping one the right path to not becoming diabetic

Finally, fasting increases human growth hormone levels, which is a key component in allowing the body to heal, rebuild and refresh not only for the next training session but for day to day energy as well.

If you’ve never tried it before, err on the side of caution and make your first few sessions such that you’re in a controlled environment.  A 30 minute treadmill run at the gym or an easy spin on your bike trainer might be two options so that if for any reason, you’re not comfortable or notice any unfavorable sensations making you think it’s a bad idea, you can stop.

I find with most clients, fasted training is something that is taken to quite easily.

Allow your body time to adjust to this style of training and then you can build in duration and intensity and then decide when and how often to implement this, versus training which would require you to fuel before, during, if you’re doing endurance training and after, as recovery is an integral part of the whole picture.