What's your preference?

[Chely]

Exercising fasted or fed?

I like to do fasted, minimum of 12hrs after food for a gym session or dog walk.

Any session of less than 3hrs = fasted.

But for a really long marathon training run I'll try and get a banana or a weetabix down first.

I prefer to run on an empty stomach - I usually go at about 5.20am, so definitely don’t eat anything first.

Fasted. My preference is to exercise first thing so always fasted, sometimes time doesn't allow to do it in the morning and I'm definitely more sluggish when I've eaten.

Anything cardio based like spin or LISS like walking I like to do fasted

But for big strength training sessions, you have to be fuelled properly or just don’t get the same results

12 hours fasted for a dog walk? Does your poor dog get any walkies in the afternoon?

I can eat pretty close to most forms of exercise. Really just running & sometimes swimming I need to not eat too much before?

I can run on an empty stomach - prefer not to though.

If you’re doing any kind of strength work then not having any fuel in the tank is going to massively decrease your ability to lift.
A PT once gave me a right bollocking for showing up to a morning session without eating, I was so weak I couldn’t get anywhere near my usual reps and weights.

There’s actually been quite a lot of studies around this and I read an interesting one that says men reap more benefit from fasted but women are better to exercise non fasted.
Cba to find the reference so take it as anecdotal

I need to eat - but like to leave at least 2 hours before a heavy workout.

@Ohpulltheotherone

I can run on an empty stomach - prefer not to though.

If you’re doing any kind of strength work then not having any fuel in the tank is going to massively decrease your ability to lift.
A PT once gave me a right bollocking for showing up to a morning session without eating, I was so weak I couldn’t get anywhere near my usual reps and weights.

There’s actually been quite a lot of studies around this and I read an interesting one that says men reap more benefit from fasted but women are better to exercise non fasted.
Cba to find the reference so take it as anecdotal

Yes agree with this, Gemma Atkinson has recently done some stuff on her IG on importance of eating pre strength workout

@FourEyesGood Can I ask what time you go to bed if you run at 5:20? I'm struggling to run now it's so cold and dark in the evenings.

If I'm running less than 7 miles I don't eat but have a cup of tea. Any further and I have a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea.

I need at least 2-3 hours between food and exercise. Any less and I 🤮

I need at least 2 hours without food and at least one hour without drink before a run.

'just' walking I can do full up

[quote sunshineandshowers40]@FourEyesGood Can I ask what time you go to bed if you run at 5:20? I'm struggling to run now it's so cold and dark in the evenings.

If I'm running less than 7 miles I don't eat but have a cup of tea. Any further and I have a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea. [/quote]
I’m usually in bed by 10.15 and asleep by half past. Running after work doesn’t work for me; I’m too unmotivated whereas if I get up early I don’t have time to think about it or put it off. I like the fact that there’s hardly anyone else around at that time. Wearing hi-viz running gear keeps me feeling safe, and I always stick to well-lit streets.

By the way, I don’t do it every day! These days, I run three times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Also, it sounds as though you do longer runs than me. Mine are 5 or 6km - I measure in km because it’s quicker gratification.

I just focus on getting my runs in- that's hard enough without worrying about whether I've eaten or not! I just do my best to get there and got for it!

Surely this sort of thing only really matters if you're a pro or training for something really big like a marathon. Not just going for a run around the park!

I don't mind either way!

I have to eat. I feel faint otherwise.

Much easier on an empty stomach - and the thought of breakfast when I get back keeps me going

I always work out first thing in the morning, before I've eaten anything. I'm same as FourEyes as that I just have to get it out of the way first thing, otherwise I will always have an excuse why not to do it.

I don't really care if I could have marginally bigger muscles if I have had breakfast before hand. The current system works for me and my recent Dexa scan confirmed I had an excellent bone density and great muscle mass ratio for my age (49). And my arms look great now so that's good enough for me

No way am I lifting any weights without a good meal.

@ragged I rarely eat before 4pm, I often walk her in the afternoon.

@shirleyPhallus I prefer lifting heavy fasted, it hasn't hindered progress at all. Pregnancy has knocked my numbers down a bit though and rebuilding my strength atm.

Definitely fasted for me.

Then I can look forward to a huge bowl of porridge with fruit after with a pot of real coffee made in my lovely stove top pot.

I haven’t run much for a while but used to bake to do either, with a suitable period inbetween food and run for it to move downwards a bit.

Like other posters I need to have fuel in the tank to lift.

My best days lifting have been on a day when I’ve been at home with not much going on, grazing all day!

Run fasted every morning for up to 2 hours. Would eat for runs of longer duration and before races. I don't eat when I get back either, I eat around 1pm to do a 16 hour fast daily

The only thing I do fasted is breakfast!!

I run early in the morning so always fasted for that. When I go to the gym it’s usually in the evening so not fasted although I don’t purposefully eat beforehand.