Weight training in the morning, fasted state

Helmerroids

Helmerroids

Striker
Contributor
I’m currently trying 16:8 IF, I know there’s a lot of conjecture about the merits of it - seems enough material to suggest it’s worth trying though. What I’m struggling with though is the concept of working out in a fasted state. Only time I can weight train is before work, around 7-8am. I’m fasting from 8pm-noon.

There’s so much bro-science out there about whether results are diminished, enhanced, unchanged. What say people on here?

I’m also struggling with the magic combo of shifting weight (1-2 stone) whilst building muscle. Any advice appreciated!
 


You’ll be using the energy from the previous days evening meal so I wouldn’t worry about it. Would you get a meal in before training if you weren’t fasting?

You’re not going to build muscle while in a calorie deficit (which you’ll need to be to shift the fat) but if you’re new to weight lifting you’ll get some initial strength gains as your CN system adapts. Just prepare for a strength gain plateau and a pause in your lifts going up. Weightlifting is a great tool for fat loss though.

I tried 16/8 a little while back and it wasn’t for me.
 
oROSSo said:
You’ll be using the energy from the previous days evening meal so I wouldn’t worry about it. Would you get a meal in before training if you weren’t fasting?

You’re not going to build muscle while in a calorie deficit (which you’ll need to be to shift the fat) but if you’re new to weight lifting you’ll get some initial strength gains as your CN system adapts. Just prepare for a strength gain plateau and a pause in your lifts going up. Weightlifting is a great tool for fat loss though.

I tried 16/8 a little while back and it wasn’t for me.
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Makes sense, I always struggle with the mix of losing weight whilst trying to improve physique - I’m taking creatine and whey, don’t want to “bulk up” but want to get the best bang for my buck when lifting weights. Don’t know whether I should just focus on cardio and the calorie deficit side of things.

Stevie Freestein II said:
Martin berkhan reckons that he takes BCAA before training while fasted.
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This is another area of conflicting advice - lot of stuff online which says this constitutes breaking the fast..
 
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Helmerroids said:
Makes sense, I always struggle with the mix of losing weight whilst trying to improve physique - I’m taking creatine and whey, don’t want to “bulk up” but want to get the best bang for my buck when lifting weights. Don’t know whether I should just focus on cardio and the calorie deficit side of things.


This is another area of conflicting advice - lot of stuff online which says this constitutes breaking the fast..
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Start with the basics, get your calories and macros right for your goal. If you need to use why to hit your protein goal for the day then fine. Lift weights if you enjoy it but don’t worry about bulking up, it simply won’t happen on a deficit.

I wouldn’t class taking bcaas as breaking the fast as their calories are minimal but I would dispute the benefits of bcaas.
 
oROSSo said:
Start with the basics, get your calories and macros right for your goal. If you need to use why to hit your protein goal for the day then fine. Lift weights if you enjoy it but don’t worry about bulking up, it simply won’t happen on a deficit.

I wouldn’t class taking bcaas as breaking the fast as their calories are minimal but I would dispute the benefits of bcaas.
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The fuck does this numpty think he is dishing out the advice like some ladida expert :rolleyes:
 
I'm no expert but from what I've read, and from what others have said here, unless you're elite or looking to be elite the timing of the calories doesn't make a massive difference. I'd recommend just giving it a try and seeing how you get on - if you find yourself paggered by mid morning then take some of the calories you'd consume after noon and have them after your weights.

There are so many factors that influence how well you train it's impossible to call cause and effect at times. For instance, I trained yesterday morning at about 8 - the schnauzer booted off at nothing in particular at about midnight during the night and woke me up, the boy woke up for a feed at 4.30 and so I was awake then and I woke up in a hypo (I'm type 1 diabetic) and trained after correcting that but before breakfast. And I'm full of cold. I'd basically written the session off before I started but then went on to do my personal best deadlift... It's an enigma at times!
 
Simpsyla said:
I'm no expert but from what I've read, and from what others have said here, unless you're elite or looking to be elite the timing of the calories doesn't make a massive difference. I'd recommend just giving it a try and seeing how you get on - if you find yourself paggered by mid morning then take some of the calories you'd consume after noon and have them after your weights.

There are so many factors that influence how well you train it's impossible to call cause and effect at times. For instance, I trained yesterday morning at about 8 - the schnauzer booted off at nothing in particular at about midnight during the night and woke me up, the boy woke up for a feed at 4.30 and so I was awake then and I woke up in a hypo (I'm type 1 diabetic) and trained after correcting that but before breakfast. And I'm full of cold. I'd basically written the session off before I started but then went on to do my personal best deadlift... It's an enigma at times!
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Our mutt got me up at 3ish so I’m in a bad mood ... I will go for an angry hulk run soon to let off some steam!
 
Anecdotal evidence.

This week I have had a cold, trained on two non consecutive days starting at 8am, I ate only a banana on the walk from the car park to the gym and nothing else pre-gym.

There wasn’t a drop in performance, if anything I felt more energetic than when I train at midday, but I am still at my best at about 7pm.

The only downside to training earlier for me is that I ate like a hoss afterwards, whereas usually I eat between 11am and 8:30pm.
 
Helmerroids said:
I’m currently trying 16:8 IF, I know there’s a lot of conjecture about the merits of it - seems enough material to suggest it’s worth trying though. What I’m struggling with though is the concept of working out in a fasted state. Only time I can weight train is before work, around 7-8am. I’m fasting from 8pm-noon.

There’s so much bro-science out there about whether results are diminished, enhanced, unchanged. What say people on here?

I’m also struggling with the magic combo of shifting weight (1-2 stone) whilst building muscle. Any advice appreciated!
Click to expand...

IMHO - it all depends how severe your caloric deficit is. So if you're going for big fat loss results, you're gonna be depleting glycogen stores fast ( stored energy ) which is basically what you will be running off in a fasted workout. As the diet kicks in, and glycogen stores deplete, your workouts will suffer more and more. So it may be working fine at first, but after a week boom ! ( a weekly carb re-feed may be needed )

If you have a moderate deficit, you may get away with it just fine. It honestly all depends on your situation.

In regards to the bro science.... you;re right. there is far too much for and against to get your head around. For example, take gear and it rules out any possible negatives and study suggests and 90% of people out there giving info are on gear. So it's hard to trust.

My take it on it is, don't do it. If you exercise, it raises cortisol levels, even more so on a morning, and again more elevated in a fasted state, so that's you training in a x3 cortisol level state than normal. Cortisol has been shown to lower thyroid output and reduce metabolism. With also the added chance of been in a catabolic state further reducing lean muscle mass and decreasing metabolism further.

Even a small meal before training has been shown to dramatically reduce cortisol. So even if you have a small shake say 20g protein, banana, oats, avocado. You get a mix of every macro nutrient keeping your cortisol low.

Studies have shown LISS or HITT in fasted or Fed state show EXACTLY the same results, that's why the most important factor for me to consider is cortisol.

Wrote this on treadmill in gym, so apologies for grammar n sh!t
 
I've been doing this for a month and working hard in the gym with a mix of weights and cardio, I have 1 meal on an evening around 730pm I have lost 7kg in a month also I'm getting stronger and developing muscle. Some people get fatigue by doing this but it has not affected me at all, I have loads of energy at the moment. I'm loving it.
 

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