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the truth The practice of fasting has been the subject of many scientific studies analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of this method. The same former national coach, Luis Enrique, admitted during the recent Qatar World Cup that training on an empty stomach is one of his secrets. To lose more fat and increase the effectiveness of exercises.
“For exercise I do it on an empty stomach And when I finish training if I feel like breakfast or I can wait until lunch. It depends on how I feel. At first, I defined it as something tangible, and now it goes according to the feeling I’m feeling.”
Breakfast: yes or no?
The truth is Fasting physical activity does indeed have some advantages but only if certain conditions are met; Otherwise, it could backfire. Various studies Showed that more body fat is burned by exercising before breakfast. Among the most important data was provided by Tunisian scientists who evaluated the effects of physical activity on men during the month of Ramadan, which is the period when Muslims fast during daylight hours.
According to some experts, you do Playing sports On an empty stomach, it speeds up the burning of calories and the process of losing weight. Study published in British Journal of Nutrition He even says those who exercise without eating can get it To burn up to 20 percent more fat than those who ate before. Another from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Metabolism found something similar, supporting the theory that this can reduce fat percentage and therefore weight more than when you train after breakfast or lunch.
This is because Lack of food forces your body to use other resources To carry out physical activities, which in this case is the accumulated fat.
However, this practice also has its drawbacks. Fasting exercise It can cause you to lose muscle at the same time as fat, Plus you can start burning protein instead of fat if you run out of resources. Also, when you train fasted, physical performance is lower. Therefore, exercise after a long period without eating should be moderate.
The “coffee” trick
However, if there is usually unanimous knowledge of its effectiveness and It is as simple as having a cup of coffee.
Scholars Granada Universityaffiliated with the Department of Physiology, showed that consuming caffeine (about 3 mg/kg, equivalent to strong coffee) half an hour before aerobic exercise significantly increases fat burning. Also, if the workout is done in the afternoon, the effects of the caffeine are longer lasting and more noticeable.
To reach this conclusion published in “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition”Researchers set out to find out if caffeine, one of the most widely consumed energizers in the world, could improve athletic performance. It actually increases – almost doubles – the oxidation or “burning” of fat during exercise.
The research included a total of 15 men (average age 32 years), who completed an exercise test four times at seven-day intervals. Subjects took 3 mg/kg of caffeine or a placebo at 8 am and 5 pm. (Each subject completed the tests in all four conditions in random order.)
Similarly, conditions before each exercise test (fasting hours, physical exercise or consumption of stimulant substances) were strictly standardized, and fat oxidation during exercise was calculated in response.
Maximum “burning” of fat
The results of our study revealed this Acute caffeine intake 30 minutes before an aerobic exercise test increased maximal lipid oxidationduring exercise no matter what time of day it is,” Amaro stressed.
