Do you train with a full or empty stomach?? Does it make a difference?

Do you train on an empty or full stormach?

  • full stomach

    Votes: 28 54.9%
  • empty stomach

    Votes: 23 45.1%

  • Total voters
    51

Matt6969

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Do you train on an empty or full stomach? and what ever your choice is does it make a difference on your gains.
 

UKStrength

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Do you train on an empty or full stomach? and what ever your choice is does it make a difference on your gains.
I always eat a full meal prior to training, but I leave at least 3 (sometimes even 4) hours before I lift, there's nothing worse than doing a strenuous workout and feeling like you're going to be sick because half of your lunch is repeating on you...

It's never affected my gains, if anything I've made better gains because I make damn sure my peri and post workout nutrition is spot-on!
 
Doc Holliday

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I never weight train on an empty stomach, but I do cardio on an empty stomach(ive tried both ways and feel this is much more effective). I feel bigger with a better pump if i eat 2-3 times before i weight train. I do think it makes sense though that by just eating breakfast(1 meal), then weight training, you would have better recovery because of more meals post workout(4 or 5). Benefits to both i think, but i recommend to never train with weights on an empty stomach.
 
drivehard

drivehard

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Like previous posters...

I have to eat something before I train. Usually shredded wheat cereal and protein shake. I do cardio in the morning fasted.

I have always been able to do cardio in the morning no problems fasted...but I can't lift worth anything if I don't have some food in my belly. Something plain and easy to digest like cereal usually.
 

UKStrength

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I have always been able to do cardio in the morning no problems fasted...but I can't lift worth anything if I don't have some food in my belly. Something plain and easy to digest like cereal usually.
It's funny that isn't it?

I notice that during my fasted cardio (just brisk walking with the dog for an hour) I'm RAVENOUS before I go out, then about 10 mins into it the hunger is completely blunted and I'm not even that hungry when I get home!

Yet, if I hit the weights fasted (5 hours or more with no food) I'm starving (like cripplingly) all the way through, feeling light-headed and ready to eat the nearest gym instructor by the end!
 

Irish Cannon

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I eat a full meal about 1.5hrs before I train. Pre-workout shakes slow me down and kill my post-workout appetite.
 

samadhismiles

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I eat breakfast (and usually lunch on real busy work days) and then lift. A few minutes before lifting I start sipping on a drink made of 45g whey + 45g simple sugars (gatorade powder usually). I time my sips of that drink so I finish the last quarter right after I finish my last set. Its not the best tasting stuff but it works real good better than milk + whey.
 
natty texan

natty texan

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i have what i call my 50-50 (50 carbs 50 grams of protein) shake about 45 minutes before workout. but i workout in the morning so if i don't have the shake i'm running on empty...
 
Manchester

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I'm another early morning workout guy. A protein shake and a 1/2 cup of brown rice about 45 minutes before I workout and I am good to go.
 
Mrjustin

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i find fasted cardio is very effective.

i always work out in the mornings, and normally i only pop a couple EFA's lots of water and some ECY before i go to the gym. I will eat something small, like a bowl of cereal, if its a ME day.
 
John Smeton

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fasted cardio is the best for fatloss(I take a small shake before) right upon awaking

for lifting yeah best if you have a couple meals in you.

although, these are optimal if you have a bunch of appointments that day and cant make it dont worry about it and just get it done whenever you can.
 

doyoudo911

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never g2 the gym on an empty stomach, with an empty stomach where are you getting ur energy from? (hint it stars with a M and ends with a E lol) getting energy from the muscles tears the muscle down not giving you good results IMO also with no nutrients in the system ur asking for BAD results, besides who wants to g2 the gym hungry, ur not concentrating on the workout, ur trying to rush and get done so you can go eat.

just eat enough to cure the hunger but not get stuffed unless you want to throw it up :/ which im sure u wont be let back into the gym ever again ahahah
 
suncloud

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i take a carb/protein shake pre workout - 50g carbs, 25g protein. i take it 15 minutes prior to workout, and notice when i forget to take my shake (if i'm running errands before the gym), my strength drops by roughly 10%.

solid food before working out takes too long to digest though, and can leave me feeling queezy.
 
SilentBob187

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Generally 60g carbs and 30g protein or something similar 1 hour before I train.
 

CJPopovich

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I have some food in my stomach prior to a strenuous workout. If it's an easy day, less food. If I'm just doing cardio and it's the morning, no food.
 

Rah22491

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i always have a meal about 1.5 hrs b4 training with 40g carbs and 35 g protein then strait whey 45 before. IMO it makes no sense to take in complex carbs right before training because it doesnt have time to get into your glycogen stores therefore you wont use it in your WKout
 

Matt6969

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i used to train on an empty stomach but hear lately i have been training on a full stomach. but i do agree with much of you on running on an empty stomach.
 
biggerthantex

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I cant generally eat whole foods before i workout it seems to take my pump away... but i do take a whey protein drink before (and of course after) i work out... I need to include some more carbs preworkout... "ON" just came out with a product that has carbs and protein in the same shake.. it would be something to look into..
 
Theipodpeople

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I always used to eat at least something about an hour to 2 hours before my workout, depending on how much I ate. Usually oatmeal and some kind of protein. Lately though, I've been waking up and going straight to the gym, sometimes experimenting with a BCAA supp before, during, and protein and/or carbs right after. I've found that I'm doing okay with either something like NO Shotgun right before, or NO Synthesize during and after(I have a lot of samples to use).
Especially if you don't have anything but water in the morning, then halfway into your workout you take NO Synthesize, the creatine, arginine and BCAAs noticeably BLOW your muscles up and give you a good pump. I'm only doing this while cutting though..
 

protempsfish

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I get up at 6am and am hitting the eliptical or the weights at 6:15. I have heard so many different opinions. I am taking a watered down carb drink when doing cardio and a full strength carb/protein drink before doing weights.
 

bmxrazr

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Well for me, get up at 4:30am and pounding running or bike riding by 5:30, with just 10 ounces of an ABB energy drink and some ephedra. Now when monday comes around, I will be adding a scoop full of NO-Shotgun before hitting the weights 4 days a week. To me, and because I sort of have OCD, I perform my cardio better knowing that I am burning nothing but stored fat and glycogen. It maybe a little extreme to some people, but that is just me and my mind set.
 
natty texan

natty texan

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how do you pound away on a bike with abb and ephedra?

on ephedra alone all i can do is jog...i'm too jittery for anything intense...
 
Rosie Chee

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Do you train on an empty or full stomach? and what ever your choice is does it make a difference on your gains.
I train first thing in the morning, cardio, then resistance training, all on an empty stomach. I actually find that my strenth, etc. is better this way. Makes no difference to hypertrophy gains (my post-training nutrition is right, and that's the most important (next to diet) thing).

I DO sometimes do my resistance training (and if a second cardio session) later in the day (not often, but sometimes), but I like to leave at least 2-3 hours after a meal before I do that.
 
fightbackhxc

fightbackhxc

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I train on a stomach containing slow burning carbohydrates such as oatmeal. I usually mix my oatmeal, whey, and milk in a blender and drink pre workout. That way I can push through my sets with the added energy from the carbs and the whey+milk is keeping my body somewhat anabolic.
 

bmxrazr

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Well, I have a high tolerance to stims, meds, just pills in general lol. What I do is buy 4-5 bottles of ABB speed shots and mix them with about 3 scoop fulls of BCAA in a gallon jug. After that I just measure out 10-15 ounces and take about 50mg of Primatene before a run or bike ride. Granted, I am a runner who runs long distance and has chronic mucous build-up, it does help to allow me to breath better.
 
GymRat7197

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If I'm cutting an emtpy stomach, if bulking a full stomach.
 

brownstown89

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If I'm cutting an emtpy stomach, if bulking a full stomach.
for some reason ive had my best workouts when i dont eat 3-4 hrs b4 bed and slam down a weight gainer b4 bed and wake up take pre workout and and lift.. ive broke many personal records that way.

DL-390
Bench-250
Floor Pressed- 265

all on different days when i did these some being a while ago but idk empty stomach training is amazing but the thing is i end up not eating alot at all the rest of the day.
 

protempsfish

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I train first thing in the morning, cardio, then resistance training, all on an empty stomach. I actually find that my strenth, etc. is better this way. Makes no difference to hypertrophy gains (my post-training nutrition is right, and that's the most important (next to diet) thing).

I DO sometimes do my resistance training (and if a second cardio session) later in the day (not often, but sometimes), but I like to leave at least 2-3 hours after a meal before I do that.
I do the same although i alternate days for lifting and cardio and never do both on the same but all on an empty stomach.
 

pro45

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I train fasted. First thing in the morning. Have done this for years... I have the rest of the day to eat and hit my macro's. That's all that matters to me. Won shows. Competing for over 20 was as a natural.
 
dds

dds

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Wish I could vote both....on SQT and DL I'll eat a few PBJ samichs an hour or so....for BP and OHP I don't eat right before....
 

BlockBuilder

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I can’t train on an empty stomach. Can not do it lol. Blood sugar gets too low and I feel shaky and overall like crap
 

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