HIIT- Empty Stomach?

bezoe

bezoe

Well-known member
I've been doing some HIIT now for a couple of weeks and have heard some different perspectives on what or what not to eat before and after a HIIT session. Do I wait a couple of hours after I eat to do HIIT? And do I eat immediately after to stop catabolism?
 
There's varying opinions. Guys that were doing fasted training did HIIT sometimes, personally I can't do HIIT fasted. I just can't push myself hard enough for my liking.

You can do HIIT postWO. It doesn't matter too much what you ate, as long as it doesn't impede your performance IMO. HIIT is more about increasing the EPOC/afterburn, and increasing your metabolism throughout the day. Intake prior to the HIIT isn't critical.
 
I can't do it fasted either.. I fail about halfway through if I don't eat something beforehand.
 
Exactly what Stevo said, HIITs main function is to increase metabolism, therefore its not concerned with intra workout fat burning but the after effects (one of the biggest varying points when compared to empty stomach).

Keep the intensity up, and do what it takes to do so, and go from there. Also you can play around with intake to find your own personal sweet spot on the matter.
 
Steveoph said:
There's varying opinions. Guys that were doing fasted training did HIIT sometimes, personally I can't do HIIT fasted. I just can't push myself hard enough for my liking.

You can do HIIT postWO. It doesn't matter too much what you ate, as long as it doesn't impede your performance IMO. HIIT is more about increasing the EPOC/afterburn, and increasing your metabolism throughout the day. Intake prior to the HIIT isn't critical.
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Ok, that answers the first part... thanks, by the way. So if I do it post workout, I should still eat afterwards? That wouldn't interfere with the fat burning effect, that is -replinishing glycogen stores immediately afterwards? I just want to be as effecient as possible when burning fat.
 
bezoe said:
Ok, that answers the first part... thanks, by the way. So if I do it post workout, I should still eat afterwards? That wouldn't interfere with the fat burning effect, that is -replinishing glycogen stores immediately afterwards? I just want to be as effecient as possible when burning fat.
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You raise a good point; I think in Lyle McDonald's Body Opus he mentions having only Proteins & Fats PWO. I've had C+P meals, and it still works. Perhaps less effectively; if you want to just have P+F meals, go ahead. I am not 100% on the answer.
 
I do my HIIT first thing in the morning on an empty stomach I keep some bcaa's mixed and ready and drink it right after i finish then I go home take some AP and then take a shower its about 30 min or so after the bcaa drink then I eat 50 grams carbs and either a protien shake or some eggs depends on the day works good for me
 
I would urge you against it. Im at the gym at around 5am most days, and I tried both HIIT and lifting on an empty stomach, and after a week of that and then a week of getting up and getting something in my stomach I saw a HUGE improvement. In the exercises where I started to lag in the last 2 sets, I now could keep consistent and never felt tired or exhausted.

I would have to imagine the extra juice from eating has to make up the difference of a fasted state. Its also worth mentioning that both weeks I used a pre-wo supp (White Flood.) Also, on the HIIT days it was a bear. If you can do real HIIT on an empty stomach, kudos. HIIT is like heavy squats for me...they leave me completely depleted and usually STARVING for the rest of the day. I just couldnt keep up when doing them fasted.

YMMV.
 
I've been doing it fasted during my cut. It's not easy. I can only get about 15 mins in before I have to stop.
 
well whe i do fasted HIIT i take 2 recreate and 2 powerfull 30 min pre and I have no prob doing 30 min I have used this method for several years and trust me there is nothing that will lean you out faster IMHO



just make sure your cals for the day are adjusted for what ever your doing bulking, cutting, or maintain thats the key if your cutting then you should expect some lethargy in the gym and your workout will be affected but thats what supps are for to help maintain strength will cutting cals the HIIT just gets your body burning fat and kicks your metabolism up a notch
 
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Steveoph said:
There's varying opinions. Guys that were doing fasted training did HIIT sometimes, personally I can't do HIIT fasted. I just can't push myself hard enough for my liking.

You can do HIIT postWO. It doesn't matter too much what you ate, as long as it doesn't impede your performance IMO. HIIT is more about increasing the EPOC/afterburn, and increasing your metabolism throughout the day. Intake prior to the HIIT isn't critical.
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Agree totally.

I don't understand the logic behind doing fasted HIIT when the beneficial effects of HIIT occur after the actual cardio is completed.

bezoe said:
Ok, that answers the first part... thanks, by the way. So if I do it post workout, I should still eat afterwards? That wouldn't interfere with the fat burning effect, that is -replinishing glycogen stores immediately afterwards? I just want to be as effecient as possible when burning fat.
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I would still eat afterwards. The raise in metabolism is due to EPOC, the post exercise oxygen consumption that is required to balance out hormonal, chemical and other processes that occur in the body during intensive exercise.
 
well you still burn cals when doing the exercise and when in a fasted state you can force your body to burn stored fat for fuel while doing the cardio and afterward your metabolism should be kicked up a notch but everyone is different all I can say is it works good for me now I only do it in a fasted state when Im cutting cals other wise I do eat something so you can try it for yourself if it dosent work the way you want then try something else
 
protein shake 60-45 prior (low carb and low fat)
protein shake right after work out (low carb and low fat)
Eat an hour later
 
Ok thanks everyone... I've starting doing HIIT pwo just because of convenience (except on leg day) I jump rope so I just mix up my whey shake before hand ... trying to lower BF before this summer
 
I train and do cardio fasted, I just use BCAAs during training.

I did HIIT twice so far this week, once on the treadmill and once on the arc trainer.

I find that after 8 or so minutes of the HIIT I start to feel like I have to puke. I don't know if that is necessarily the result of the fast or what, but when I finish up with steady state cardio the sick feeling goes away.
 
doesnt fasted cardio help the body kick in ketosis
 
what about doing the eca then going to the gym doing first thing cardiop on an emtpy stomch? Will that help get cut up faster and is eca suppose to prevent muscle breakdown? I mix all my water with luecine isoleucine and valine and Glutamin all powder so if I did this and do 1 hr cardio will that help me get cut up FASTER?
 
i dont know if ECA will keep ur muscles from being eaten up
 
Dadof2 said:
I train and do cardio fasted, I just use BCAAs during training.

I did HIIT twice so far this week, once on the treadmill and once on the arc trainer.

I find that after 8 or so minutes of the HIIT I start to feel like I have to puke. I don't know if that is necessarily the result of the fast or what, but when I finish up with steady state cardio the sick feeling goes away.
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that's how to do it for sure, and protect muscles. when you limit carbs, or stick to slow digesting carbs post workout, you'll be in even more of a fat burning state.
 
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