Diet is one of the primary factors that will bring change in your body. Bodybuilders often have cutting or bulking periods to help them gain or lose weight. You can even join an affordable gym without the fancy technology and you’d still get results if you diet properly. One diet option is working out during fasting.
Some people say that working out in a fasted state will bring better results, but is it really true? Well let’s find out.
Benefits of Working out when you have a Full Stomach
You are naturally more energetic when you’ve eaten before working out, this means that you’ll be able to perform better and do more high-intensity exercises.
Your body will also consume less calories since your body will absorb the nutrients that you ate right away. This efficient transfer of energy means that your body will produce less fat cells in the body. Research has even shown that people who eat before a workout have less caloric intake for the rest of the day.
Benefits of Working out on an Empty Stomach
The greatest benefit of working out in a fasted state is that your body can distribute nutrients more effectively. Testosterone levels go up when we work out and they are distributed throughout the body faster if we are in a fasted state. Our bodies also increase the production of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which helps build muscle tissues and burn fat. Testosterone and HGH are a ferocious pair when it comes to burning fat and gaining muscle. Research has even shown that people who fast while working out burn fat at an alarming rate.
When we eat, Insulin is released so that our body can distribute more sugar into our bloodstream. Eating a lot means that more insulin is pumped into our bloodstream causing it to be less sensitive to Insulin. The less sensitive we are to Insulin the more the body makes Insulin, which in turn means more sugar is pumped into our bloodstream. Fasting helps reduce the release of insulin which in turn resets our insulin sensitivity. To put it simply, fasting reduces insulin secretion which in turn increases our chances of burning fats.
So Which One is better?
Working out while on a full stomach allows you to perform better which means more reps and more progress, it also allows you to burn more fat cells because your body uses up the food that you recently ate as energy.
Working out on a fasted state helps increase HGH and Testosterone levels. These are two hormones that helps you build a stronger and more muscular body. Fasting also reduces insulin secretion which in turn gives the body more opportunities to burn fat.
To cut it short, neither of them are better. They both have their pros and cons. And each of us have different bodies and what works for one person may not work for another. So choose what works for you, try them both.