Weight lifting on empty stomach - is it OK?

[MonarchX]

Weight lifting during cutting is to just maintain muscles, not get bigger.

is it OK to lift weights early morning on empty stomach?

[htxRed]

food/calories = energy.

[boyscouT]

No it is not. Preworkout nutrition is essential, whether you're cutting or bulking.

Read the sticky.

[mikeizlike]

Yes its ok if that is the only time you can get to the gym
Defintely not the best time, but if that is the only time you really have time then fine. Try to eat something right when you wake up; carbs, protein shake.

[MonarchX]

Yes its ok if that is the only time you can get to the gym
Defintely not the best time, but if that is the only time you really have time then fine. Try to eat something right when you wake up; carbs, protein shake.

But for losing fat...would it not be great just like empty stomach cardio?

[Scaglietti]

Weight lifting during cutting is to just maintain muscles, not get bigger.

is it OK to lift weights early morning on empty stomach?

hell no, and hell no weight lifting isnt just for maintaining muscles... its to retain strength too, or even gain, dont just assume that cause you're cutting you wont gain and/or lose strength, it aint no concrete rule.
if u wanna lose muscle, then cardio and weights on an empty stomach are a great idea.

[boyscouT]

But for losing fat...would it not be great just like empty stomach cardio?

The principle behind empty stomach cardio is the fact that your liver glycogen is depleted and your body will utilize fat cells quicker for energy.

The principle behind empty weight training is... wait, there ISN'T. You know why? Because preworkout nutrition is essential for weight lifting. You get better pumps, better lifts, better results, better EVERYTHING. Without proper nutrition, you risk hurting yourself, hurting your gains, and hurting your existing muscle.

[Gripper]

well i rarely go on an empty stomach but the times i went most of my workouts i felt fine, but i did drink a lot of water during the workout so i guess that helped. i dont see it being a problem if u do it rarely but making a habit of it is probably bad.

[craigblitz]

I think if you are able to complete your workout without eating then 2 things re most likley true. A. You are not working hard enough, B. Your workout needs to be changed so you work out hard enough

[miss_carrie]

i remember reading in body for life that if a person's primary goal is to lose fat, then lifting can be done on an empty stomach. however, i know that for me personally, my lifts suck if i dont eat beforehand because food = energy and i cant lift heavy if i dont eat.

[cabster21]

I've tried it, but you can't lift. You just don't have the strength even if you think you feel fine. And i couldn't go longer than 20-30 minutes without becoming hungry, i mean real stomach pains. Just eat the right foods, and you will do far better.

[Eastwoodanimal]

I have tried to lift on an empty stomach however i feel week and that im losing muscle by lifting. Its takes awawy from my motivation to lift. I wouldnt recomend it to anybody

[Alex88]

Good pre-workout nutrition for weight-lifting is more important than post-workout.

[HYP3R]

I would agree with you that pre-workout nutrition is a must. But from almost every article I have read, the post-workout meal (within the hour after lifting) is what is the most important. I guess its a matter of preference. I personally have tried the morning cardio with empty stomach and I get nauseated. I can't do it. So I eat something at least an hour before lifting/cardio and definately as soon as possible after lifting (good carbs and protein).

[jodar]

kind of a tangent to this thread --

I get up at 5:15 AM and am at the gym by 6:00 AM (only time I get to work out).

I used to not eat anything, but after reading threads like this one have started to eat as soon as I wake (giving myself 30 minutes to digest). Would the following be adequate for someone in a time crunch (I'm cutting, btw, if that matters for this):

1/2 cup oats, water, 1 splenda
1 scoop whey in water
1 regular sized banana

I'll read the sticky on pre workout nutrition, but was wondering if that is okay or not (my workout schedule makes it hard to be too exact)

[Blake Austin]

Depends on your goals for training.

When I used to work nights, I would work out in the late morning/early afternoon, just after waking up. I would eat some wheat bread and some OJ, that's it. Lost weight and I'm sure some muscle/strength, but the abs and leaness I attained far outweighed being bigger and stronger.

Do what works for you.

[Suprcharg]

I'll read the sticky on pre workout nutrition, but was wondering if that is okay or not (my workout schedule makes it hard to be too exact)

where is this sticky?

[boyscouT]

where is this sticky?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=272067

[jbrim]

I think if you are able to complete your workout without eating then 2 things re most likley true. A. You are not working hard enough, B. Your workout needs to be changed so you work out hard enough

That's complete bull****. It's called drive.

[SleeperService]

I train in the morning and just have a cup of coffee first. Frankly, I find eating anything before a work out - as long as it's first thing - makes no difference. Of course, if you weren't to eat all day and then train at night I rather suspect it would.

[krete77]

Wow, how things have changed in the weight lifting industry over the past 6 years. This thread was full of so much bro-science..I was like;

[TrueIrishTexan]

I workout in the morning on an empty stomach, usually after taking preworkout supps. Regardless of the supps or not, I prefer to workout on an empty stomach.

The only thing that might make a difference is that you could have a boost if you eat an hour prior in carb rich foods. It takes a while for digestion to pull nutrients from food.

Really cellular metabolism and repair occurs whether you eat before you lift or not. Eating after, however, is important to me.

[jmlenz]

I wouldn't recommend training with NOTHING in your stomach. I train fasted but with BCAAs prior to workout (2 scoops Xtend to be exact). BCAAs help reduce muscle catabolism. I loosely follow the leangains routine and work out at the end of my 16hr fast; over the course of my 9 week cut so far I have had zero issues with training energy, lost little to no strength (actually gained strength in some lifts) and have burned about 18lbs of fat...don't be blinded by broscience

[Bliz19]

I wouldn't recommend training with NOTHING in your stomach. I train fasted but with BCAAs prior to workout (2 scoops Xtend to be exact). BCAAs help reduce muscle catabolism. I loosely follow the leangains routine and work out at the end of my 16hr fast; over the course of my 9 week cut so far I have had zero issues with training energy, lost little to no strength (actually gained strength in some lifts) and have burned about 18lbs of fat...don't be blinded by broscience

I just did legs on an empty stomach and had my best workout in ages. So much crap out there. If you like to workout after you have had some food then go ahead, if not then no worries. Your body really doesn't react that quickly. However, I usually eat something in the morning, just not lots and notice no difference in workouts. I'm actually a bit more lazy if I eat too much to be honest and too much is not a lot.

[NOSCOP3]

Wow, how things have changed in the weight lifting industry over the past 6 years. This thread was full of so much bro-science..I was like;

Best GIF ever

[buckiaj]

My lifts are progressively going up and I don't eat within two hours of going to the gym.

Its awful brotastic in here

[saleen37804]

it wont hurt you to lift in a 8 hour fasted state while cutting. a lot of people do it in there cut and dont lose any gaines.

Weight lifting during cutting is to just maintain muscles, not get bigger.

is it OK to lift weights early morning on empty stomach?

[AlwaysTryin]

^^^ EPIC 6 YEAR bump that you ALL keep replying too

[adtoro07]

Lol strong strong bump. I kept reading everything like an idiot.. all that kept coming to my head was (bcaa's!!!) . Lol

[somanykittens]

I wake up at 5am and am at the gym by about 530. Only have a preworkout or maybe a banana and i feel good while I work out. Still making progress